Yto Barrada (born 1971) is a Franco-Moroccan multimedia

visual artist The visual arts are art forms such as painting, drawing, printmaking, sculpture, ceramics (art), ceramics, photography, video, image, filmmaking, design, crafts, and architecture. Many artistic disciplines such as performing arts, conceptual a ...

living and working in

Tangier, Morocco Tangier ( ; , , ) is a city in northwestern Morocco, on the coasts of the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean. The city is the capital city, capital of the Tanger-Tetouan-Al Hoceima region, as well as the Tangier-Assilah Prefecture of Moroc ...

and

New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...

. Barrada cofounded the

Cinémathèque de Tanger Cinémathèque de Tanger (CDT) is an art house movie theater in Tangier, Morocco. CDT was founded by artist Yto Barrada in 2006, and is located within the restored Art Deco Cinéma Rif building in the Casbah district. The head of CDT's programmin ...

in 2006, leading a group of artists and filmmakers. Barrada also works as an artistic director for the Tangier art house movie theatre. She was previously a member of the

Beirut Beirut ( ; ) is the Capital city, capital and largest city of Lebanon. , Greater Beirut has a population of 2.5 million, just under half of Lebanon's population, which makes it the List of largest cities in the Levant region by populatio ...

-based

Arab Image Foundation The Arab Image Foundation (, ''al-Muʾassasah al-ʿArabiyyah lil-Ṣūrah'') is a non-profit organization established in Beirut in 1997. It aims to track down, collect, preserve and study photographs from the Middle East, North Africa and the Ara ...

Early life and education

Barrada was born in

Paris Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ...

France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...

in 1971. Her family moved to Tangier, Morocco when she was a young girl, and Barrada claims Tangier as her hometown. Her father Hamid Barrada, former political opponent of

Hassan II Hassan, Hasan, Hassane, Haasana, Hassaan, Asan, Hassun, Hasun, Hassen, Hasson or Hasani may refer to: People *Hassan (given name), Arabic given name and a list of people with that given name *Hassan (surname), Arabic, Jewish, Irish, and Scotti ...

and leader of the student left, is a journalist and her mother, Mounira Bouzid El Alami, activist and psychotherapist. After living in Tangier for much of her life, Barrada returned to Paris to study at The University of Paris, also known as the Sorbonne, where she studied History and Political Science. Shortly after graduating, Barrada studied at the

International Center of Photography The International Center of Photography (ICP) is a photography museum and school at 84 Ludlow Street on the Lower East Side of Manhattan in New York City. ICP's photographic collection, reading room, and archives are at Mana Contemporary in Jer ...

in New York, New York. Now married to American film director, writer, actor, and producer

Sean Gullette Sean Leland Sebastian Gullette (born June 4, 1968) is an American film director, writer, screenwriter, actor, and producer. Film directing Gullette is slated to direct ''Upland'', adapted from the novel ''Nip the Buds, Shoot the Kids'' by No ...

, Barrada splits her time between New York and Morocco.

Work

Barrada befriended

Bettina Grossman Bettina Grossman (September 28, 1927 – November 2, 2021) was an American conceptual artist, best known for her longtime residency at the Hotel Chelsea in Manhattan and her eccentric persona. Biography Grossman was born in Brooklyn, to Saul an ...

, a reclusive artist who was a longtime resident at Hotel Chelsea. Barrada and Grossman collaborated on an exhibition called ''The Power of Two Suns'', which was on view at the Lower Manhattan Cultural Council’s Arts Center at

Governors Island Governors Island is a island in New York Harbor, within the Boroughs of New York City, New York City borough of Manhattan. It is located approximately south of Manhattan Island, and is separated from Brooklyn to the east by the Buttermilk ...

in 2019. Barrada is working on a

catalogue raisonné A (or critical catalogue) is an annotated listing of the works of an artist or group of artists and can contain all works or a selection of works categorised by different parameters such as medium or period. A ''catalogue raisonné'' is normal ...

of Grossman's work. Barrada's first photographic series, ''A Life Full of Holes: The Strait Project,'' was a collaborative project that took place between 1999 and 2003. Barrada later used this title for her book (2005). The Strait of Gibraltar appears as a theme again in Barrada's series ''The Sleepers,'' from 2006, in which she depicts subjects lying down in public spaces. Barrada has presented her work in several galleries, such as Galerie Polaris in Paris. In 2006 she cofounded

, North Africa's first art house cinema and film archive.

Photos, videos, and sculpture

''A Life Full of Holes: The Strait Project''

In 1998 Barrada began a work she titled ''A Life Full of Holes: The Strait Project'', which described the static and transitory life of her hometown of Tangier. Her photographs depict a city where thousands of immigrants attempt to make the illegal and perilous journey across the

Strait of Gibraltar The Strait of Gibraltar is a narrow strait that connects the Atlantic Ocean to the Mediterranean Sea and separates Europe from Africa. The two continents are separated by 7.7 nautical miles (14.2 kilometers, 8.9 miles) at its narrowest point. Fe ...

. This collaborative project focuses on the asymmetries of neo-colonial relationships between

North Africa North Africa (sometimes Northern Africa) is a region encompassing the northern portion of the African continent. There is no singularly accepted scope for the region. However, it is sometimes defined as stretching from the Atlantic shores of t ...

and

Europe Europe is a continent located entirely in the Northern Hemisphere and mostly in the Eastern Hemisphere. It is bordered by the Arctic Ocean to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the west, the Mediterranean Sea to the south, and Asia to the east ...

as well as the disillusionment of citizens wishing to leave Morocco for a different life in the North.

''Iris Tingitana Project''

Her 2007 work, ''Iris Tingitana Project'', showed the meeting of botanical and urban landscapes. This series focuses on the disappearance of Iris flowers, found in Tangier, that symbolize resistance because they grow in even the most difficult situations. This exhibition depicts Barrada's focus on the landscape and heritage of her home within her art.

''Riffs''

In April 2011, her solo exhibition ''Riffs'' opened at the Deutsche Guggenheim,

Berlin Berlin ( ; ) is the Capital of Germany, capital and largest city of Germany, by both area and List of cities in Germany by population, population. With 3.7 million inhabitants, it has the List of cities in the European Union by population withi ...

(2011), and then travelled to Wiels, Brussels in September, and in Ikon Gallery, Birmingham the following June. This was Barrada's first large-scale exhibition in Germany, and it constituted works from her previous shows (''A Life Full of Holes: The Strait Project'' (1998-2004) and ''Iris Tingitana'' (2007)) as well as new work. The title, ''Riffs'', contains references to music and rhythm as well as the

Rif mountains The Rif (, ), also called Rif Mountains, is a geographic region in northern Morocco. It is bordered on the north by the Mediterranean Sea and Spain and on the west by the Atlantic Ocean, and is the homeland of the Rifians and the Jebala people. ...

of Morocco. The exhibit contained three films, ''Beau Geste'' (2009), ''Playground'' (2010), and ''Hand-Me-Downs'' (2011), which all spoke to the ideas of riffs, resistance, strength, and memory.

Album: Cinématèque Tangier

The Walker Art Center in

Minneapolis, Minnesota Minneapolis is a city in Hennepin County, Minnesota, United States, and its county seat. With a population of 429,954 as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the state's List of cities in Minnesota, most populous city. Locat ...

exhibited ''Album: Cinématèque Tangier, a project by Yto Barrada'' from 21 November 2013 to 18 May 2014. Here, Barrada once again showed the film ''Hand-Me-Downs'' (2011) and exhibited work depicting life in Tangier. This exhibit specifically touched on Morocco's artistic and cinematic history through commissioned vintage movie posters and Barrada's sculpture ''Palm Sign'' (2010). This exhibition was curated by Sheryl Mousley and Clara Kim.

''Faux Guide''

In 2016, Barrada presented the exhibition ''Faux Guide'' at

The Power Plant The Power Plant Contemporary Art Gallery is a Canadian public art gallery located at Harbourfront Centre in the heart of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Gallery is a registered Canadian charitable organization. Initially established in 1976 as ...

Toronto, Ontario Toronto ( , locally pronounced or ) is the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, most populous city in Canada. It is the capital city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Ontario. With a p ...

, depicting issues and images of

post-colonial Postcolonialism (also post-colonial theory) is the critical academic study of the cultural, political and economic consequences of colonialism and imperialism, focusing on the impact of human control and exploitation of colonized people and thei ...

Morocco. This was a solo exhibit for Barrada that dealt with ongoing fossil exploration and the natural history of Morocco along what is known as "Dinosaur Road," where the fossil industry is most prevalent. This exhibition pulled from several of Barrada's projects at the time including ''North African Toy Series'' (2015) and ''Untitled (Orthoceras Coca-Cola bottles)'' (2016). ''Faux Guide'' presented viewers with ideas about how the natural world and human world are intertwined.

''Dye Garden''

From 25 September – 22 December 2019, Barrada's exhibition ''Dye Garden'' was on display at the

Neuberger Museum of Art The Neuberger Museum of Art (the NEU) is located at the centre of the Purchase College campus in Purchase, New York. With a collection of nearly 7,000 works of modern, contemporary and African art, it is one of the nation's largest academic mus ...

in New York following Barrada's award of the 2019 Roy R. Neuberger Prize. This exhibition includes video, photos, sculpture, and hand-dyed textiles inspired by her background, family history, and the West's history of

colonization 475px, Map of the year each country achieved List of sovereign states by date of formation, independence. Colonization (British English: colonisation) is a process of establishing occupation of or control over foreign territories or peoples f ...

. All of the artwork in ''Dye Garden'' relates to the geology and botany of North Africa, a topic Barrada continues to return to, process, and relate to. This exhibit was originally presented at the

American Academy in Rome The American Academy in Rome is a research and arts institution located on the Gianicolo in Rome, Italy. The academy is a member of the Council of American Overseas Research Centers. History 19th century In 1893, a group of American architect ...

during Barrada's residency there, and 2019 is the first time it has been shown in the United States.

Selected exhibitions

*Yto Barrada: "My Very Educated Mother Just Served Us Nougat", organized by Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art, August to December 2020 (solo exhibition) *''Yto Barrada: Dye Garden'' - Neuberger Museum of Art, Purchase, NY - September 25 through December 22, 2019 (solo exhibition) *''How to Do Nothing with Nobody All Alone by Yourself'' - The Pace Gallery, New York – 2018 (solo exhibition) *''Agadir'' -

Barbican Centre The Barbican Centre is a performing arts centre in the Barbican Estate of the City of London, England, and the largest of its kind in Europe. The centre hosts classical and contemporary music concerts, theatre performances, film screenings a ...

7 Feb 2018 – 20 May 2018 (solo exhibition) *''Tree Identification for Beginners'' performed with Performa 17 as a film and performance multi-media show - New York - 2017 (solo exhibition) *''Faux Guide'' -

Pace Gallery The Pace Gallery is a contemporary and modern art gallery with 9 locations worldwide. It was founded in Boston by Arne Glimcher in 1960. His son, Marc Glimcher, is now president and CEO. Pace Gallery operates in New York, London, Hong Kong, ...

London - 2015 (solo exhibition) *''Before Our Eyes: Other Cartographies of the Rif'' - MACBA,

Barcelona Barcelona ( ; ; ) is a city on the northeastern coast of Spain. It is the capital and largest city of the autonomous community of Catalonia, as well as the second-most populous municipality of Spain. With a population of 1.6 million within c ...

- 2014 (group exhibition) *''Album: Cinématèque Tangier, a project by Yto Barrada'' -

Walker Art Center The Walker Art Center is a multidisciplinary contemporary art center in the Lowry Hill, Minneapolis, Lowry Hill neighborhood of Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States. The Walker is one of the most-visited modern and contemporary art museums in ...

- 2013-2014 (solo exhibition) *''La courte échelle (ou l'échelle des voleurs)'' – Studio Fotokino, Marseille, 2013 (solo exhibition) *''Mobilier Urbain'' – The

, London – 2012 (solo exhibition) *''Project Space: I decided not to save the world''

Tate Tate is an institution that houses, in a network of four art galleries, the United Kingdom's national collection of British art, and international modern and contemporary art. It is not a government institution, but its main sponsor is the UK ...

, London - 2011-12 (group exhibition) *''Riffs'' – Deutsche Guggenheim, Berlin – 2011 (solo exhibition) *''Play'' – The Met, New York, NY – 2010 (solo exhibition) *''Uneven Geographies'' –

Nottingham Contemporary Nottingham Contemporary (formerly known as the Centre for Contemporary Art Nottingham (CCAN)) is a contemporary art centre in the Lace Market area of Nottingham. The gallery opened in 2009. The gallery describes its site as being "the oldest i ...

– 2010 (group exhibition) *''DisOrientation II: The Rise and Fall of Arab Cities'' - Manarat Al Saadiyat, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates - Nov. 22, 2009 - Feb. 20, 2010 (group exhibition) *''Iris Tingintana Project'' - Galerie Polaris, Paris, France - September 29 through October 30, 2007 (solo exhibition) *''Africa Remix'' - Museum Kunst Palast, Düsseldorf, Germany (and various other locations through 2006) - July 24 - Novembver 7, 2004 (group exhibition) *''A Life Full of Holes/The Strait Project'' - Galerie Delacroix, Tangier, Morocco (and various other locations through 2006) - April 7 through May 27, 2001 (solo exhibitions) *''Quiet as It's Kept -'' 2022 Whitney Biennial - 2022

Books and catalogues

''Yto Barrada. Moi je suis la langue et vous êtes les dents'' is a catalogue published by

Calouste Gulbenkian Calouste Sarkis Gulbenkian (; ; 23 March 1869 – 20 July 1955) was an Ottoman-born British Armenian businessman and philanthropist. He played a major role in making the petroleum reserves of the Middle East available to Western development a ...

in 2019 and written by curator Rita Fabiana. In 2017, Koenig Books published the limited edition ''A Guide to Trees for Governors and Gardeners'' and ''A Guide to Fossils for Forgers and Foreigners'' with the Deutsche Guggenheim. A monograph, entitled ''Yto Barrada,'' was published by JRP Ringier in 2013, with texts from

Marie Muracciole Marie Muracciole is a writer and curator based in Paris and Beirut. Early life Marie Muracciole studied at the Beaux-Arts de Paris, École nationale supérieure des Beaux-Arts de Paris. She shifted her visual art practice to writing in 1991. ...

Juan Goytisolo Juan Goytisolo Gay (6 January 1931 – 4 June 2017) was a Spanish poet, essayist, and novelist. He lived in Marrakesh from 1997 until his death in 2017. He was considered Spain's greatest living writer at the beginning of the 21st century, yet ...

, and a photographic essay by Jean-François Chevrier. Barrada published ''Riffs'' in 2011 with publisher Hatje Cantz as a catalogue for her work. Barrada's book, ''A Life Full of Holes: The Strait Project,'' takes its title from a story by Larbi Layachi. It was published by Autograph ABP in 2005.

Awards

* 2023 – Soros Arts Fellowship, presented by the

Open Society Foundations Open Society Foundations (OSF), formerly the Open Society Institute, is an American grantmaking network founded by business magnate George Soros. Open Society Foundations financially supports civil society groups around the world, with the s ...

* 2019 – Roy R. Neuberger Prize, presented by the

Purchase, New York Purchase is a hamlet ''The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark'', often shortened to ''Hamlet'' (), is a Shakespearean tragedy, tragedy written by William Shakespeare sometime between 1599 and 1601. It is Shakespeare's longest play. Set ...

* 2016 – Tiger Award for Short Films (for ''Faux Départ'', describing the fossil industry in Morocco) * 2015 – Abraaj Group Art Prize, presented by the Abraaj Group * 2013 – Robert Gardner Fellowship in Photography, presented by the

Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology The Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology is a museum affiliated with Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States. Founded in 1866, the Peabody Museum is one of the oldest and largest museums focusing on anthropologica ...

* 2011 – Artist of the Year, presented by

Deutsche Bank Deutsche Bank AG (, ) is a Germany, German multinational Investment banking, investment bank and financial services company headquartered in Frankfurt, Germany, and dual-listed on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange and the New York Stock Exchange. ...

* 2006 – Ellen Auerbach Award

References

External links

Website of Yto BarradaNoorderlicht / Archive / Yto BarradaYto Barrada, ''La courte échelle (ou l’échelle des voleurs)'', Studio Fotokino, Marseille, juillet 2013Yto Barrada
at

Kadist Art Foundation KADIST is an interdisciplinary contemporary arts organization with an international contemporary art collection. KADIST hosts artist residencies and produces exhibitions, publications, and public events. Founded by Vincent Worms and Sandra Te ...

{{DEFAULTSORT:Barrada, Yto 1971 births Living people Moroccan women artists 20th-century French women artists 21st-century French women artists Artists from Paris University of Paris alumni Moroccan contemporary artists French contemporary artists Moroccan emigrants to the United States French emigrants to Morocco