Carla R. Salem (Lebanese, 1978) is a papermaker and printmaker whose work explores words and language. Having lived in Japan for seven years, Salem merges Japanese language and culture with her native Arabic through an exploration of the surface and texture of self made mulberry paper (washi) and its relationship and interaction with light.

Her Masters (MFA) was triggered by a research on papermaking and developed with an emphasis on papermaking and its relationship with screenprinting.

The work eventually unfolded into a PhD from Tokyo University of Arts, School of Fine Arts, with a self-driven research focused on lacquered printmaking using handmade paper. Her personal printmaking methods were inspired from a foundation class on the uses of urushi to create Maki-e.

Salem is continuously developing her own printmaking techniques while teaching screenprinting as well as papermaking, at the American University of Beirut and at the Lebanese University of Fine Arts.