Cubism and Arabic calligraphy were just a couple of Mohammed Khadda's influences. The self-taught artist is widely considered to be one of the founders of contemporary Algerian painting, and a representative of "sign painters", which refers to the "school of signs" movement from the late 1960s in Algeria, of which Khadda was an active participant.
While the painter, sculptor and writer died in Algiers on May 4, 1991, today would have been the artist's 90th birthday – and Google is marking the occasion by replacing its logo with a sketch of Khadda.
"Khadda represents a generation of Algerian artists who wove together calligraphic heritage and the formal language of Western abstraction through the 1950s," states the Barjeel Art Foundation in the artist's biography on the organisation's website. "Often working with a palette of earth tones, Khadda creates tactile compositions that layer Arabic writing and calligraphy over atmospheric abstract canvases."
Khadda was born on March 14, 1930. He started out working for a printing company, where he honed his sketching skills before he fought for the National Liberation Army. It wasn't until he'd left the army that his career in art began to develop.
In 1953, Khadda travelled to Paris, France, where he lived for a decade and is said to have studied under Pablo Picasso. When he finally returned to Algeria, he became a founding member of the National Union of the Visual Arts, which was established in 1964.
He went on to regularly exhibit his ground-breaking works across Algeria and world, as well as illustrate novels and books of poetry for Algerian writers, including Rachid Boudjedra.
He was also heavily involved in the Aouchem (Arabic for "tattoo") art movement in Algeria of 1967, and is well known for creating more than 70 murals throughout the 1970s.
Other regional Google Doodles
Mohammed Khadda is not the first person from the Middle East and North Africa to celebrated with a Google Doodle. Here's a gallery of other doodles that have celebrated Mena heroes:
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A Google Doodle celebrating Egyptian actress Karima Mokhtar's 89th birthday. All images: Google -
Egyptian writer Ihsan Abdel Quddous -
Kuwaiti actor and comedian Abdulhussain Abdulredha's 83rd birthday -
UAE National Day 2022 Google Doodle. -
Ousha Al Suwaidi was a poetess from the United Arab Emirates. -
Prof. Hamed Abdel Fattah Goher was an Egyptian oceanographer, scientist and TV presenter. -
Tunisia's Tawhida Ben Cheikh was a pioneer in women's medicine. -
Google Doodle of Egyptian actor and director Nour El-Sherif honours him on what would have been his 75th birthday. -
Google celebrates Syrian-Egyptian composer and actor Farid Al Atrash with a Google Doodle to mark what would have been his 110th birthday. -
Children's author Notaila Rashed is honoured with a special Google Doodle to mark her 86th birthday. -
Egyptian actress, producer, writer and filmmaker Bahiga Hafez was born 112 years ago, on August 4. -
The Google Doodle for January 20, 2020, celebrates Mufidah Abdul Rahman, Egypt's first female lawyer. -
A Google Doodle on June 10, 2019, celebrates Egyptian author Ahmed Khaled Towfik. -
Google Doodle honours Persian mathematician, poet and astronomer Omar Khayyam on what would have been his 971st birthday. -
Mary Mounib was a renowned actress in the Egyptian cinema scene. Her 114th birthday is marked in a Google Doodle on February 11, 2019. -
Egyptian poet Gamila El Alaily is honoured in a Google Doodle on March 20, 2019. -
Syrian artist Louay Kayali is the subject of Google's doodle on January 20, 2019. -
Egyptian-French singer and actress Dalida is honoured on her birthday by Google Doodle, on January 17, 2019. -
Egyptian actress Hind Rostom is celebrated in a Google Doodle on her 87th birthday, on November 12, 2018. -
Ibn Sina, one of the greatest thinkers of Islam's golden age, is honoured on August 7, 2018. -
A Google Doodle honours Saudi musician Talal Maddah on what would have been his 78th birthday, on August 5, 2018. -
A Google Doodle gif marks Egyptian actor Omar Sharif's birthday on April 10, 2018. -
Egyptian poet Farouk Shousha is honoured by Google on what would have been his 82nd birthday, on January 9, 2018. -
Google celebrates Lebanese singer Sabah's 90th birthday on November 10, 2017. -
Egyptian painter Inji Aflatoun's Google Doodle pays homage to her style of bold brushstrokes. -
Google celebrates the birthday of Algerian painter Mohammed Khadda, who was born on March 14, 1930. -
Lebanese singer-songwriter Melham Barakat is honoured by Google on his birthday.
