In September 2006, Younes Rahmoun constructed the first full-scale ghorfa at the Singapore Biennale in a simple, almost minimalist spirit. The artist wanted to invite viewers to enter the ghorfa, to spend some time inside to meditate, to concentrate on their “here and now.” It was a way for him to share his space of creation, a symbolic invitation to discover his universe, a way to open him to another. But for security reasons at the Singapore Biennale, viewers were not allowed to enter the ghorfa. Younes Rahmoun chose to materialize the “here” by lighting the ghorfa’s interior with a green light, a symbol for him of illumination, and the “now” by marking the ephemeral character of the instant with the ticking of a clock.
