Meryem’s work is informed by the healing potential of the natural world through a spiritual and ecological lens, with Islamic philosophy and the practice of dhikr (remembrance) as a central influence. Her paintings are contextualised by experiences of ritual, prayer and the contemplation of nature, attending to the kinships between religion and earth.
Her practice is developed through slow layered processes and collecting natural pigments. The hand processing of stones, rocks and soil, are an archival practice documenting, the geology of place and autobiographical experiences of migration. Her works also extends into video, photography, clay, and bookmaking.
Recent exhibitions include her fourth solo show Water Has Memory in Morocco, alongside group presentations across Japan, the UK, US, and UAE. She has contributed to panels at the Tate Modern and Southbank Centre, and served on the jury for The Supporting Act Foundation.
@meryemmeg
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Solo
2023 ذاكرة الماء Water Has Memory, Le Jardin Secret, Marrakesh, Morocco
2019 リマインダー Reminders, Tenjinayam, Artist Studio, Sapporo Japan
2016 Appropriating Appropriation, London UK
2015 MEGHRAOUA, Brixton East, London UK
Group
2024 I Can’t See It, But I Trust It, Yumna, MOMO festival, Rotterdam, NL
2023 Harvest Festival Marrakech, Morocco
2022 Mutul Empathy, Ai mi Tagi , White Conduit Projects, London
2021 East-East Vol.4: The Curio Shop, Part Three BLOCK HOUSE B1F, Tokyo Japan
2021 East-East Vol.4: The Curio Shop, Part Two, ILY Art Hours, Tokyo Japan
2021 East-East Vol.4: The Curio Shop, Part One HB.Nezu, Tokyo Japan
2021 When Was The Last Time You Saw The Sea, Youkobo Art Space, Tokyo Japan
2018 Pressure Makes Diamonds, Rich Mix, London UK
2018 Neither Here Nor There, The Foundry, London UK
2018 A River Flowing, East of West, Santa Fe US
2017 North African Pop Art, P21 gallery, London UK
2017 Nasty Woman, Laconia Gallery, Boston US
2017 The Salon, The Peabody Essex Museum, Boston US
2017 Hammam Tomorrow, Sikka Art Fair, Dubai UAE
2017 Folkloric Hybrids, Anti gallery, Boston US
2016 No Shade, Hardware Studio, LA US
2016 Arab Women Artists Now, Rich Mix, London UK
2014 The New Venus, Starving arts, London UK
Residencies
2019 Tenjinayama Artist Studio, Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan
Rock to Paint Workshops
2025 Intā, Antwerp, Belgium
2024 Malka Varna, Varna, Bulgaria
2023 Harvest Festival, Marrakech, Morocco
2023 Wetransfer, Amsterdam, NL
Contributions
2025 Participant : Offprint London with Studio Salasil, UK
2024 Participant : Focal Point, Sharjah Book Fair with Studio Salasil, UAE
2023 Jury : The Supporting Act Foundation - Creative Bursary, Amsterdam, NL
2022 Mentor : Datteltaeter Academy, Berlin, Germany
2019 Panelist : Critical Contemplations: On Repair’, in response to the Kader Attia: The Museum of Emotion, Southbank Center, London UK
2016 Panelist : Cloud Communities and the Online Gallery, Tate Modern, London, UK
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