Kalhath Foundation, India

Amina Benbouchta’s project at the 1-54 Marrakech Art Fair, presented by the Kalhath Foundation, explores cultural connections and gender narratives through the medium of embroidery. In her residency at the Kalhath Institute, Benbouchta collaborated with twenty Indian master embroiderers, merging her artistic vision with traditional techniques.

 

This body of work interrogates gender narratives and the societal spaces occupied by both human and non-human entities, establishing needlework as a form of language in its own right. Each stitch emerges as a narrative of strength, reflecting the intertwining of personal memories with broader histories of resistance and the silent echoes of those often left unheard.

 

Through motifs such as crinolines and hybrid figures, Benbouchta recontextualizes symbols typically associated with constraint, transforming them into tools for healing and unity. Positioned within the fair, her work sparks dialogue about tradition, craft, and identity, inviting viewers to engage in a conversation about memory, love, and reconciliation. In this way, Benbouchta celebrates the art of embroidery as a vehicle for social commentary and personal reflection.

Link to article here.