Story 04. Anuar Khalifi challenges stereotypes about North African men

What happens when a Moroccan artist raised in Spain picks up a paintbrush not to explain who he is, but to question what the world sees?

Anuar Khalifi is a self-taught artist living between Barcelona and Tangier. His colorful, layered paintings are full of symbols, humor, and quiet resistance. At first glance, his work feels playful: young men in tracksuits, empty landscapes, bright skies. But behind the fun, there’s a powerful message.

Khalifi doesn’t paint dramatic or exotic “others.” Instead, he shows calm, thoughtful figures: sometimes based on himself, sometimes invented. These characters stand in stillness, surrounded by carpets, tea glasses, or global brand logos. These are not just props. They tell stories of migration, memory, and identity.

In a world that often misrepresents Muslims, Moroccans, or North African men, Khalifi’s work offers something different. He doesn’t fight the stereotype head-on. He quietly turns it inside out.

By combining Arab and Western images, and using irony and bright color, Khalifi invites us to reflect. What do we expect to see? Why do we expect it? And what does it mean to live between worlds?

His paintings are like visual poems: simple on the surface, layered with meaning underneath.

At Atay Atelier, we love artists who challenge the usual stories. Khalifi does this not with loud statements, but with quiet power and deep beauty.