Research | Naima Morelli

Published! The Libyan Pantry Project on MEMO

14-03-2023

English, Interview, Libya, News, North Africa, Published, Research

A new show in Tripoli looks at 70 years of Libya’s consumer culture. [Photo By Najlaa Elageli]

Since I started writing about Libya in 2021, I grew more and more interested in the history of the country and how artists and people in the cultural field are retelling the Libyan story.

So clearly I was so excited to learn from curator Najlaa Elageli about this show she put up in Tripoli’s old medina with artists Hadia Gana and Alla Budabbus, called “The Libyan Pantry Project.” I had to write about it!

By the way, this is my 50th piece for Middle East Monitor. What an honour collaborating with them for such a long time!

Here is the link to the piece

Curatorial text: Inessa Kalabekova new solo at Fullerton Hotel

By: Naima Morelli

23-02-2023

Central Asia, News, Singapore, Visit

I have written the curatorial text for Kazakhstan-born, Singaporean artist Inessa Kalabekova, who has an upcoming show at the East Garden Gallery, of the Fullerton Hotel in Singapore, from March 1 to March 30, 2023.

I have visited the artist’s studio during my last trip to Singapore, and learned about her art practice that fuses collage and painting. Her new show is called “The Nature of Art”, and here the artist looks at nature through the eyes of mythology and poetry.

Published! Trần Trọng Vũ on ArtAsiaPacific

By: Naima Morelli

15-02-2023

English, Interview, Published, Vietnam, Visit

My interview with Vietnamese artist Trần Trọng Vũ has just been published on ArtAsiaPacific’s website.

I met the artist for his big show at A2Z gallery in Paris last October, and we did the interview half in French, half in English! Phew! It was fun, and the artist was extremely generous and kind – his work, ça va sans dire, is incredible!

Some of you know that my next cohesive research will be in Vietnam. I will spend one month there, most likely next year, so this interview adds a big piece to my understanding of art coming from the country!

Here is the link to the interview

Published! Independent Art Spaces in Singapore for the Financial Times

By: Naima Morelli

05-01-2023

Interview, Published, Research, Singapore

A gallery display featuring several small art works hung in a row, which appear to show variations of an image of Christ

My second piece for the Financial Times looks into three independent art spaces in Singapore.

The article is for a special supplement focused on Southeast Asian art, coming out in conjunction with the Singapore Art Week.

Here is the link to the piece

Published! Myanmar art in Singapore for the Financial Times

By: Naima Morelli

05-01-2023

Burma, Essay, Interview, Research

The Financial Times has just published two articles of mine on a special supplement focused on Southeast Asian art, coming out in conjunction with the Singapore Art Week.

In this first piece I highlight the presence of Mynmar art at the art fairs in Singapore this January. It’s part of my ongoing investigation on Myanmar art within the current complicated political scenario of the country

Here is the link to the piece

Published! Kim Tay on Plural Art Mag

By: Naima Morelli

08-12-2022

Interview, Published, Research, Singapore

My series on the behind-the-scenes of arts writers’ lives for Plural Art Mag continues with a conversation with Kim Tay.

Tay is a long-standing founding member and Gallery Director of The Artling, an online gallery, art consulting firm, and web magazine.

Here is the link to the piece

Published! Myanmar art scene came to unrest on Southeast Asia Globe

By: Naima Morelli

02-11-2022

Burma, Interview, News, Published, Reportage, Research

How a burgeoning Myanmar art scene came to sudden unrest

I wrote once again on the Myanmar art scene for the webmagazine Southeastasia Globe. It’s my first collaboration with them, and it was great to put together a piece which included a number of interviews to artists and other figures in the art world such as Chaw Ei Thein, Louis Ho, Moe Satt, Bart Was Not Here, Nathalie Johnston, Ilaria Benini and Richie Nath.

Most of them had to flee the country, but they were able gave me a picture of the developments of the art scene over the last few years, and how these were abruptly stopped by the recent military coup.

Here is the link to the piece

Published! Morocco’s women martial artists defy cultural stereotypes

By: Naima Morelli

14-10-2022

Interview, North Africa, Published, Research

Morocco's Btissam Sadini (L) competes against Serbia's Jovana Prekovic in the women's kumite -61kg elimination round of the karate competition during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at the Nippon Budokan, Tokyo, Japan, Aug. 6, 2021.

In this story for Al-Monitor I spoke with four Moroccan female martial arts athletes about cultural stereotypes and how to inspire and empower future generations of female fighters.

Here is the link to the article

Published! Women in the Oman’s contemporary art scene

By: Naima Morelli

14-10-2022

Interview, Middle East, News, Published, Research

Women artists are gaining more and more relevance and traction in the contemporary art scene in Oman. Although the history of Omani women in art is fairly recent, their work conveys their singular experience and perspective within a continuously evolving culture.

Their artworks are also truly innovative in terms of the use of new technologies and their aesthetics; they’re aligned with the latest trends in contemporary art, yet steeped in historical research. I wrote the story for Middle East Monitor

Here is the link to the article

Published! SEA at 2022 Venice Biennale on PluralArtMag

By: Naima Morelli

14-09-2022

Essay, Indonesia, Italy, Malaysia, News, Philippines, Published, Reportage, Singapore, Vietnam, Visit

Finally my piece on the Venice Biennale 2022 has been published by Plural Art Mag. While the piece was written in the aftermath of the opening, it came out just now, given the webmagazine’s editorial schedule.

The article is a report, as well as an overview, and it is focused on the Southeast Asian presence, which this year was much smaller compared to previous years.

Here is the link to the piece

Published! Writers retelling Libya’s history on Al-Jazeera

By: Naima Morelli

01-09-2022

Libya, News, North Africa, Published, Research

Two Libyan women walk past graffiti depicting Muammar Gaddafi

My first article for Al Jazeera has just been published. It’s called “The writers retelling Libya’s history through a feminist lens” and tells how Libya’s women novelists (but not exclusively them) are reframing the country’s stories in a post-Gaddafi era.

I worked on it for a long time, and it was very satisfying to get to write a longform piece with a bit more of a narrative style. Also, I got to know this county a little deeper, not just through its visual art but also through literature. For the piece I have interviewed, among others, writers Kawther Eljehmi, Maryem Salama, Manuela Piemonte Mahbuba Khalifa, and Mariza d’Anna, and publisher Ghassan Fergiani.

Here is the link to the piece

Published! Interview with Patrick Flores on ArtAsiaPacific

By: Naima Morelli

03-08-2022

Interview, Philippines, Published, Research, Taiwan

I’m really happy to share this incredibly interesting interview with curator Patrick Flores, whose curatorial work and research I greatly admire, and never fails to expands my imagination and understanding of the role of contemporary art.

Also, it’s my first collaboration with ArtAsiaPacific. Being one of the most authoritative magazines about contemporary art in Asia, it’s a pleasure and an honour to have contributed with my writing!

Here is the link to the interview

Naima Morelli

Published! The Libyan Pantry Project on MEMO

Curatorial text: Inessa Kalabekova new solo at Fullerton Hotel

Published! Trần Trọng Vũ on ArtAsiaPacific

Published! Independent Art Spaces in Singapore for the Financial Times

Published! Myanmar art in Singapore for the Financial Times

Published! Kim Tay on Plural Art Mag

Published! Myanmar art scene came to unrest on Southeast Asia Globe

Published! Morocco’s women martial artists defy cultural stereotypes

Published! Women in the Oman’s contemporary art scene

Published! SEA at 2022 Venice Biennale on PluralArtMag

Published! Writers retelling Libya’s history on Al-Jazeera

Published! Interview with Patrick Flores on ArtAsiaPacific

About

MY BOOKS

Categories

Archives