Aya Bennacer (b. 1997) is an Algerian artist who developed an early passion for culture and the arts, particularly literature. She studied French language and literature at the École Normale Supérieure in Constantine and spent several years teaching French at the high school level, while simultaneously developing a self-taught painting practice. Initially translating literary influences into drawings, her work evolved from illustrating texts into the creation of imaginative, original beings. Centered on the essence of humanity, her practice explores the transformation of flesh into material and its relationship to the societal garments we wear. Balancing familiarity with subtle strangeness, Bennacer’s work constructs a distinctive visual language that challenges conventional perceptions of gender and inner identity through innovative forms and deformations.