The Art of Memory: Entering the Dreamworld of Rahma Lhoussig

When Rahma Lhoussig begins a painting, she doesn’t just think in colors and shapes: she thinks in feelings, fragments, and dreams. Born in 1996 in Taroudant, Morocco, Rahma is a visual artist whose work explores memory, childhood, and the unconscious mind. Her art is a mix of vibrant colors, surreal objects, and unfinished scenes that leave space for mystery and emotion.

Her journey began in a very personal way. “It actually started when I began dreaming about the house where I spent my childhood,” she says. To reconnect with those memories, she collected old family photos, many taken in that same house, and started using them to build new, imagined images. Objects from her past, like toys or household items, became important symbols in her work.

But Rahma’s paintings are not just about her own story. They touch on something deeper—feelings we all recognize. Growing up, facing the unknown, holding onto the past while stepping into adulthood. Her toys are more than just toys. They show playfulness, yes, but also nostalgia, innocence, and emotional attachment. In her words, childhood is a “complex emotional landscape” filled with wonder, confusion, and imagination.

Her materials: oil paint, acrylics, pastels, and colored pencils, help her translate invisible emotions into visible forms. She paints animals, flowers, and everyday tools, combining them into strange yet peaceful worlds. Figures often rest, hide, or float in these spaces. They don’t always have a clear story. That’s because, like memory, her art is meant to feel incomplete and open to interpretation.

Rahma’s work has been shown in major museums and galleries, including the Mohammed VI Museum in Rabat, Tafeta Gallery in London, and the National Museum of Lisbon. She has also been part of international art fairs such as 1-54 Marrakech, AKAA Paris, and ARCOLISBOA.

What makes her art powerful is not only what we see, but what we feel. Her paintings invite us to pause, reflect, and maybe even remember something we thought we had forgotten.