Chayma Nssibi
the artist
University of Tunis El Manar, Tunisia
Chayma Nssibi is a mathematician from Tunisia who works on inverse problems for PDEs using the method of monotonicity and the existence of localized potentials.
the artwork
تونس من حدودها نعيد رسم الأعماق
Tunisian Arabic - Tunisia From Its Boundary We Redraw Its Interior - 2025 - digital
10 days - 0 hours - 0 minutes
audio commentary
This artwork reimagines Tunisia as a Calderón inverse problem reconstructing a nation’s soul using only its borders. Tunisia is not just land enclosed by lines, it is emotion, culture and history expressed along every edge. Inspired by Queen Dido’s legendary optimization, it reflects the power of geometry, identity, and feminine genius.Tunisia is a country of art and culture; its borders are the key to understanding its identity. Tunisia is a perfect inverse problem. To understand Tunisia, we must study its borders mathematically and with our heart.
Chayma Nssibi
mathematics in Tunisian culture
Tunisia’s rich history and culture have deep connections with mathematics, especially through the legacy of ancient Carthage. The story of Queen Dido, the founder of Carthage, illustrates an early example of an optimization problem in mathematics, where she maximized land area using a fixed length of oxhide. This blend of geometry, strategy, and ingenuity reflects Tunisia’s lasting impact on mathematical thinking. Today, this spirit of problem-solving and creativity continues to inspire Tunisian contributions to science and technology.