Meet Kharifi Hind | Illustrator, graphic artist, and cultural mediator

We had the good fortune of connecting with Kharifi Hind and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Kharifi, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?

To be honest, I didn’t know I could start on my own, but I must admit I was well surrounded. I am an illustrator and I have always enjoyed drawing what pleased and inspired me. My friends, my family, and even the people who followed me on Instagram or Facebook at the time believed in me and thought I could go far with my illustrations. And for that, I am grateful.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?

I am passionate, and I cherish experimentation, from drawing to graphic art, from design to imagining stories in comic books; it all revolves around weaving narratives where one can find themselves.

I find joy in recounting childhood memories, reliving them and resurrecting them, along with the nostalgia and the ties to childhood toys. However, it hasn’t always been easy for me to affirm, “this is it, this is the path I’ve chosen.” I often found myself being my own greatest obstacle, constantly comparing myself to other artists or designers who came before me. I believed I needed to outgrow the whimsical world of childhood, to tackle weightier, more political or social subjects. This led to a severe case of impostor syndrome, robbing me of the sheer delight of creation, as I feared the harsh judgment, primarily from within.

Today, I’ve learned to embrace the child within me, to nurture its dreams and propel it forward. It’s through this acceptance that I finally feel liberated and truly myself.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?

It’s a tricky question indeed! Spending a week with my best friend would undoubtedly be filled with catching up on lost time through endless conversations. However, if I were to revisit all the activities I love together, I would introduce them to my city, Meknes. It’s an imperial and historically rich city where I would do more than just take photos; I’d narrate historical anecdotes, like strolling along “Sahrij Swani” and recounting how Sultan Moulay Ismail had a water basin built for his new wife at the time, reminiscent of her hometown in Spain.

Next, we’d venture to the capital, Rabat, and embark on a museum tour—a favorite pastime of mine. I never miss a chance to explore a new exhibition at the Mohammed VI Museum. Then, we’d visit the Oudaya Gardens, a stunning place with two museums inside. My favorite is the jewelry museum.

I adore nature walks, so we’d stroll through the botanical gardens or have a picnic, munching on sandwiches or homemade bento boxes (I love homemade Japanese bentos for picnics). We’d spend the day sketching and enjoying the simple pleasures of life—hiking, homemade meals, card games, and lengthy discussions. That’s where ideas are born.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?

I was fortunate to meet the right people at the right time in my life. I am grateful to have grown up in a family where art was valued. I remember the drawings my uncle made when I was a child, as well as the comics he used to lend me. It was thanks to him that I discovered Scrooge McDuck and the superheroes of comics, and it was also thanks to him that I realized characters could come to life!

I also received a lot of support from my close family, friends, and people who follow me online. Thanks to them, I managed to publish my first comic book at the time, which allowed me to realize my dream of entering an art school. There, my teachers, especially the artist Hassan Echair, taught me not to be afraid to unleash the artist within me.

Professionally, I learned a lot from my client interactions with the graphic designer Zahra Sebti, the first person to believe in my expertise and allow me to believe in myself. I am also grateful to my very first real client, Mr. Hicham – Bazaar M, who believed in my skills from day one and gave me carte blanche to create carpet collections with incredible weavers from the High and Middle Atlas.

Today, it is thanks to people such as the artistic director of the animation festival and the director of the French Institute in my city that I have managed to expand my work internationally and share it with a wider audience.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hind.kharifi/?hl=fr

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hind-kharifi-a68330177?originalSubdomain=ma

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HindKharifi/

Image Credits
For my portrait please add credits to the photographer : Hakim Chqaf