{"id":2097395,"date":"2026-08-17T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-08-16T21:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=2097395"},"modified":"2026-08-17T00:00:00","modified_gmt":"2026-08-16T21:00:00","slug":"clay-transforms-into-vibrant-and-funky-habibti-sculptures-by-maryam-yousif","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=2097395","title":{"rendered":"Clay Transforms into Vibrant and Funky \u2018Habibti\u2019 Sculptures by Maryam Yousif"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"entry-content prose-colossal max-w-none\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group alignfull is-style-default entry-header is-vertical is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-fe9cc265 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\">\n<figure class=\"colo-post-featured-image wp-block-post-featured-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1949\" height=\"1275\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/yousif-11.jpeg\" class=\"attachment-post-thumbnail size-post-thumbnail wp-post-image\" alt=\"a screen grab of eight images of ceramic sculptures by Maryam Yousif featuring repeating flower motifs and vases on figurative sculptures and vessels\" style=\"object-fit:cover\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Photos by Chris Hanke. All images courtesy of Maryam Yousif, shared with permission<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<div class=\"wp-block-group post-title is-vertical is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-0bc941e6 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\">\n<h1 class=\"alignfull wp-block-post-title\">Clay Transforms into Vibrant and Funky \u2018Habibti\u2019 Sculptures by Maryam Yousif<\/h1>\n<div class=\"wp-block-group alignfull post-meta is-layout-flex wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-post-date\"><time datetime=\"2026-08-17T08:54:54-05:00\">August 17, 2026<\/time><\/div>\n<div class=\"taxonomy-category wp-block-post-terms\"><a class=\"category-art\" href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/category\/art\/\" rel=\"tag\">Art<\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"wp-block-post-author-name\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/author\/kmothes\/\" target=\"_self\" class=\"wp-block-post-author-name__link\">Kate Mothes<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"wp-block-group alignfull post-share-group is-layout-flow wp-block-group-is-layout-flow\">\n<ul class=\"colossal-share-buttons\">\n<li class=\"colossal-share-button colossal-share-button--facebook\">\n\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thisiscolossal.com%2F2026%2F08%2Fmaryam-yousif-ceramic-sculptures%2F&amp;title=Clay%20Transforms%20into%20Vibrant%20and%20Funky%20%26%238216%3BHabibti%26%238217%3B%20Sculptures%20by%20Maryam%20Yousif\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" aria-label=\"Share on Facebook\" class=\"colossal-share-button__link\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"colossal-share-button__label\" aria-hidden=\"true\">Share<\/span><br \/>\n\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t<\/li>\n<li class=\"colossal-share-button colossal-share-button--pinterest\">\n\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/pinterest.com\/pin\/create\/button\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thisiscolossal.com%2F2026%2F08%2Fmaryam-yousif-ceramic-sculptures%2F&amp;media=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thisiscolossal.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2026%2F08%2Fyousif-11-960x628.jpeg&amp;description=Clay%20Transforms%20into%20Vibrant%20and%20Funky%20%26%238216%3BHabibti%26%238217%3B%20Sculptures%20by%20Maryam%20Yousif\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" aria-label=\"Share to Pinterest\" class=\"colossal-share-button__link\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"colossal-share-button__label\" aria-hidden=\"true\">Pin<\/span><br \/>\n\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t<\/li>\n<li class=\"colossal-share-button colossal-share-button--email\">\n\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/cdn-cgi\/l\/email-protection#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\" aria-label=\"Email this article\" class=\"colossal-share-button__link\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"colossal-share-button__label\" aria-hidden=\"true\">Email<\/span><br \/>\n\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t<\/li>\n<li class=\"colossal-share-button colossal-share-button--copy\">\n\t\t\t<button type=\"button\" aria-label=\"Copy article link\" class=\"colossal-share-button__link colossal-share-button__copy\" data-url=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/2026\/08\/maryam-yousif-ceramic-sculptures\/\" data-label-default=\"Copy\" data-label-copied=\"Copied!\" data-aria-default=\"Copy article link\" data-aria-copied=\"Link copied to clipboard\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"colossal-share-button__label\" aria-live=\"polite\">Copy<\/span><br \/>\n\t\t\t<\/button>\n\t\t<\/li>\n<li class=\"colossal-share-button colossal-share-button--bookmark\">\n\t\t\t<button class=\"simplefavorite-button preset\" data-postid=\"476826\" data-siteid=\"1\" data-groupid=\"1\" data-favoritecount=\"0\"><i class=\"sf-icon-bookmark\"><\/i>Bookmark<\/button>\t\t<\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Inspired by both the 20th-century <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Funk_art\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">funk art movement<\/a> in the Bay Area and the visual language of the country of her birth, Iraqi-American artist <a href=\"https:\/\/www.maryamyousif.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Maryam Yousif<\/a> merges ancient cultural heritage and contemporary playfulness in vibrant ceramics. Born in Baghdad, she immigrated to the U.S. when she was young and is currently based in San Francisco.<\/p>\n<p>Over the past several years, Yousif has developed her signature <em>Habibti <\/em>figures, which encapsulate the Arabic endearment for \u201csweetheart\u201d or \u201cdarling,\u201d each adorned with a dress of flowers, landscapes, and other shapes. Many of the works shown here were recently on view in the artist\u2019s solo exhibition at <a href=\"https:\/\/www.the-pit.la\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">The Pit<\/a> titled <em>Above Earth, Under The Rays of the Sun<\/em>, which took its title from a curse tablet uncovered in the Assyrian queens\u2019 tombs in the ancient city of <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Nimrud\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Nimrud<\/a>.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/yousif-8.jpeg\" class=\"swipebox\" data-rel=\"lightbox-gallery-476826\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1500\" height=\"1521\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/yousif-8.jpeg\" alt=\"a ceramic sculpture by Maryam Yousif of an elegant, simplified woman with black hair and a dress made of plants in relief\" class=\"wp-image-476834\"><\/a><\/figure>\n<p>Few materials are as timeless and versatile as clay, which has been used to make pottery and other objects for thousands of years. Just last year, a 3,000-year-old <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sci.news\/archaeology\/gird-i-bazar-pottery-workshop-14453.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">pottery workshop<\/a> was unearthed by archaeologists in an Iron Age settlement in Iraq. \u201cClay, as a medium, has a way of connecting us to the past, and in using it, it opened an interest into historical research,\u201d Yousif tells Colossal. \u201cIt\u2019s been so rewarding to study ancient objects, learn how to distill what I\u2019m looking at into new ideas, and create my own world and mythology.\u201d <\/p>\n<p>The artist describes how she\u2019s compelled to follow rabbit holes in her research, from supernatural beings to queens and their gravesites to industry and commerce. She\u2019s particularly interested in the nature of objects as symbolic or representative of places. Having left her first home for an entirely new experience in a different culture, she explores what it means to bring things with us or, indeed, leave them behind.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cMost of the research I\u2019ve delved into takes place in and around Mesopotamia, too, which I\u2019m always curious about since it\u2019s linked to my background and home country of Iraq,\u201d Yousif says. \u201cI feel like working this way keeps me metaphysically connected to a place that I feel essentially far from in many ways.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Yousif is currently working toward another solo exhibition with <a href=\"https:\/\/rebeccacamacho.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Rebecca Camacho Presents<\/a> in San Francisco, slated for January. A commissioned work titled \u201cMidrib\u201d will also be included in the exhibition <em>Ancient Queenship: Art, Power, and Presence<\/em> at the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.getty.edu\/visit\/villa\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Getty Villa<\/a> starting in February.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/yousif-5.jpeg\" class=\"swipebox\" data-rel=\"lightbox-gallery-476826\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1500\" height=\"1493\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/yousif-5.jpeg\" alt=\"a ceramic sculpture by Maryam Yousif of an elegant, simplified woman with black hair and a dress made of repeating green flowers\" class=\"wp-image-476831\"><\/a><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/yousif-9.jpeg\" class=\"swipebox\" data-rel=\"lightbox-gallery-476826\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1500\" height=\"1394\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/yousif-9.jpeg\" alt=\"a ceramic sculpture of a woman&apos;s head adorned with a turquoise crown and gold earrings by Maryam Yousif\" class=\"wp-image-476835\"><\/a><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/yousif-10.jpeg\" class=\"swipebox\" data-rel=\"lightbox-gallery-476826\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1948\" height=\"1265\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/yousif-10.jpeg\" alt=\"a screen grab of eight images of ceramic sculptures by Maryam Yousif featuring repeating flower motifs and vases on figurative sculptures and vessels\" class=\"wp-image-476836\"><\/a><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/yousif-1.jpeg\" class=\"swipebox\" data-rel=\"lightbox-gallery-476826\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1500\" height=\"1526\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/yousif-1.jpeg\" alt=\"a ceramic sculpture by Maryam Yousif of an elegant, simplified woman with black hair and a blue dress covered in images of other women&apos;s faces\" class=\"wp-image-476827\"><\/a><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/yousif-4.jpeg\" class=\"swipebox\" data-rel=\"lightbox-gallery-476826\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1500\" height=\"1646\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/yousif-4.jpeg\" alt=\"a ceramic sculpture by Maryam Yousif of an elegant, simplified woman with black hair and a dress made of repeating yellow flowers\" class=\"wp-image-476830\"><\/a><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/yousif-3.jpeg\" class=\"swipebox\" data-rel=\"lightbox-gallery-476826\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1500\" height=\"1803\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/yousif-3.jpeg\" alt=\"a ceramic sculpture by Maryam Yousif of a woman&apos;s face inside of an Islamic-style frame\" class=\"wp-image-476829\"><\/a><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/yousif-6.jpeg\" class=\"swipebox\" data-rel=\"lightbox-gallery-476826\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1500\" height=\"1631\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/yousif-6.jpeg\" alt=\"a ceramic sculpture by Maryam Yousif of an elegant, simplified woman with black hair and a dress made of large eye shapes\" class=\"wp-image-476832\"><\/a><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/yousif-2.jpeg\" class=\"swipebox\" data-rel=\"lightbox-gallery-476826\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1500\" height=\"1637\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/yousif-2.jpeg\" alt=\"a ceramic sculpture by Maryam Yousif of an elegant, simplified woman with black hair and a dress made of repeating white flowers\" class=\"wp-image-476828\"><\/a><\/figure>\n<aside class=\"after-entry\" role=\"complementary\" aria-label=\"After Entry\">\n<section id=\"block-16\" class=\"widget widget_block widget_text\">\n<p><mark style=\"background-color:#88caf0\" class=\"has-inline-color\"><strong>Do stories and artists like this matter to you?<\/strong><\/mark> Become a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/members\/\" data-type=\"page\" data-id=\"118516\">Colossal 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All images courtesy of Maryam Yousif, shared with permission Clay Transforms into Vibrant and Funky \u2018Habibti\u2019 Sculptures by Maryam Yousif August 17, 2026 Art Kate Mothes Share Pin Email Copy Bookmark Inspired by both the 20th-century funk art movement in the Bay Area and the visual language of the country of [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[226,270],"class_list":["post-2097395","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-crawlmanager","tag-thisiscolossal-com"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2097395","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2097395"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2097395\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2097395"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2097395"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2097395"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}