Atelier Abdelky is Damascus-born designer and ceramist Judy Abdelky. Abdelky studied at the Faculty of Fine Arts in Damascus University, and learned to design and paint ceramic tile murals during an apprenticeship with Randa Nassour.

Forced to leave Damascus in the aftermath of the Syrian revolution of 2011, Abdelky put her budding career as a ceramist on hold and became a graphic designer – first in Dubai, then in Istanbul and most recently, in Amsterdam.

Throughout these years, the dream of returning to ceramics never left her, and grew stronger as time passed. When she found herself without work during the pandemic, she started designing and painting tiles again, and Atelier Abdelky was born. 

Atelier Abdelky combines the discipline and precision of the Islamic tile tradition with an irreverent, colourful and contemporary style. Guided by her uncle and mentor, the great Syrian artist Youssef Abdelké, Abdelky has developed a style of ceramic mural that is uniquely her own.

Photo: Shiori Ohira