Iraqi-American artist Maryam Yousif draws inspiration from both the 20th-century funk art movement in the Bay Area and the visual traditions of her birthplace. Born in Baghdad and now residing in San Francisco, Yousif combines her ancient cultural heritage with modern whimsy in her vibrant ceramic works.
In recent years, Yousif has become known for her distinctive Habibti figures, which embody the Arabic term for “sweetheart” or “darling.” These figures feature dresses adorned with flowers, landscapes, and various shapes. Many of these pieces were recently displayed in her solo exhibition at The Pit, titled Above Earth, Under The Rays of the Sun. The exhibition’s name was inspired by a curse tablet found in the tombs of Assyrian queens in the ancient city of Nimrud.
Clay is a timeless and adaptable material that has been utilized for creating pottery and other objects for millennia. Last year, archaeologists discovered a 3,000-year-old pottery workshop in an Iron Age settlement in Iraq. Yousif tells Colossal, “Clay, as a medium, connects us to the past and sparked my interest in historical research.” She adds, “It’s been incredibly fulfilling to study ancient objects, distill what I observe into new ideas, and create my own world and mythology.”
The artist is driven to explore diverse topics in her research, from supernatural entities to queens and their burial sites, as well as industry and commerce. She is particularly fascinated by how objects symbolize or represent places. Having moved from her original home to a completely new cultural environment, she delves into the significance of bringing or leaving things behind.
“Most of the research I’ve engaged with revolves around Mesopotamia, which piques my curiosity given its connection to my Iraqi heritage,” Yousif states. “Working in this manner keeps me metaphysically linked to a place that feels distant in many respects.”
Yousif is preparing for another solo exhibition with Rebecca Camacho Presents in San Francisco, scheduled for January. Additionally, her commissioned piece “Midrib” will feature in the exhibition Ancient Queenship: Art, Power, and Presence at the Getty Villa starting in February.
