For The Showroom’s Annual Mural Commission 2024-25 French-born Moroccan artist Nassim Azarzar offers a reflection into the nature of migration explored through the lens of transnational experience.

Hayat al Noujoum / La vie des étoiles constellates visual and aural elements, combining the artist’s distinct painterly style with a sound installation of oral testimonies of personal migratory experiences from the Church Street Ward, at the heart of London’s Westminster borough, and the wider community.

Expanding his practice from painting to sound, Azarzar attempts to chart the effects of migration from different perspectives; documenting his conversations with various individuals and inviting others to give voice to these through studio recordings. Through this process, he examines the nature of displaced identities and culture blending among communities, unveiling multiple layers of personal experience. Azarzar’s interest in the subject is deeply rooted in his background as a French-born child of Moroccan parents. His relationship with the notion of home and belonging resonates with a deep complexity that many of us can relate to.

The work is conceived as a living, breathing artwork that echoes the community’s diverse voices, woven into the very fabric of the building as a sonic experience. In the artist’s words, ‘Murals are typically seen, but this project for The Showroom also aims to make people’s voices heard through sound. Their voices express personal relationships to identity, belonging, and integration and are reshaped in collaboration with sound artists to activate The Showroom’s facade throughout the year.’

At its core, the work is a testament to the power of collaboration. Led by the artist with participants connected to The Showroom neighbourhood and beyond, this collective effort culminates in the fifth iteration of the Showroom Annual Mural Commission, transforming the building from summer 2024 to summer 2025.

ABOUT THE ARTIST
Nassim Azarzar (1989, France) derives his painterly language from uniquely Moroccan imagery, transposing their forms and interrogating their meanings across contexts. This research has led to the creation of his visual language, reflecting the complexity of defining his identity as a person born in France to Moroccan parents. Nassim’s aesthetic exploration encompasses decorative arts, painting, drawing, sculpture, graphic design, and experimental cinema.

COLLABORATORS
Interviewees: Roxanne Cassehgari, Anayis Der Hakopian, Zineb Dinia, Omar El-Fassi, Nora Elma, José Oliva, Lazea Saleh, Alma and those who wish to remain anonymous.

Voice overs: Julie Bowles, Anayis Der Hakopian, Zineb Dinia, Omar El-Fassi, Malak Elghuel, Raghad Jalal, Griffin Jenkins, Hafiza Ibrahim, Lazea Saleh, Arjan Sanchez Guerrero, Samira Teymouri, Yusef and those who wish to remain anonymous.

ABOUT THE MURAL COMMISSION

The Showroom Mural Commission is a unique opportunity for artists to activate the building’s emblematic facade. Once a year, an international artist works in collaboration with members of communities around the Church Street Ward to create artwork for the mural, complemented by public programming that includes a series of community-engaging events and workshops.
Our approach is unique in how we foster strong, long-term relationships and consider everyone involved as collaborators. Trust and mindful consideration of the project’s impact are central to our way of working. Some groups and individuals are starting to participate in projects within our broader programme, and in some cases are taking on a more proactive role within artistic productions.
Our programme emphasises collaborative and process-driven approaches to production, encompassing artwork, exhibitions, events, discussions, publications, knowledge sharing, and relationships. We engage with artists and practitioners, including those who are new to the London art scene and international artists. Additionally, we work closely with groups and individuals in our local community who we bring together to work in partnership with artists on specific projects and commissions that contribute to the programme. Public events and workshops form part of these commissions, alongside a programme of publishing, research and events including discussions, screenings, panels, book launches and performances.