Milou Laroussiyen

In her paintings and sculptures, Milou Laroussiyen (The Netherlands, 2004) creates a personal visual diary through which she explores her history. Her work is a reflection of what remains of the memories of the people around her, as well as her own. Inspired by family photographs, self-portraits, and scenes of life, her practice moves between past and present. 

Her grandfather’s stories have interested her since she was young. He was born in Tafraoute, Morocco, where he grew up in a completely different environment from the rest of her family. At the age of 18, he came to the Netherlands as a migrant worker. 

Her work is not just about her grandfather’s experience, or migrant stories in general, but also about the need to create alternative forms of archiving. It is about acknowledging personal memories. Her work aims to preserve memories in a way that is open to interpretation, therefore offering a space for conversation, something she considers essential when dealing with the topics of migration and identity. 

Working mostly with painting, she extends this approach across multiple mediums, including ceramics and rug-making. She paints with glaze on ceramic surfaces and uses wool to “paint” rugs, treating each medium as a form of painting. Her interest in Moroccan craftsmanship is visible in these techniques.