Naima Morelli

Asia–Pacific (APAC), Rome

Freelance Arts Writer specialized in contemporary art from SEA & MENA regions - bylines @artasiapacific @middleestmnt @middleeasteye - [email protected]

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Articles

Gaza’s rescued treasures shine at Paris Arab World Institute

2 weeks ago | newarab.com | Naima Morelli

“Gaza has long been denied a sense of history,” says Elodie Bouffard, curator of the Institut du Monde Arabe (Arab World Institute) in Paris. “History can be accepted everywhere, but this area is completely swept away, anhistorical.” It is undeniable that any time we think about Gaza after October 2023, it’s hard to think about anything else other than the devastating human loss that has been unfolding in real time. Contemporary havoc leaves little space for historical pondering.
Gaza’s rescued treasures shine at Paris’s Arab World Institute

2 weeks ago | newarab.com | Naima Morelli

“Gaza has long been denied a sense of history,” says Elodie Bouffard, curator of the Institut du Monde Arabe (Arab World Institute) in Paris. “History can be accepted everywhere, but this area is completely swept away, anhistorical.” It is undeniable that any time we think about Gaza after October 2023, it’s hard to think about anything else other than the devastating human loss that has been unfolding in real time. Contemporary havoc leaves little space for historical pondering.
Future Nostalgia: Alexander Ugay's Parisian Debut at NIKA Projects

2 weeks ago | timesca.com | Naima Morelli

Have you ever had that feeling of "Future Nostalgia" - as Dua Lipa would put it - when looking at old sci-fi movies that were imagining a future that never came to pass? The fact that this future didn't materialise might be as might be seen as both a blessing and a disappointment, as artist Alexander Ugay has us reflecting upon with his Parisian debut.
Uzbekistan at the 2025 Venice Biennale: Ekaterina Golovatyuk on the Modernist Legacy of a Soviet-Era Solar Furnace

1 month ago | timesca.com | Naima Morelli

Is it possible to preserve architectural heritage while working towards sustainability? And what to make of the architectural relics of the past century? Can they somehow take on new meaning rather than remaining a representation of dystopias and utopias of the past? All these questions and more are addressed by the Uzbekistan Pavilion at the 2025 Venice Architecture Biennale.
Marseille ‘Revenir’ exhibition sets out to reframe migrations, especially ‘Return’ - Naima Morelli

1 month ago | qoshe.com | Naima Morelli

Running until 16 March at the Museum of European and Mediterranean Civilisations (MUCEM) in Marseille, the exhibition “Revenir” (“Return”) invites visitors to explore the experiences of returning to one’s homeland.
Interview With Sara Raza

1 month ago | timesca.com | Naima Morelli

Sara Raza is a litmus test for the spirit of the times in the shape of an art curator. In simple terms, art crowds can count on her direction for the Tashkent Centre for Contemporary Art (CCA) to bring the most pressing issues in contemporary art to the foreground. Indeed, the author of the book Punk Orientalism - and the namesake curatorial studio - has been just appointed as Artistic Director and Chief Curatorial Director of the CCA Tashkent, set to open in September 2025.
Mous Lamrabat: Featured Artist

1 month ago | themarkaz.org | Naima Morelli

Featured artist for March 2025, The Markaz Review showcases Mous Lamrabat’s solo show, Homesick, now at Loft Art Gallery in Marrakech through the 15th of March. The series is a striking meditation on identity, nostalgia, and cultural fusion. Through twenty powerful new works, the Moroccan-Belgian photographer reimagines heritage with contemporary aesthetics, bridging past and present in an emotional exploration of belonging. Naima MorelliAn amazon-like figure looks at me from beyond a glass frame.
From Modern to Contemporary, Vietnamese Art Makes Waves in Paris

1 month ago | pluralartmag.com | Naima Morelli

I’m in the first room of the Musée Cernuschi in Paris, and three figures are looking intensely at me from behind their frames. The first is a realistic self-portrait. The young man against an ochre background has dishevelled hair, prominent teeth, and a cigarette dangling from his full lips. His white blouse is unbuttoned, his brow lifted with bratty insouciance. The second figure, the one in the middle, looks much sterner.
Simurgh Self-Help: Slavs and Tatars' New Show Rethinks National Symbolism

2 months ago | timesca.com | Naima Morelli

"It's interesting that in Western symbolism you never see a delicate female eagle," notes Payam, one-half of the artist collective Slavs and Tatars, from his studio in Berlin. "But the central-Asian Simurgh is gender-fluid, metaphysical. It doesn't belong to this world."The mythological figure of the Simurgh is the focus of Slavs and Tatars' latest show at the gallery The Third Line in Dubai called "Simurgh Self-Help".
Marrakech bridges Africa and Europe through art

2 months ago | newarab.com | Naima Morelli

Over the years, Marrakech has become a key gateway to Africa, while also developing its local art scene. After a recent visit to the city, The New Arab highlights key events that have recently taken place to reflect this exciting cultural shift. From 30 January to 2 February 2025, The Night of the Galleries celebrated its sixth edition, featuring exhibitions, performances, and collaborations that showcased contemporary works by both emerging and established artists.