Meet the Somali founder of Seattle’s M.I.A gallery – Mariane Ibrahim-Lenhardt – Born to Somali parents in New Caledonia, a small island in the Pacific Ocean

Admin · June 28, 2015

For Mariane Ibrahim-Lenhardt, the founder of Seattle’s M.I.A gallery (missing in art), culture and identity are inextricably linked together.

Born to Somali parents in New Caledonia, a small island outside of Australia under French authority, Lenhardt moved to Somalia when she was five and left for France at age eight when the Somalian civil war began.

“In New Caledonia you can only be part of two categories: you’re either part of the native people, called the Kanak, or the Caldoche, who are descendants of the white colonizers. So when you’re neither Kanak or Caldoche, you have trouble identifying yourself.”

“I’ve never said I’m Caledonian, and I couldn’t say I’m French, because you expect to see someone who’s French and white. I consider myself full Somali.”

“I had the best years of my life in Somalia because I fit. I was playing with girls that looked exactly like me. There was no discrimination, and you feel protected and loved because you have all your family in one place.”

“Of course, Somalia was not doing well. There was a civil war that initially started as a student uprising. As a kid, you don’t understand what’s going on, but you feel the danger. We were probably one of the first [families] to leave.”

Lendhardt’s relocation to France and later London led to her fated evolution from a tomboy to attractive young woman.

“London is a sample of the world. You go to this area and you have the Jamaicans, the Indians, the posh, the Italians, the Somali, the gay, and I didn’t know it was like that. It was so exciting. When I arrived at 16, I knew I was going to be a woman.”

“I saw teenagers partying, celebrating life — so cool and so outgoing. I also got closer to the Somali girls, who convinced me to try this foundation, do this with my hair — all the little tricks to transform me from a tomboy. After the summer, I came back to France transformed, and the guys looked at me differently.”

A happenstance stint in Quebec to study multimedia led to Lenhardt’s revelation to pursue a career in the arts.

“Everyone wanted to go to Paris to learn French, [so] no one wanted to do an exchange program in Quebec. [but] I was obsessed with Ann of Green Gables, so I said, ok I’m going! I’ve never been so rich in my life. They gave me a big grant, about $40,000 for a year. My room was $89, so what do you do? You live the life.”

“I learned advertising, video, dream weaver, photoshop, everything. I was building websites, buying domains — I became a geek over there, and came back to Paris and went straight into the business.”

“I worked for a marketing agency for five years. It was so boring. When you’re young you’re not supposed to have a job that’s too comfortable. You’re supposed to learn. So I left.”

Shortly after her resignation, Lenhardt found her next adventure at a local laundry mat. Where she came across an article in a French magazine claiming to have discovered rock art paintings (prehistoric drawings) in Somalia. Outraged by the idea of a foreigner professing to have found ancient paintings the local people had been familiar with for generations, she packed her bags and headed back to Somalia.

“I created an NGO. And worked with UNISCOand professional archeologists to create a case to get these rock art paintings on the endangered list. I was only 26. In 2006, it was the first Somali site to be listed as one of the top100 World Heritage sites.”

“After that I stopped, due to political reasons. But it’s a chapter that’s still not closed for me.”

“During that time [in Somalia] I was exposed to art as I’ve never been. I became an art advisor, recommending artists to galleries because I was sensitive to their presentation.”

Lendhart’s then romance with her now Parisian husband led to their move to Seattle. After her extensive history in the art world, it seemed fitting that she open a gallery focused on culturally dynamic works with a modern-day perspective.

“I will give the best that I can to Seattle. What I’d like to offer is a tiny window, where you can see things that [seem] very normal or evident, but they’re not.”

World traveler hardly begins to describe this woman, while her Somali roots don’t accurately define her essence, yet each have clearly shaped her identity.