BIOGRAPHY

Samah Medhkour is a versatile visual artist and art educator who uses current events and personal experiences as inspiration for her work. She was born and raised in Algeria. Growing up, her family sparked her interest in art by exposing her to various artistic forms of expression at a young age: from rug making to painting and sculpture. Consequently, her practice has incorporated cultural influences prominently. In her teenage years, Samah lived through a dark period in Algeria’s history: thousands of people lost their lives in the government's war on a terrorism fundamentalist groups. This experience has attuned her to issues of social justice and good governance. Samah now lives in the United States. In her practice, she works with various mediums including clay, paint, wood, and found objects. Drawing upon her upbringing in Algeria and experiences as a Muslim woman of Algerian origin currently living in the United States, she tugs at the strings of social conscience with her work. For instance, her work often relates her experiences with those of many marginalized persons; immigrants, women, Muslims, or people of Arabian origin. Her goal is to show that the issues that these marginalized persons grapple with are, fundamentally, relatable to others – since they signal the need for belonging, fairness, and safety.

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Samah is currently a student at UC Berkeley pursuing an Art Practice Major.