Bio_

Amine Asselman

From a very young age I was interested in physics and mathematics, that is why in 2007 I enrolled at the Rabat School of Architecture. After two years of studying, I discovered that my true passion is art and design, which led me to leave the academy and move to Tetouan to study Design at the National Institute of Fine Arts.

After graduating in 2013, I continued my studies by pursuing a Master’s Degree in Contemporary Art at the Faculty of Fine Arts of Pontevedra at the University of Vigo. It is here where I delved deeper into the work of authors such as M.C. Escher or Sol LeWitt, who strongly influenced my artistic vision, finding that point in common between my two passions: science and art.

It is geometry that pushed me to continue, from 2015 to 2019 at the same University, developing my PhD research on Zellige and Contemporary Creation between Spain and Morocco.

During these years of training I developed my own artistic language and launched my artistic career by participating in international exhibitions, winning different awards and grants.

My work has been featured in major exhibitions such as Arab Design Now at the Design Doha Biennial, Escher & Islamic Art: 20 Perspectives at Escher in Het Paleis or Adaptability at SAMoCA and is held in prestigious public and private collections, including Qatar Museums, Kunstmuseum Den Haag, the Musée Mohammed VI d’Art Moderne et Contemporain (MMVI) or the Bottega Veneta Collection.

Currently based between Morocco and Galicia, I operate my main ceramic art production studio in Tetouan while establishing a second working space in Galicia.

Statement_

My interest in the Zellige and geometry is reflected in most of my works where design, art, and crafts intermingle to express concerns closely linked to the complexity of the islamic identity and Mediterranean culture.

During my PhD research on Zellige and contemporary creation I have developed a method to generate an infinite number of geometric figures based on the same frequency. I apply all this geometric game to Zellige to transform spaces and architectural elements. I also developed a geometrical language called MUSAIC to translate the musical notes, scales and scores into Zellige compositions.

Driven by the stagnation of local ceramic production, I established my ceramic art studio in Tetouan to push material boundaries. My practice evolved from collaborating with local artisans in traditional Zellige toward mastering high-temperature ceramics. By developing custom enamel recipes and 3D printing technologies, I elevate this heritage into contemporary sculptural installations.

CV_

ACADEMIC EDUCATION

2015 – 2019: PhD (Cum Laude) in Contemporary Art, Faculty of Fine Arts of Pontevedra, University of Vigo, Pontevedra, Spain.

2014 – 2015: Master of Contemporary Art. Creation and Research, Faculty of Fine Arts of Pontevedra, University of Vigo, Pontevedra, Spain.

2009 – 2013: Bachelor of Fine Arts, Design Section, National Institute of Fine Arts, Tetouan, Morocco.

SELECTED EXHIBITIONS

2026
– Escher & Islamic Art: 20 Perspectives, Museum Escher in het Paleis, Den Haag
– MCC Gallery, 1-54 Art Fair, Marrakech, Morocco

2025
– Destinations by Bottega Veneta, NOMAD, Abu Dhabi, UAE
– GAP OF POSSIBILITIES, MCC Gallery, Marrakech (solo show)
– MCC Gallery, Africa Basel, Basel, Switzerland
– CDA Gallery, DADA, 1-54 Art Fair, Marrakech
– Ligne(s) du Désir, IZZA, 1-54 Art Fair, Marrakech
– Adaptability, SAMoCA, Ryadh, Saudi Arabia

2024
– Arab Design Now, Doha Design Biennial, M7, Doha, Qatar
– Crafting Design Futures, Museum of Islamic Art,Doha, Qatar

2023
– Du Zellige à l’infini, Espace Rivages, Fondation Hassan II, Rabat (solo show)
– Maison de l’Artisan, Salone del Mobile, Milan, Italy
– Art & Craft Aujourd’hui, Bratislava Design Week, Bratislava, Slovakia

2022
– Sons Improbabeis, Auditorio de Galicia, Santiago de Compostela, Spain
– STEREOTRIP Maroc, Stereolux, Nantes, France

2021
– Novos Valores 2019/20, Culturgal,  Pontevedra, Spain
– Une scène artistique actuelle, Musée Mohammed VI d’Art Contemporain, Rabat

2019
– Vínculos abiertos, Casa Árabe Madrid, Spain
– Young Moroccan Artists, KFW Deg Bank, Cologne, Germany

2018
– Global Complexity, Zona «C», Santiago de Compostela, Spain (solo show)
– SCULTO Feria de Escultura, Logroño-La Rioja, Spain
– Identitas(Lab), Art Mustang Gallery, Elche, Alicante, Spain

2017
– Fabrica de Identidades, Museo de Pontevedra, Pontevedra, Spain
– Bajo el efecto borde, Sant Andreu Contemporani, Barcelona, Spain

2016
– Con/Sin Visado, Cuarto Publico, NH Collection Hotel, Santiago de Compostela
– SAIDA Gallery, Estampa 2016, Matadero Madrid

2015
– ESO SIGUE SU CURSO, Sala X and Fundación RAC, Pontevedra, Spain
– Sin Fronteras, Alliance Française of Madrid, PHOTOESPAÑA 2015, Madrid

AWARDS, PRIZES & RESIDENCIES

– Invited Artist Grant, International Glass Art Symposium, RONA, Lednické Rovne, Slovakia (2026)
– Artist Residency Grant, Crafting Design Futures, Years of Culture Morocco-Qatar, Doha, Qatar (2024) 
– Finalist, Design Doha Prize, Design Doha Biennial, M7, Doha, Qatar (2023) 
– Winner, Fine Arts Award, Ministry of Youth, Culture, Morocco (2022) 
– Artist Residency & Production Grant, LAB Digital Maroc, Stereolux, Nantes, France (2022) 
– Artist Residency Grant, Jardin Rouge, Montresso* Art Foundation, Marrakech, Morocco (2021) 
– Winner,  Novos Valores Artistic Production Grant, Pontevedra Museum, Spain (2019) 
– Winner, "Zone C" Production Grant & Exhibition Prize, Consello de Santiago, Santiago de Compostela, Spain (2017) 
– Academic Excellence Award, Doctoral School (EIDO), Universidade de Vigo, Spain (2016)
– Winner, "Consello de Santiago" Prize, Cuarto Público Contemporary Art Fair, Santiago de Compostela, Spain (2016) 
– Winner, Emerging Art BURN Production Grant, MULAFEST / IFEMA, Madrid, Spain (2016)
– Selected Finalist, 9th, 10th & 11th Young Artists Award, Auditorio de Galicia, Santiago de Compostela, Spain (2016, 2017, 2019)
– Short-term Residency Fellowship, III Encontro de Artistas Novos, Cidade da Cultura, Santiago de Compostela, Spain (2013) 

RESEARCH PROGRAMS & FELLOWSHIPS

– Research Fellow / Guest Artist, European Union Program "Arts & Crafts Aujourd’hui" — Partner Institutions Consortium: Esadse (Saint-Étienne), Arba-Esa (Brussels), AFAD (Bratislava), UQAM (Montreal), FBAUP (Porto), and INBA (Tétouan) (2021–2024)
– Predoctoral Research Fellowship, Universidade de Vigo, Spain (2015–2019) 

SELECTED PRESS & BOOKS

Books & Exhibition Monographs
– Qatar Museums (Ed.). (2024). Arab Design Now. Doha: Qatar Museums / Design Doha Biennial.
– Qatar Museums (Ed.). (2024). Crafting Design Futures. Doha: Museum of Islamic Art / Qatar Museums. (Published on the occasion of the Year of Culture Morocco-Qatar 2024).
– Fundación Cidade da Cultura de Galicia (Ed.). (2022). EAN | Encontro de Artistas Novos 2011–2022. Santiago de Compostela: Xunta de Galicia. 
– Auditorio de Galicia (Ed.). (2022). Mirar o son. Santiago de Compostela: Consorcio de Santiago / Auditorio de Galicia.

Specialized Art Criticism & Media
– Trouw (Netherlands) (2026). "Hoe de wereldberoemde kunstenaar Escher ook nu nog islamitische kunstenaars inspireert." (Interview and feature on the Metamorphosis methodology).
– Shadowplay Magazine (2025). "The Weave Unbound." (Monographic interview and feature on the sculptural leather artwork commissioned by Bottega Veneta for the Destinations exhibition at NOMAD Abu Dhabi).
– Artistic Hub Magazine (Switzerland) (2025). "Amine Asselman: Geometry as the Language of Art, Heritage, and Endless Possibilities." Issue #3 (Interview).
– Dwell Magazine (USA) (2024). "The Dwell 24: Emerging International Designers and Researchers." (Global selection feature).
– Remok, A. (2023). "Amine Asselman déconstruit le motif ornemental." Diptyk Magazine, #63.
– Rachet, O. (2023). "Les arts numériques: une ferveur raisonnée." The Art Newspaper France.
– Descubrir el Arte (2016). "El talento del Magreb llega a Estampa." Descubrir el Arte, #211.