STUDIO
MASSA, MOROCCO

In 2022, Margaux Derhy established an embroidery studio in Sidi R'bat, Souss-Massa region, where her paternal family originates.

The studio produces large-scale embroidered works combining traditional Moroccan techniques - sabra embroidery and sfiffa passementerie - with contemporary textile practice. Each piece can take several months to complete. Works begin with Derhy's watercolor paintings from photographic archives, which then become the foundation for complex embroidered pieces. Technical decisions - thread selection, color palette, stitch type, composition - are made collectively within the studio.

 

The studio operates on principles of shared authorship and fair labor. Contributors are fully credited in exhibitions and publications. Work is remunerated, schedules are flexible, and the studio provides ongoing technical training. In a region with limited economic opportunities for women, the studio functions as both an artistic production space and a site for skill development and stable employment. Beyond production, the studio hosts visiting artists and art professionals, creating dialogue between traditional techniques and contemporary practice.

 

Works produced at the studio have been exhibited at 1-54 Contemporary African Art Fair (Marrakech, London), Menart Art Fair, Akka Art Fair, Le Cercle de L'Art, Galerie L'Atelier 21, Tabari Artspace, Jnane Rumi and soon to Galerie 208, IZZA × Institut Français and more. 

Materials: Sabra, cotton, silk threads, sfiffa, watercolor
Techniques: Hand embroidery, machine embroidery, sfiffa passementerie
Scale: 30x40cm to 200x300cm
Production time: 4-12 months per large-scale work