منية لفراوي Mounia Lafraoui

Artistic Journey & Milestones

In 2015, Mounia began developing a series of paintings with strong encouragement and support from her husband, Adel, whom she considers her greatest mentor and critic. His guidance played a key role in refining her talent, helping her creativity and imagination flourish. Mounia regards him as her strongest support and credits much of her success to his belief in her artistic potential. With this support, she created a series of 18 original artworks characterized by imaginative forms and expressive color palettes. Sharing her work on social media marked a turning point when it caught the attention of Spanish artist and sculptor Enrique Seoane Hening. He invited her to exhibit at the gallery of his luxury hotel in Ouarzazate, where she held her first solo exhibition on April 1, 2017, at Hôtel Côté du Sud, officially marking her entry into the professional art scene. During the exhibition, Enrique Seoane Hening was impressed by the strength of her colors, forms, and imagination. Upon discovering that the paintings were created on a white bedsheet rather than professional canvas, he described her work as “the power of naive artistic talent,” highlighting its raw, self-taught creativity and uninhibited expression. Following the exhibition, Mounia received direct mentorship from Enrique Seoane Hening, who trained her in professional techniques such as preparing authentic canvases, selecting professional drawing papers, and framing her artworks herself, thereby significantly strengthening her artistic foundation

Artistic Practice & Mediums

Since her first exhibition, Mounia has expanded her artistic journey through diverse works, including acrylic paintings on canvas and professional art paper. She also explored her artistic heritage by painting with henna, natural pigments, saffron, and spices like turmeric on cow and goat leather. These unique creations earned her the Traditional Artisan Card from Mr. Hassan Shmis, President of the Chamber of Traditional Crafts, who was impressed by her work on cow leather and encouraged her to gain hands-on experience with traditional leather craftsmen. Mounia also explored pottery and wood in workshops, including an exclusive workshop on painting with henna, natural saffron, and pigments on goat leather, supervised by Mr. Othman Lazraq, Director of the MACAAL Art Museum in Marrakech. Additionally, she developed an exclusive artistic vision using natural leather for fashion items like hats and bags, incorporating imaginative forms, creative narratives, and artistic stories. Most of Mounia’s works now belong to private collections in the United States, Canada, and Europe. Through her connection to Marrakech’s tourism sector, she regularly undertakes custom art commissions, tailoring her creations to specific dimensions and client requirements.

Exclusive & Future Projects

Mounia Lafraoui is developing a series of exclusive, socially engaged art initiatives, reflecting her belief in art as a humanitarian medium with positive societal impact. One key project is a charitable initiative dedicated to people with special needs and the elderly, in collaboration with women’s and children’s associations and other charitable organizations. She is also creating an original book inspired by art therapy, titled “My Journey with Colors”, accompanied by interactive workshops focused on wellness and self-expression through creativity and color, aimed at supporting cancer patients, bedridden individuals, and mental health associations. Additionally, Mounia plans to establish a women’s cooperative for artistic rug-making using naturally colored threads to create designs that convey artistic stories. The project aims to produce 20 unique artistic stories in a collection of rugs within one month, with potential for international expansion, including future implementation in the UAE, Inchallah.