Meriem Bennani: For My Best Family

“For My Best Family” is an exhibition by Meriem Bennani, commissioned by Fondazione Prada. It combines a site-specific installation and the film For Aicha, co-directed with Orian Barki. The project explores themes of togetherness in both intimate and public sociopolitical contexts, focusing on personal identity, gender, and societal norms through humor and fantastical imagery.

The installation “Sole Crushing” features 192 flip-flops arranged in dynamic formations, powered by a kinetic system that evokes collective rituals and protests. The soundtrack, composed by Reda Senhaji (Cheb Runner), complements the piece’s organic, cathartic atmosphere.

On the first floor, “For Aicha” blends animation and documentary, following a Moroccan filmmaker, Bouchra, as she navigates the impact of her homosexuality on her mother, Aicha. The film mixes fiction with real conversations between Bennani and her own mother, using anthropomorphic animals to tackle complex issues in an accessible, engaging way.