Mohamed Bourouissa
Pour Noubia

Mohamed Bourouissa is a portraitist of our time. In his work he tells the stories of people. Not those who are in any case in the full glare of publicity, of politics, art and history, rather those who are ‘next door’: ordinary people whose life-stories tell of exclusion, invisibility – but of courage, too, and new perspectives.

In his first solo exhibition in Switzerland, Bourouissa invites the audience on a journey, from Blida in Algeria, where he was born, via the Parisian suburbs, where he now lives, to Osnabrück in Germany, where the eventful life of his aunt Noubia Meyer drew to a close. Films, objects, AI animations and photographs: every room brings together groups of works as a stop on this journey, incorporating them within an immersive spatial experience.

Sometimes the works are documentary in nature, sometimes fictional, but they are always built upon lived experience. They report on the life of Bourouissa and of those who are close to him: friends and acquaintances in the Parisian banlieues, a long-term patient at the psychiatric clinic in Blida, and members of his family and his community. Above all, Noubia Meyer, his aunt, who migrated to Germany from Blida as a sex worker and who made over her photographic archive to Bourouissa. Pour Noubia is dedicated to her – and at the same time to all those whose stories too often remain unseen.

Curated by Yasmin Naderi Afschar with Mirta Gianocca and Pauline Herrmann

A publication accompanying the exhibition features previously unpublished photographic series by Mohamed Bourouissa and texts by Oriane Durand, Yasmin Naderi Afschar, Kathleen Rahn and Marie Robin in English, German, French and Arabic. Published by Mousse Publishing, Migros Museum für Gegenwartskunst and Museum Marta Herford.

A collaboration between Museum Marta Herford and Migros Museum für Gegenwartskunst. The exhibition Mohamed Bourouissa – Pour Noubia took place from 13th September 2025 to 18th January 2026 at Museum Marta Herford and was curated by Oriane Durand.

Mohamed Bourouissa’s music

To mark the opening weekend of the exhibition, the first single ‚AB’ from his album ‚LILA‘ will be released simultaneously. Each track on the album is dedicated to people who have shaped the artist’s life. During the exhibition, the vinyl record will be available in our museum shop or can be pre-ordered from the label: PAN

For the exhibition, Mohamed Bourouissa also curated a playlist. Music plays an important role in his artistic practice and serves as a means of conveying stories and memories. The playlist brings together songs selected by the artist, including tracks from his recently released album, alongside a personal selection by the team at the Migros Museum für Gegenwartskunst.

During the exhibition, visitors were invited to listen to the playlist and contribute their own tracks. The result is a shared collection of songs reflecting a variety of moods, memories, and connections to the exhibition: Listen here (external link).