Benyounes Semtati, born in 1966, belongs to a generation of artists profoundly influenced by the complexities and transformations of the 1980s. This era, marked by significant socio-political shifts, the escalation of global capitalism, and the rapid evolution of mass media, provided a fertile ground for artistic exploration and expression. The decade witnessed the rise of distinctive art movements such as Neo Geo, which focused on the impersonal aspects of contemporary culture through geometric abstraction; The Pictures Generation, a group of artists who utilized appropriated images to critique the burgeoning influence of media; and Neo-Expressionism, which revived painting with intense, emotional content, often reflecting on personal and historical narratives.

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Semtati's formative years as an artist during this time would have been colored by the global political changes, including the end of the Cold War signaled by the fall of the Berlin Wall, and cultural shifts such as the dominance of hip hop and electronic pop music. These elements contributed to a global cultural milieu that was both rich in possibilities and fraught with tensions, particularly regarding issues of identity, representation, and the distribution of power and wealth.

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Like contemporaries Akram Zaatari, Simon Binna, Heike Baranowsky, Manon De Boer, and Sam Ebohon, Semtati's work is likely to navigate these complex landscapes, possibly interrogating themes of identity, memory, and the passage of time through a unique personal and cultural lens. The 1980s, with their distinctive blend of optimism and conflict, technological advancement and socio-political unrest, provided a backdrop that would influence the thematic concerns and aesthetic choices of artists emerging during this period.

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Benyounes Semtati's engagement with the art world during such a transformative era suggests an artistic practice deeply embedded in the questions and contradictions of his time, reflecting a broader exploration of how global and local realities intersect within the realm of contemporary art.

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