Salima Tastift is a self-taught artist and PhD student in materials science from Ouarzazate, Morocco. Her work combines astronomy, science, and art, inspired by her love for the universe and the challenges she faced studying them. After earning her Bachelor’s degree in Physics, she wanted to pursue a master’s in astronomy, but the program closed that year. Instead of giving up, she found a new way to explore astronomy: through painting. She has been drawing since before primary school and started painting seriously in 2020. Now, she blends her scientific knowledge with her art, creating pieces that imagine the mysteries of the universe. Her work is a reminder that curiosity doesn’t need a lab, just a brush and a dream. Salima has been recognized for her talent, earning 5th place in the 2025 Morocco Youth Prize, organized by the Ministry of Youth, Culture and Communication, Department of Culture, Morocco.

Art and astronomy share the same mission: to explore the unknown and make the invisible visible. Where science relies on equations, art draws on intuition and imagination. It is within this space of convergence that Salima Tastift’s artistic approach takes shape. A self-taught artist with a passion for the cosmos, she draws on her scientific knowledge to translate astronomical phenomena into images. Each canvas becomes both an exploration and an act of wonder before the mysteries of the sky. By blending scientific rigor with creative freedom, Salima gives form to planets, stars, and galaxies that spark her curiosity. Her work is a celebration of the cosmos, where observation meets imagination. Through color and composition, she invites viewers to feel the immensity of the universe and rediscover the deep connection between science, art, and humanity.