“Emago” is a multidisciplinary project, initially called Imago in reference to Magon (or Mago) the Carthaginian, a scholar from Carthage who wrote twenty-eight volumes on agriculture in Carthage, though unfortunately the manuscripts have been lost.
The name change from Imago to Emago was a tribute by the artist Bader Klidi to Emma Bernegger, a pioneer of organic products in Tunisia, whom he considered his “spiritual mother.” Emma passed away on June 18, 2025.
Emago explores the impact of the external environment on the human being, based on three main axes: physical, mental, and spiritual. It highlights the interconnection between the plant kingdom and humans, between science and art, and between the physical and the spiritual.
Inspired by the famous expression “We are what we eat,” this project proposes an extension of that idea: we are also what we consume. Everything we consume transforms us on different levels.
Indeed, when we eat an apple, the apple disappears and “transforms into us”; only its essence remains, which becomes integrated into our body. This transformation occurs not only on an organic level but also on a level that transcends the material, reaching another dimension.

This notion of transformation, even metamorphosis, occupies a central place in the artistic approach proposed by Emago.
The original project, called Imago, focused on medicinal plants. Emago now offers a broader vision of the nature of the connection between the plant kingdom and humans. While preserving the essential elements for personal transformation, these works question the trigger for this transformation.
The world is changing: what does that imply? Is the world really changing, or is it only our perception, actions, and intentions that are evolving?
“And you, ask yourself: what did you do today to make the world better? … I looked at the sky with a smile.”

Emago is supported by Elyssa program, an initiative by the French Institute of Tunisia (IFT).

Presented at Palais Kheireddine, Tunis, Tunisia, October 2025.