hayfa algwaiz (b. 1991, saudi arabia) is an artist and architect whose practice explores observation, cultural exchange, and the subtle ways human presence registers in domestic spaces.

having lived between saudi arabia and the united states for 13 years, algwaiz developed a keen awareness of context and how removal from a place creates stronger bonds to it. her work follows the notion that "the absence of something often gives it more presence, weight, and visibility in our lives." she believes the smallest, most mundane aspects of life define us—our rituals, habits, and automatic actions that shape identity yet often go unnoticed.

during her time at dot.ateliers, this investigation deepened, particularly through encounters with ghanaian artists whose use of materials highlighted that experimentation extends beyond subject matter or medium—the surface itself can carry meaning. This insight, alongside explorations of scale and its impact on both making and experiencing work, reinforced her belief that art's power lies not only in what happens on the canvas, but in how we engage with people and communities. "the things we do outside the studio and how we engage with people, even through conversation, are just as valuable as the work itself," she reflects. "International residencies have a way of dismantling how you see the world and yourself. they force you to dig deeper into what you do, and why you do it."

working primarily in painting and drawing, algwaiz navigates what she calls "visibility and access"—the ethics of representation when engaging with cultures and communities not her own. rather than depicting bodies directly, she creates compositions through techniques of erasure, rubbing off, elimination, and decontextualization. Through these methods of revealing by concealing, her work continues to map the invisible architectures of belonging, memory, and human connection across borders.