Mariyam Omar

Mariyam Naeema Omar’s (b. 1980) work focuses on human interactions within the society.  Her primary medium is painting and are inward experiences. Her installations are primarily based mainly on human rights issues, inviting viewers to experience her concepts on a physical level. Omar explores the external source of emotions and their adoption or rather invasion into the self, by focusing on gestures and body language in figurative and abstract forms. 

Omar’s work has been shown in group exhibitions both nationally and internationally. In 2008, her work was exhibited at the Bangladesh Biennale and on board “The World” Passenger Liner. “The Maldives Exodus Caravan Show” curated by Søren Dahlgaard was displayed in Venice in 2013 and later in New Zealand, Spain and New York. In the same year her works were exhibited in “The Possibility of an Island” at Berlin’s Import Projects Gallery curated by Elena Gilbert and Nadim Samman.

She has also participated in national exhibitions including, OPI Exhibition of Public Enquiry held at Malé City Hall in 2012, and OTHERS - the group exhibition by Transparency Maldives at the National Art Gallery in 2015. In 2024, her work was showcased in the group exhibition, The Fabulous Art Show at the National Art Gallery. 

Omar’s ‘Untitled Works’  has been featured on the Maldives page of the ArtAsiaPacific Almanac 2008 Volume. Her installations, “Departure from Logic and Humanity” from the XOPI group exhibition was featured on the Maldives page of the ArtAsiaPacific Almanac 2014 Volume and “Living Conditions” from the group exhibition OTHERS is featured on the Maldives page of the ArtAsiaPacific Almanac 2016 Volume.

Omar was a Panel Member for Visual Arts at the Curriculum Development Unit, EDC from 2009 to 2011. Her Solo Exhibition ‘Untitled Works’ was curated by Mohamed Khayyam and exhibited at the National Art Gallery in 2011.