ABOUT ME

I was born in Mauritius on August 7, 1968. Very early on, my parents gave me a taste for Art. They were real triggers of passion. I am a self-taught painter and I learned painting by observing the work of my elders. In 1986 I took up oil painting and over time I became familiar with acrylic paint and watercolour, pastel, ink, charcoal and engraving on copper and zinc plates . I studied graphic art and this school helped me a lot with composition and later with the creation of the style that I called “Zafer”.

 

It was in 2003 that I started working on a very colourful style of painting, accompanied by geometric shapes. The use of graphics in the Zafer style stems in part from a simplification of the painter Vincent Van Gogh's touches. The spirals and circular shapes that we find in his painting “Starry Night” and the almost geometric shapes of the painting “Dandelion Meadow” caught my attention and I wondered what a painting would look like in which these touches of paint were simplified. This is how I started making paintings with circles, spirals, squares, triangles, lines and dotted lines. There is definitely also an influence from Australian First Nations paintings which I have always admired. The practice of the Zafer style is for me a never-ending adventure, because a style of painting is called upon to constantly evolve for the happiness of the one who creates and those who observe it.

 

I organised my first solo art exhibition in 1996 at the Max Boullé gallery in Rose-Hill, Mauritius. Encouraged by reviews, I offered solo art exhibitions to the Mauritian public in 1998, 2000, 2002, 2006, 2014, 2022 and 2025 where I was invited to exhibit thirty Zafer paintings at the Hennessy Park Hotel.

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Painting in this style is not only creative but deeply therapeutic. It offers a form of emotional refuge, helping me cope with mental health challenges by transforming inner turmoil into colour, shape, and rhythm. The act of painting repetitive shapes grounds me in the present moment, offering focus and stability when my mind feels scattered. Through this process, I find clarity and relief—a way to express emotions that words often cannot contain. The vivid palette and geometric harmony of the Zafer style bring me balance and calm. It is both an escape and a healing process—a return to a more hopeful, harmonious vision of the world.

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Since June 2025, I have become an ambassador for the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower, an initiative that raises awareness and support for people living with non-visible conditions. This movement is deeply meaningful to me, as it aligns with my personal journey and the emotional depth behind my art. By sharing my experiences openly—both through painting and advocacy—I hope to contribute to a more compassionate and inclusive world.