· PHOTOGRAPHY · AFRICA · TUNISIA ·
Photographing Erriadh’s Djerbahood Street Art Project – a Decade On
Scribbled by Claire ◊ 26 Aug 2024
Are you planning a trip to southern Tunisia? If so, then don’t miss the highlight of Erriadh, in Djerba, home to one of the world’s largest contemporary street art projects, Djerbahood. Read on to find out more about the project, how to visit, what there is to do, how to find the art work, loads of photos, and more.
The island of Djerba; a beach lover’s destination with wild, sweeping sandy shores.
Known as the island of dreams, Djerba flanks the sparkling Tunisian coastline, guarding an unexpected treasure. Concealed in the modest but picturesque, whitewashed village of Erriadh, is a remarkable collection of contemporary urban artwork; woven throughout the surfaces of homes and passageways of this historic community.
This small, unassuming village is home to ‘Djerbahood’, an open-air art gallery, pioneered in 2014. 250 murals, old and new, adorn the walls of aesthetic Erriadh; from simple painted pottery, to vast, timeless political statements addressing global issues. The project initially attracted 130 artists from 30 countries, and even in 2023, nearly a decade after the first artworks were created, the fading marks of the artists persist.
Nine years since it was established, we found ourselves in Djerbahood, cameras in hand, wandering the alleys of Erriadh searching for evidence of the project. Here, we discuss how this impressive art installation came to be, what you can expect a decade on, and how to visit.
There is even a little pdf art tick list, perfect for printing out if you’re visiting with kids (or adults – no judgement!).
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What is the Djerbahood Project
Djerbahood is a large-scale street art project, curated by Mehdi Ben Sheikh, a Tunisian-French artist who spent a decade previous to this project devoted to uplifting and promoting street artists. Ben Sheikh, the founder and director of Galerie Itinerrance, a Paris-based contemporary art gallery, had previously organised large scale art projects including La Tour Paris 13, where 108 artists adorned a soon-to-be demolished building.
As one of the largest permanent street art projects in the world, Djerbahood has attracted hundreds of artists over the past decade. They hail from all over the world, including Saudi Arabia, France, Poland, Spain, Belgium and, of course, Tunisia. Personally approved by Ben Sheikh, the Djerbahood scenes, vibrant, poignant and thoughtful, showcase a huge range of cultural perspectives which were enthusiastically welcomed by the residents.
The Djerbahood street art spectacle has been transformational for the small Tunisian village of Erriadh. The village is now frequented by tourists, exposing the community to the diversity of outsiders. Speaking with the New York Times at the inception of the venture, Abdel Kadar, a shopkeeper in Erriadh, spoke of the benefits:
On my way home, I often stop to speak to the artists who tell me a little bit of their story. Art is important, it encourages us to stay open to others, to other cultures, and I am grateful to this project because it has allowed me to meet people from all over the world, to travel, and best of all, to open my mind.
Why Was Erriadh Chosen for Djerbahood?
Erriadh (or Er-Riadh or Hara Sghira Er Riadh), is a traditional 2000-year-old community, known as the home of North Africa’s oldest synagogue, La Ghriba, a historic pilgrimage site. However, in 2010, the instability caused by the Arab Spring left the Mediterranean island of Djerba suffering from a lack of administrative management. Issues such as waste disposal became a huge problem, leaving settlements like Erriadh lacking in tourist appeal and with little exposure to the outside world.
Erriadh was picked specifically due to its traditional architecture, brilliant white houses and very Tunisian style cubiform design buildings. It was also selected as one of the oldest villages in Tunisia, where Jews, Muslims and Christian communities have cohabited for centuries, creating a millennia-old multicultural society.
Ben Sheikh told The New York Times he believes that, as an art form, street art ‘transcends style and space’ and that he wanted to do a project in Tunisia. He chose Erriadh due to ‘…the natural beauty of the village,’ that ‘…provides the artists with a unique canvas.’.
In Erriadh, the village mayor and individual homeowners had to give explicit permission before the final go-ahead was granted. The citizens, although initially reluctant, soon warmed up to the concept of their Erriadh properties, mailboxes, steps and white-washed alleys being used as a canvas for people from all over the globe.
The Art at Djerbahood
The installation name was inspired by Rodolphe Cintorino’s sign ‘the hood’, at the entrance to the village.
Although this sign is no longer there (it was destroyed by sandstorms apparently), much of the other original work from 2014 endures. Some of the original art in Erriadh has also been weathered (or lost completely), however, new additions have since been added, as recently as 2022.
We actually liked that some of the art looked ‘aged’. The village has so much to see in every direction, from small details on rooftops to huge frescoes. The variety in age of the scenes just adds depth and interest.
The photos within this post show some of our Djerbahood favourites – it’s a magical place to photograph. We’d highly recommend a visit for photographers!
If you are considering visiting, check out our printable Djerbahood pdf tick-list for some of the art we found! It’s brilliant for entertaining kids (and adults alike).
Getting to Djerbahood
There are several methods of getting to the island of Djerba in Tunisia:
◊ Domestic flight from Tunis
◊ Several louages from Tunis (very long journey via minibus)
◊ Self-driving
◊ Train to Gabès and then louage to Djerba
Djerba has lots of accommodation options to suit pretty much any budget. It’s also very easy to get around via car, louage or taxi. Check out our guide on backpacking in Tunisia for more information.
Arriving in Djerba
Self-driving | search for ‘Djerbahood’ on Google Maps which will give precise directions to the centre of Erriadh. There are free parking opportunities all around the outskirts. Tip – remember where you park your car (maybe record a GPS point or something). We didn’t and spent half an afternoon searching for ours!
Louage | it is possible to reach Erriadh by minibus public transport, or louage, from the main town of Houmt Souk. Check for ‘Station Louages Djerba’ on Google Maps – this is, by far, the most affordable option in getting there.
Taxi | probably the easiest option; the drivers on the island know where to go. We saw plenty of taxis waiting around in Erriadh to take visitors back when they were done.
CAR HIRE FOR YOUR TUNISIA TRIP
We always rent our vehicles all over the world, including our recent trips in Oman, Saudi Arabia, Tunisia, Jordan and Morocco, with Discover Cars. They’re often the most affordable, plus they paid out immediately on an insurance claim we made when our car took some heavy damage in Sicily. We fully recommend them.
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Final Thoughts – Photographing Djerbahood
We really, really enjoyed walking around and photographing Erriadh and Djerbahood.
If we had not spoken to people, we would not have known that any of the original art had gone, as there is still so much to see. It’s such a beautiful little village, with quintessential Tunisian architecture, framed by bougainvillea and accented by beautiful Tunisian doorways.
It’s such a clever installation. The traditional community vibe juxtaposes starkly with the hyper-contemporary imagery, while the multicultural heritage of the village blends seamlessly with the international flavour of the work. These contrasts and parallels only add to the impact of the project, which not only displays the artwork, but highlights the beauty of the canvas and its people as well.
If you visit, we hope you love it like we do!
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