Ceramic Artists From the MENA Region You Should Know

More than just clay

Ceramic artists are having a bit of a moment across the art world, and the MENA region is no different. Kilns and studios across the Middle East, North Africa and its diasporas have been busy pushing the boundaries of what can be made from clay, using the medium to challenge both social and political boundaries. Keep reading to learn more about the ceramic artists you should know from the MENA region.

Maryam Yousif

Baghdad-born Maryam Yousif creates clay sculptures inspired by Mesopotamian mythologies, histories and objects. Her distinctive works often feature a stylish female figure holding a handbag, creating works inspired by her Iraqi heritage that also speak to contemporary popular culture and modernist visual vocabularies. She has exhibited on both coasts of the US, with her works in the collections of the Museum of Art and Design in New York and the Denver Art Museum.

Shahpour Pouyan

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Shahpour Pouyan was born in Iran, he uses ceramics to transform political or historical issues into monuments of poetic and visual form. His work is a comment on domination, possession and power through the force of culture. Most recently, his works have been influenced by archaeology, science and the poetry of architectural forms that bridge past and present. He has exhibited widely, as well as having been shortlisted for many international arts prizes. His work is in many prominent collections including The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York and The British Museum in London.

Lena Kassicieh

Palestinian-American Lena Kassicieh grew up between the deserts of New Mexico, Jordan, and the UAE. Her multidisciplinary practice is informed by cultural exploration, touching on themes of memory, migration, joy as a form of resistance, and colour as a form of emotional processing. Her playful ceramics deconstruct conventional boundaries between craft and fine art, positioning her practice within discourses of democratisation and accessibility. Her work has been exhibited as part of Dubai Design Week and Amman Design Week with her large-scale murals having transformed spaces including Dubai Design District.

Rachid Koraïchi

Rachid Koraïchi was born in Algeria and is known for his sculptural work using a number of materials, including ceramics. His work is influenced by signs, symbols, glyphs and ciphers from a range of cultures and languages. He won the Jameel Prize at the Victoria & Albert Museum in London in 2011 and his work is in a number of prestigious collections around the world including the Vatican Library in Rome and the Guggenheim in Abu Dhabi.

Shaima Ahli

Emirati artist Shaima Ahli turned to ceramics after beginning a career in public health, opening a studio in Damman called Kleos Ceramics Studio. She creates large vases and unique wall pieces. Her background in public health drew her to the hands-on aspect of working with ceramics as it allows her to express herself while also creating connections with others.

Ani Shahverdyan

Artsakh-born Ani Shahverdyan creates ceramics inspired by her own situation as an Artsakhtsi-artist displaced from her homeland. Her artworks talk about a range of topics including deforestation, the bible, the impact of the USSR on Armenian culture and people, and the impact of geopolitics on herself. She has been affected by wars, siege and exodus, reflecting this in her artworks. She also created her own range of tableware called Studio Kerani.