Maha Al-Daya
Al-Daya is now an artist-in-residence at Reid Hall, jointly hosted by the Columbia Institute for Ideas and Imagination, the Columbia Global Paris Center, and Sciences Po as part of the PAUSE program. In this episode, she tells her story and discusses her latest works, created entirely through embroidery—a medium she calls “the language of Palestinian women.” She also shares the challenges of building a new life in France while feeling the constant pull of the home she left behind, her approach to different artistic mediums and techniques, and her ambition to create art that focuses less on war, and more on hope.
Atelier is produced by the Columbia Global Paris Center, a Columbia University initiative housed at Reid Hall.
Maha Al-Daya is a Palestinian artist from Gaza. She works across painting and multidisciplinary practices and is engaged in the design and embroidery of traditional Palestinian dresses. Al-Daya holds a degree in Political Science from Al-Azhar University in Gaza. Her work explores themes of identity, memory, and resilience, often reflecting the socio-political realities of Palestinian life. Over the years, Al-Daya has participated in numerous prestigious art residencies, including the Cité Internationale des Arts in Paris (2012), appointed by the Consulate General of France in Jerusalem, and the Darat al Funun – Khaled Shoman Foundation Summer Academy with Marwan Kassab Bachi (2001).
