Lydia Ourahmane's Solar Cry exhibition explores faith and autobiography at CCA Wattis Institute

Lydia Ourahmane's exhibition Solar Cry at the CCA Wattis Institute for Contemporary Arts in San Francisco ran from 6 February to 28 March 2020, focusing on themes of faith, family, and desire through autobiographical and biblical references. Ourahmane, who grew up in Algeria during the 1990s as part of a persecuted Christian minority, relocated back to Algiers, influencing works that address immaterial forces shaping the body. The exhibition centers on an expedition to Tassili N’Ajjer in the Sahara, where she left a tape recorder in a cave, creating the audio piece Solar Cry from overnight recordings. Other works include warrior girl c.12,000 b.c., a video of Ourahmane getting a tattoo inspired by a cave drawing, and 3kgs salt, which litters the gallery with rock salt referencing historical slave trade routes. A wall drawing titled ℵ0, pencilled on concrete behind drywall, represents infinity and is intended as a permanent hidden work, while skylights are covered with blue lighting gels. The show includes 1st draft of my Mother’s book “Divine Encounters” (1974–92), a sole copy documenting family sacrifices for faith, challenging viewers to engage with intimacy and belief. Ourahmane's art blends personal narrative with spiritual inquiry, using outdated technology and material gestures to explore ineffable experiences.