Biography

Ahlam Lemseffer is one of the most influential visual artists of her generation. Her work’ articulates around mediums such as painting, sculpture and installation. Her research explores the forms, spaces and colors by questioning the interdependence between flatness and spatiality ...

Ahlam was born in El Jadida (Morocco), she lives and works in Casablanca, Azemmour and Briech Asilah. After plastic arts studies at the Arts Décoratifs of Paris as well as the ESAG Penninghen, she completed her education with a Bachelor’s degree in English literature from Université Paris VIII.

Since the 80s, her work finds visibility and recognition and has been presented in numerous national and international institutions and contemporary art events, including the VERA Museum (St Germain en Laye) in 1993, Palais d’IENA (Paris) in 1994, Birmingham Alabama USA “Hoover Public Friends Gallery” in 1998, CDG Gallery (Rabat) in 2002, Chicago – Casablanca Sister Cities (Chicago) in 2006, Bab El Rouah Gallery (Rabat) in 2007, the inaugural exhibition of the Museum of Mohamed VI of Modern and Contemporary Art (Rabat) in 2014 and the Cairo Bank Gallery (Amman) in 2015. The artist also participated in the Fourth International Biennial of Islamic Art (Iran) in 2002, in the Biennale event in Cairo in 2007 at the XXIVth Biennale of Alexandria in 2008, at the Biennale event of Sculptures and Installations (Graz) in 2013 and in the International Biennial of Contemporary Art inTunis in 2014.

She holds many awards from academies, including the prestigious decoration of the French Academy of Science and Letters.

Since 1994 she is committee member of honor at the Society of the Francophone Arts.

In 2012, Ahlam Lemseffer founded the MAC Briech-Asilah. Today major cultural structure of the Moroccan contemporary art environment.

Her work is amongst several major private and public collections, in Morocco and abroad.

Formation

Plastic art degree Paris in the seventies

Bachelor’s degree in English Literature -Université Paris VIII

Prizes & Awards

2008 Decorated by the French Academy of Science and Letters,
2007 Ambassador of Peace of « World Peace Maker Project ».
1996 Excellence Award from the Jury « Arts Inter » at the Moulin d’ORGON.
1994 Committee member of honor at the Society of the Francophone Arts.

Solo shows:

2012 L’Arthotèque Gallery Casablanca, Morocco
2008 French institute of Casablanca, Morocco
2007 Bab Rouah Gallery Rabat
2007Palais Trautmandorf – Syrian Cultural Department Graz Austria
2004 Yahia Gallery Tunis, Tunisia
2003 Festival of Sacred Music Fez, Morocco
2002 CDG Gallery Rabat, Morocco
2001 Festival of Sacred Music, Fez, Maroc
2000 Palais Jamai Fez Morocco
1998 Morocco’s Royal Palace home Paris
1997 IRIS Gallery Madrid, Spain
1996 Bassamat Gallery Casablanca, Morocco
1995 Congress Palace Marrakesh, Morocco
1994 Bab Rouah Gallery Rabat, Maroc
1993Palais Royal Gallery Paris, France

Group shows :

2015 Cairo Bank Gallery, Amman Jordan
"Women and Religions, point of view of women in Morocco", Rabat –National Theater, Tetouan , Tangier , Marrakesh, Morocco “Africaines, Quinze femmes en action “, Actua space, Casablanca Morocco Doha Qatar

2014 « Une mer deux rivages » Noir sur Blanc Gallery, Marrakesh, Morocco
50 Years of painting in Morocco, Media library of Casablanca, Morocco
50 Years of painting in Morocco, Palmeraie Museum, Marrakesh, Morocco
Omani Society for Fine Arts, Muscat, Sultana of Oman
« 4 + 1 » MAC at Briech, Morocco
« 2+ 2 » Basma Gallery, Casablanca, Morocco
Ausstellung ''Miniprint'', Argentina
Ausstellung ''Gartenträume II”, Austria

2013 MAC à Expo 2014 at MAC, Briech Morocco
MAC à Expo 2013 Contemporary Art Space, Asilah, Morocco
International Biennial of Contemporary Art of Tunis – Tunisia

2012 Biennial of Sculptures et Installations, Graz, Austria.
          MAC à Expo 2012 MAC at Asilah, Morocco

2011 « Miniprint » Sao Paulo / Buenos Aires / Graz Austria
Current Art Mazagan Meeting- El Jadida Morocco
International exhibition ‘Terre de paix et d’inspiration » Azemour, Morocco

2010 Forum of creation in Morocco « Itinéraires »,
          Amany 5 Bab Rouah, Rabat, Morocco
          Marrakesh Biennial, Morocco

2009 Mostra d’Arte Contemporanea Museo storico di Bergamo Tribute to
          Giuseppe Garibaldi, Italy
          Transiti Nomadi « La ruta de Quetzalkoati en el Arte » Italy
          EuropArtExpo Netherlands

2008 XXIVème Biennial of Alexandria - Egypt
          Viewoints of Maroccan /Palestinian MémoArts Gallery Casablanca,
          Morocco
          La Valse des Arts,Le Lutétia Gallery, Paris, France
          Painting today in Morocco Chaibia, Gallery El Jadida, Morocco
          ONDA Mohamed V airport Casablanca, Morocco
          Ministry of finance – Rabat, Morocco
          Cultural Moroccan week, Tunis, Tunisia

2007 XI th Cairo Biennial Cairo, Egypt
        « Petits Formats » MémoArts Gallery Casablanca, Morocco
        « Prints » French institute of Casablanca, Morocco
        Touring exhibition Santiago - Chile
        Touring exhibition «Arte y mujer en Marruecos » Madrid-Spain
        International convention of tourism, Tangier, Morocco
        Wereld Museum Rotterdam, Rotterdam, Netherlands
        Beaumarchais and Bosio Salons, Monaco

2006 Grande Exposition Nationale od Visual Artists, Casablanca, Morocco
        Chicago – Casablanca Sister Cities, Chicago, USA

2005 Casablanca- Chicago Sister Cities, Royal Mansour Casablanca,
        Morocco
        Exhibition « Visuals artists from Casablanca », Casablanca Morocco
        Creative women of the Mediterranean, Casablanca, Morocco

2004 UNESCO, Beirut, Lebanon
        Group show Dubaï, UAE
        Small formats, Venise Cadre Gallery, Casablanca, Morocco
        Grande Exposition Nationale of Visual Arts, Casablanca, Morocco
        Art et Architecture exhibition, Casablanca, Morocco
        Palais Bahia Marrakesh (AMAP), Marrakech, Morocco
        Traits - Portfolio, Mohamed El Fassi Gallery, Rabat Morocco

2003Art and Architecture, small formats Casablanca, Morocco
       A.V.A Casablanca Morocco
       Grande Exposition Nationale of Visual Arts, Casablanca, Morocco

2002 Johanna Gallery, Angoulême, France
        Summit of Arab women Amman, Jordan
        Cultural Moroccan days Amman, Jordan
        The Fourth International Biennial of Islamique art, Iran
        Artists journey Rabat, Morocco

2001 First female croosroads, Montreal, Canada
        Feminine plural, Rabat, Morocco

2000 Moroccan creators Salon Montigny Le Bretonneux, France
         Group show, Kowait city, Kowait
         Feminine creations - Bab Rouah Gallery Rabat, Morocco

1998 Cultral arts council Kowait city, Kowait
        International Festival of Birmingham Alabama-Homewood Library,USA
        Hoover Public Friends Gallery Birmingham, Alabama USA
        Exhibition at Menphis USA
        Festival of Sacred Music Fez - Bab Makina- Morocco
        Carrousel du Louvre, Paris, France

1998 Six Moroccan painters -Tunis, Tunisia
        International Arts Circle Salon of Paris, France

1997 Moroccan Spring Bordeaux, France
        Sarajevo festival, Bosnia & Herzegovina

1996Painting, Sculpture and Print Salon, Paris, France
        Carrefour des Arts Casablanca, Morocco

1995Painting, Sculpture and Print Salon, Cercle des arts de Paris,
         11th Exhibition of de Painting and Sculpture, Château de Villiers Draveil,
        France
        Exhibition « El Jadida native painters » - English Week
        in Morocco,
        Exhibition of Friends Museum of Marrakesh , Morocco

1994 Palais d'IENA Paris, France
        Cultural week in Brussels, Belgium
        Exhibition on the occasion of The Youth Day, Royal visit, El Jadida,
       Morocco

1993 VERA Museum, St Germain en Laye, France
        Bristol Gallery Bonn, Germany

1992 ONM 92 Salon, Paris, France

Residencies & Workshops :

2015 Artist in residency Amman Cairo Bank Amman Jordan
        Al Asmakh Workshop, Doha, Qatar

2014 Workshop installation « 4+1 »-MAC, Briech, Morocco
        Papermaking –at MAC, Briech, Morocco

2013 International Contemporary Art symposium of the Mediterranean
        and Middle East at MAC A, Briech, Morocco.
       International symposium of painting, Zagreb, Croatia
       International symposium of painting Luxor Egypte


2011Workshop : Morocco Bosnia, Sarajevo Bosnia
        Workshop Art colony, Graz, Autsria
        Monotype MAC/ Azemmour, Morocco
        Artistic intervention during The Horse
       Show of El Jadida, Morocco
        Artist in residency Gozadse, Bosnia & Herzegovina

2008Workshops of Print Asilah Morocco
       Workshops de Gravure Asilah Maroc

2004 Shared Studio « Creative women of the Mediterranean», Casablanca

2001 Wall paintings intervention, Ain Chock Casablanca, Morocco
       Mural paintings «Spring of Azemmour», Azemmour, Morocco

Symposium, Conferences & Meetings:

2015International symposium of Contemporary Art, Amman Jordan

2014Painting meeting, Kowait Forum 2014, Kowait City, Kowait

2013International Contemporary Art symposium Asilah Morocco
       Botanicher International symposium, Graz, Austria

2012International symposium of Painting Luxor, Egypte
       International symposium Voistberg Austria

2011Foro Casablanca Artweek / Meeting Sami Ben Amer, Director of
       the Fine Arts School of Tunis, Smail Rifai, Al Sarjah Museum,
       Unites Arab Emirates, Charbel Dagher, Art Critic, Academic,
       Lebanon. Ahmed Jaride, Head of Regional Peoject of Foro
       Casablanca Artweek, Hakim Ghazali, Visual Artist. Morocco.
       Symposium of Painting, Sarajevo Bosnia & Herzegovina.
       International symposium of paintings/installations, Essaouira,
       Morocco
       international symposium of painting, Aniane, France

2011Current Art Mazagan Meeting- El Jadida, Morocco

2010Internationale Meeting of painting, Tahanaout, Morocco

2007Botanicher Garden Karl-Franzer Universitat, Graz, Austria

2007Morocco Millennium, Fez Morocco

2005Inter-Embassies artists Journeys with European Union Rabat,Morocco

2004Conference on Education of the mind to a culture of peace Beirut, Lebanon.

2003Inter-Embassies artists Journeys with
       European Union Rabat, Morocco
       Conference on Education of the mind to a culture
       of peace Rhodes Grèce Rabat, Maroc.
2001Artistic encounter at Andy Warhol’s Studio, Paris, France

2004Meeting with Mahmoud Darwish during my Solo Exhibition Show.
       Festival of Sacred Music Fez, Morocco.

1997 International festival of Sarajevo Bosnia & Herzegovina

Exhibitions curator:

2015 « MAC A EXPO IV» at MAC A, Briech, Morocco.

2014 « 4+1» at MAC A, Briech, Morocco.
         « MAC A EXPO III » at MAC A, Briech, Morocco.

2013 « MAC A EXPO II » at MAC A, Assilah, Morocco.

2012 « MAC A EXPO I » at MAC A, Assilah, Morocco.

2011 Internationale exhibition « Azemour terre de paix et
       d’inspiration », Morocco.
       Curator of the Current Art Mazagan meeting, El Jadida, Morocco.

2004 Curator of the International exhibition « Femmes Art Méditerranée :
       Cultures solidaires », Casablanca, Morocco.

2006 Curator of the exibition « Painters from Casablanca »,
          Mohamed VI Theater,
          Morocco. Exhibition inaugurated by his
         Majesty Mohamed VI.
         Curator of the artists’ intervention in The Ciucesco park.
         Exhibition inaugurated by his Majesty Mohamed VI.

2005 Co-curator of the exhibition « Visual artists of Casablanca » -Morocco

2009 Curator of the project « The pyramid for Tolerance ».Laayoune Morocco

Collections privées & publiques:

On Time Moving, Miami Florida
Amman Cairo Bank, Amman Jordanie.
Société Générale Marocaine de Banque
Banque Populaire Foundation
Attijariwafabank Foundation
ONA Foundation
CDG Foundation
Hotel Establishments
Royal Palace of Amman Jordan
Royal Palace Rabat Morocco
Ministry of Culture Rabat
Museum of Olympic Games Sarayevo, Bosnia & Herzegovina
Ministry of Culture Graz Austria
National Galleries Sarajevo Bosnie Herzegovine
Art Center, Downtown Center Gallery Los Angeles USA
Maroc Telecom Museum

Parallel Professional activities:

Research professor at the National Education, Morocco
President of the Association for Art and Culture APAC, Morocco

2012 Founder of the Contemporary Art Center, Briech Asilah, Morocco
         Founder of the Contemporary Art Center, Azemmour, Maroc
         Member of the AMAP / FAM / FAO and other international artists’ associations.

2015 Member of the feature film jury - Tangier Film Festival.

2012 Jury member of the comittee for attribution of the National Art Galleries.
         galeries d'art nationales

2009 Jury member of Architecture’s degree, Ecole
         Spéciale d’Architecture, Paris, France

2009-11 Member of the Competition committee of the young artists -
         Ministry of the Culture.
2006-8 Editor in chief for the art magazine Zone 'Art.

2006 Planning Design of an underground pedestrian crossing
         souterrain Place Mohammed V
         - Place Mohammed V City of Casablanca Morocco.

Texts:

- “Bonjour Ahlam texte de André El Baz - 2013
- “Les couleurs chez Ahlam Lemseffer” Esmat Dawestashy -January 2012
- “La transparence de l’abstraction entre le visible et le non visible chez Ahlam
Lemseffer” by Oussama Afifi - 2011
- Vicente Trouze - August 2009
- Ahlam Lemseffer par Mostapfa Chebbak - 2009
- Widad Benmoussa - April 2007
- “Lettre à Ahlam par Ahmed Jaride” - 2007
- A. Dumont - January 2006
- “Ahlam Lemseffer” by M.A Zammit
- “Empreintes de Ahlam” by Idriss El Khoury


Publications:

2012 Personnal Exhibition Catalog Edited by Artothèque gallery.
         Künstlersymposium Voitsberg, « Erde-eARTh »

2010 Official Catalog of Marrakesh Biennial
         « L’art d donner », Edited by La Marocaines de Jeux et de Sports.
         « Art du Maroc » Special.article

2009 Contemporary art in the Middle East by Paul Sloman,
         Publication EuropArtexp, Netherlands
         « Visite d’atelier », Maroc Premium Magazine

2008 « L’accueil par le Symbolique », Edited by ONDA
         « La Maroc au Féminin » Festival of Sacred Music, Fez..
         « Hommage à Fès », Espace Expression CDG
         « Interactions », Casablanca French institute Exhibition.

2007 Personal Exhibition Catalog - Bab Rouah Gallery, Rabat Morocco.
         « Arte y mujer en Marruecos », Madrid Exhibition. Edited by Red Itiner

2006 GENAP 3rd Edition « Retour à la figuration »

2005 « Traits-Estampe du Maroc », Ministry of culture. Morocco.
         Publication « Cultures Solidaires », Edited par FAM, support of The UNESCO ;

2004 GENAP 2nd Edition « Retour à la figuration »

2003 GENAP 1st Edition « Retour à la figuration »

Press:

- Abook Magazine Issue 20 « Moroccan Fine Art », p147-148- 2014
- Radio intervention about « intangible capital » after Luxor’s symposium (Egypt),
La Matinale program on Luxe Radio – 2012.
- Internationale symposium at Luxuor ( Newspaper : Le Matin, Le Soir Aujourd’hui le
Maroc, L’Economiste, Les Echos, Libération, Challenge, Al Bayan, Al Massaa, La nouvelle
T.com, point info…) - December 2011- January 2012
- E Tayeb Houdifa, « Lemesffer peintre de la condition humaine », La vie éconmique- October - 2008.