By the Work of Her Hands

Asmaa Benachir:

Morocco Coordinator

 

As an artist, I have dedicated my life to seek ways to improve the lives of others in my society through art.

I have been an established artist for over 20 years in Morocco (Rabat). After having developed in my artist studio an innovative process working with recycled paper and experimenting with this technique both nationally and internationally for over five years, my career drove me in 2010 to launch the art and eco-friendly artisanal Au Grain de Sésame workshops to train and integrate the women of the Rabat and Salé medinas.

 

I believe that making art, by innovative training and creating unique artistic products, is a vector for sustainable development and for women’s empowerment, all while raising awareness of the socio-economic challenges to environmental conservation and notions of citizenship.

 

In 2013, my project at Au Grain de Sésame was awarded the SEED Award by the United Nations initiative for the environment.

 

In 2014, I was awarded the best project for the Museum Connect Program; a bilateral cultural exchange project working with women artists and university students from the United States and Morocco documenting the oral histories of the women artists.

 

A visual presentation of the Au Grain de Sésame: Link_1

Moroccan IVLP Alumna Creates Ecological Art Gallery: Link_2