Maria Saleh Mahameed explores the complexities of identity, born to a Ukrainian mother and a Palestinian father, through the lenses of nationality and religion. Working on an extremely large scale, she manages to create deeply intimate narratives that grapple with personal, social, and political themes. Black charcoal features prominently in her work. For Mahameed, charcoal is a powerful and visceral tool—one that allows her to leave a direct, physical trace using materials rooted in her surroundings. The medium also holds symbolic meaning, connecting her practice to her birthplace, Umm el-Fahem, which translates to “Mother of Charcoal.”

has exhibited work at Tel Aviv Museum of Art, Israel; MAXXI – National Museum of 21st Century Art, Italy; and The Israel Museum, Israel, among others.