Amak Mahmoodian
Born in Shiraz, Iran. Lives in Bristol, UK.

My artistic practice explores the representation of gender, identity and displacement, bridging a space between personal and political. Working with images, poems, archives and videos, I look for the lyrical reality frames in the photographs.

︎︎︎ Publications

2023: The Portrait Photographer’s Mnual, Cian Oba Smith, Max Ferguson, Thames&Hudson, USA.

2022: Der Grief 15, The colectivity Issue, Guest Artist Editor, Germany.

2021: Photobooks &, Matt Johnston, Onomatopee Publishing, UK.

2021: Photography- A Fiminist History, Emma Lewis, Tate Publishing, UK.

2021: Photography Now: Fifty Pioneers Defining Photography for the Twenty-First Century, Charlotte Jansen, Octopus Publishing.

2021: Photo No-Nos: Meditations on What Not to Photograph, Jason Fulford, Aperture, 2021, USA.

2019: Zanjir, RRB Photobooks / ICVL Studio.

2018: How We See, Photobooks by Women, 10x 10 Photobooks,USA.

2016: Shenasnameh, RRB Photobooks/ ICVL Studio.

︎︎︎ Education

2015: PhD,European Centre for Photographic Research, University of South Wales, Uk.

2008: MA, Documentary Photography, Art University of Tehran, Iran.

2005: BA, Photography, Art University of Tehran, Iran.

︎︎︎ Awards

2022: D6 Culture in Transit, Artist Residency,
Newcastle, UK
2020: Winner of the best photo/text book 2020, Rencontres Arles, France
2016: Selected by the Photobookstore Magazine, Photobooks of 2016
2016: Selected by Humble Arts Foundation, the Best Socially Concerned Photobooks of 2016
2016: Winner of the Flip Photobook Award, Russia
2016: Selected as the Favourite Photobook on Metalist of 2016
2016: Selected by Time Magazine, the Best Photobooks of The year
2016: Winner of the 14th Reminders Photography Stronghold, Japan
2016: Shenasnameh, Special Mention at Maribor Photobook Award, Slovenia
2016: Shortlisted of the International Photocontest Direct Look
2016: Finalist Best British Book Design and Production of the year
2016: Shortlisted Best Arthur Book 2016, Rencontres Arles
2015: Best Photo Book of the year, LensCulture
2015: Best Photo Book of the year, PhotoBookStore

︎︎︎ Exhibitions

2023: Artes Mundi 10, Aurora Trinity Colective, UK
2023: Martin Parr foundations - Counterpoints, Gereh, Bristol, UK
2023: Peckham 24, Body Language, Shenasnameh, London, UK
2023: Raw 2023, Turning Point, Ego, Germany 2022: “Zanjir”, Bound Narratives, 2022 Florence
2022: “Zanjir”, Dergreif Issue #15, 2022, Germany 2021: “ Zanjir”, Recontres Arles, France
2020: “ Zanjir”, Tibilis Photo Festival, Greece
2020: “ Zanjir”, Lumix Festival 2020, Germany
2020: " Zanjir", Arnolfini, Bristol, UK
2019: " How We See" Carnegie Museum of Art, Pittsburgh
2019: "How we See", Museum Of Fine Art and Masssachusetts College of Art
2019: "Shenasnameh", Offset Pirtara, Chennai Photo Biennale
2019: " 209 Women", Open Eye Gallery, Liverpool, UK
2019: "Where Time Stood Still", Ffotogallery, Penarth, UK
2019: "Where Time Stood Still", London Photo50, London, Uk
2019: "209 Women", London, UK
2019: "Ghost Stories", Bristol Archive, Bristol, UK
2018: "Our eyes tell stories" , Arnolfini, Bristol, Uk
2018: "209 Women" , Portcullis House, London, Uk
2018: " Whose and Whome" The Body as a Political Landscape, Kathmandu, Nepal
2018: Neghab, PHmuseum, UK
2018: How We See, PGH Photo Fair, Carnegie Museum of Art, Pittesburgh
2018: How We See,  Fototeca Latinoamericana, Buenos Aires
2018: How We See, Museum of Fine Arts and Massachusetts College of Art, Boston
2018: How We See, Reading Room, New York Public Library, New York
2018: Whose and Whome, Kathmandu, Nepal
2018: Vigilance, Struggle, Pride: Through Her Eyes, Zagreb, Croatia
2018: Vigilance, Struggle, Pride: Through Her Eyes. Graz, Austria
2018: Family on No Man, Cosmos, Arles, France
2018: Vigilance, Struggle, Pride: Through Her Eyes. Berlin, Germany.
2018: Another Meeting in Vein, Nordic Light. Norway
2018: 10x10 Photobooks, Flowers Gallery. New York, USA
2018: Vigilance, Struggle, Pride: Through Her Eyes, UGM, Maribor Art Gallery. Maribor, Slovenia
2018: The Graphic Arts of Photography, Kodak", Centre Space Art Gallery. Bristol, UK
2018: Call and Response: Art as Resistance, Strange Fire Collective. Seattle, Washington.
2017: 10x10 Awake, Doran Gallery. Massachusetts, USA
2017: Snail on the Slope, Goaphoto. Goa, India
2017: Catharsis, Exposed Gallery. Belfast, Ireland
2017: Uncensored Books - Medphoto Festival. Crete, Greece
2017: Beyond Us And Them, FOTODOK. Utrecht, The Netherlands
2017: Bind-Weed, Knowle West Media Centre. Bristol, UK
2017: Bind-Weed, @ Bristol. Bristol, UK
2017: Shenasnameh, Awake 10x10 Books, Image text Ithaca symposium. Ithaca, USA
2017: Shenasnameh, Petőfi Irodalmi Múzeum. Budapest, Hungary
2017: Uncensored Books, Literature Festival. Palermo, Italy
2017: Awake, Magnum Foundation. New York, USA
2017: Benaki Museum, Athens Photo Festival 2017. Athens, Greece
2017: PGH Photo, Carnegie Museum of Art. Pittsburgh, USA
2017: Offspring Photo Meet 2017. London, UK
2017: Cardiff International Festival of Photography 2017, Diffusion. Cardiff, Wales
2017: Shenasnameh , Uncensored Books. Belgrade, Serbia
2017: Shenasnameh, Call an Response: Art as Residence. Syntax Physic Opera. Denver, USA
2017: Shenasnameh, Reminders Photography Stronghold. Tokyo, Japan
2017: I, Workshop at RPS. Tokyo, Japan
2017: Shenasnameh, CLOSER. Bari, Italy
2017: Shenasnameh, LhGWR gallery. The Hague, The Netherlands
2017: Shenasnameh, Moscow Photobook Festival. Moscow, Russia
2017: Thats What My Love Is, Vision 20/20, Knowel West Media Centre. Bristol, UK
2017: Shenasnameh, Favourite Book , 10x 10 Photo Book. New York, USA
2016: East Street Tales, Curation. Bristol, UK
2016: Shenasnameh, Leboudoir2.2, Berlin, Germany - Multimedia Show.
2016: Shenasnameh, Gazebook: Sicilly Photobook Festival, Italy - Multimedia Show
2016: Organ Vida: What's This Book? Zagreb, Croatia - Multimedia Show
2016: BPF Open16 Moving Image. Brighton, UK - Multimedia Show
2016: Bi Nam, Richmond House / Ffotogallery. Cardiff, UK
2016: Curated Projection, Goethe-Instut. Chennai, India
2015: Asian Women Photographer's Showcase, Chapel Gallery, Objectifs. Singapore
2015: Everything is Politics. ICV Lab Studio, Bristol, UK
2013: Bi Nam, Ffotogallery. Cardiff, UK
2012: Bi Nam, Image and Identity. Ffotogallery. Cardiff, UK
2010: Who Am I ?, Flock Gallery. Caerleon, UK
2009: Neghab, Ffloc Gallery. Newport, UK
2008: Family Albums, Barg Gallery. Tehran, Iran
2007: Red Light, Laleh Gallery. Tehran, Iran
2004: 9th Tehran Photo Biennial. Tehran, Iran

︎︎︎ Talks and Interviews

2023: Martin Parr Foundations, Displacement symposium, UK
2023: Spike Island , One Hundred and Twenty Minutes, Bristol, Uk
2023: Peckham 24, Body Language, London, Uk.
2023: Victoria and Albert Museum, “Women, Life, Freedon” London, Uk 2023; Format Festival, Shenasnameh, Derby, Uk
2023: Compendium, Journal of Contemporary Studies, David Company, Materials of the Photobook
2022: PHmuseum Masterclasses 2022, Italy 2022: Est Contemporary Bristol, Zanjir, UK
2022: The Refuges Buddy Project, De La Warr Pavillion, UK
2022: Arts Mundi, Wales, 2022
2022: Nearest Truth Photobooks Series, USA
2022: Der Greif # 15, Conversation Series, 2022, Germany.
2022: Tate Modern, Conversation Series with Emma Jones, 2022, UK.
2021: British Journal of Photography, On Location: Bristol, Aaron Schuman, 2021, Uk.
2021: Foam Magazine, The Archival Issue #59, David Campany, The Netherlands.
2021: Arts Mundi,The International Museum of Cardiff, Wales.
2021: The Yale Review, Volum 109, USA
2021: Poetry Surfaces, Bristol Photo Festival, UK
2020: PhotoAlliance 2021 International Lecture Series, USA.
2020: "Zanjir", Financial Times, London, UK
2020: “Zanjir", Four Corners Gallery, London, Uk
2020, “Zanjir", World Press Photo,The Netherlands.
2020: “Zanjir”, Nearest Truth, USA
2020: “Zanjir”, 10x10 photobooks , USA
2020: “Zanjir”, Photoworks, Uk
2020: “Zanjir”, A Small Voice Podcast, UK
2020: "Light into Memory", American Suburbx, USA
2020: " Zanjir", 1000 words Magazine, London, UK
2020: "Zanjir", IM Magazine, Bristol, UK
2020: "Zanjir", Hundred heroines, London, Uk
2020: " Zanjir", HUB Magazine, Bristol, Uk
2020: " Zanjir", Photography Conference, Cardiff Museum, UK
2019:" Zanjir", Martin Parr Foundation, Bristol, UK
2019:"Hunt of Memory", Arnolfini, Bristol, UK
2019: Visual Journalism , Czech Press Photo, Prague , Czech Republic
2019:"Another meeting in Vein", Czech Press Photo, Prague, Czech Republic
2019: "Where Time Stood Still", APHE Conference, Coventry, UK
2019: " Where Time Stood Still", Spike Island, Bristol, UK
2019: " Women's Perspective", Kobra Museum of Modern Art, The Netherlands
2019:" Northern Narratives" Interviews, UK
2019: " WhereTime Stood Still" , Oxford Modern Art Museum, UK
2019: "In picture", Wallpaper magazine, Uk
2019: "Alternative Family Portraits" , The Guardian, Uk
2018: " Another Meeting In Vein", Kathmandu Photo Festival, Nepal
2018: Whisper of the Past, Family Ties Network. Coventry, UK
2018: Whisper of the Past, Activating the Archives, Arnolfini. Bristol, UK
2018: Whisper of the Past, Nordic Light. Norway
2018: Coventry University, Another meeting in vein. Coventry, UK
2018: Internation Woman's Day, Murmuration. Bristol, UK
2018: Pressfor Progress Inspiring Women, Arnolfini. Bristol, UK
2018: Photomonitor, Shenasnameh, Interviewed by Caroline Molly. UK
2018: Financial Times, Identity: A Photography Special. London, UK
2017: Wired Magazine, Identity, Interview. Tokyo, Japan
2017: Better Pictures Magazine , Interview. India
2017: Tique, Art Paper, Interview. Belgium
2017: WIRED Conference 2017, WRD Identity. Tokyo, Japan
2017: Tama Art University. Tokyo, Japan
2017: Exposed Gallery. Belfast, Ireland
2017: Fast Forward, Women in Photography, National Gallery of Art. Vilnius, Lithuania
2017: WIRED Lab Workshop,Tokyo, Japan - http://lab.wired.jp/workshop/obara-amak/
2017: FOTODOK, Bookclub#11. Utrecht, The Netherlands
2017: Shenasnameh Sicily Photobook Festival. Sicily, Italy
2017: Another Metting With Her In Vein, Photobook Osaka, Osaka, Japan
2017: Remind The Future Not To Forget The Past, Arnolfini. Bristol, UK
2017: Buzz Magazine, Shenasnameh, 12 highlights from Diffusion
2017: Aesthetica Magazine, Challenging Representation, UK
2017: Diffusion Festival 2017, Revolution Symposium. Cardiff, Wales
2017: Photographic Dialogues Magazine, Moving Stills, UK
2017: KWMC, Re Valuing Photography, People and Places. UK
2017: La Repubblica. Bari, Italy
2017:The Royal Academy of Art, KABK. Netherlands
2017:World Press Photo, Honoured Lecture. Amsterdam, The Netherlands
2017: From A Project To A Viable Book, Coventry University. Conventry, UK
2017: Visual Artworks Inspired by Personal Life, 0A113 WebMagazine, France
2017: Shenasnameh, Who We Are?, Foam Magazine. The Netherlands
2017: University of the West of England, Shenasnameh. Bristol, UK
2017: Weston Art College, Another Meeting With Her In Vein. UK
2016: Belfast University. Belfast, Northern Ireland
2016: Extra Fort. Photography at Recycle Art. Brussels, Belgium
2016: Shenasnameh, Best Photo Books Review of 2016, IMA Magazine. Japan
2016: Women Looking at Women, Raw View Magazine. New York, USA
2016: Shenasnameh, Article on Shenasnameh, PHMuseum, UK
2016: Shenasnameh, Review on Shenasnameh, Photo Eye, UK
2016: Shenasnameh, Collector Daily. UK
2016: Brighton Photo Fringe, In Conversation with Maria Kapajeva. Brighton, UK
2016: Review on Shenasnameh, Kassel Foto Buch. Germany
2016: An Article on Shenasnameh, Gabriela Cendoya. Spain
2016: Review on Shenasnameh, Hajime Kimura
2016: Another Meeting With Her In Vein, Unveiled. Exeter, UK
2016: leboudoir2.0 goes to Arles-Le Local, 13 rue du Pont. Arles, France
2016: Another Meeting With Her in Vein, The Photographer's Gallery. London, UK
2016: Photo Book Bristol. Bristol, UK
2016: In Conversation with Lina Hashim, IC Visual Lab. Bristol, UK
2016: The Photographer artist, activist, innovator? Knowle West Media Centre and Fotonow CIC. Bristol, UK
2016: Image and Identity, Richmond House. Bristol, UK
2016: Shenasnameh included in One Image Story (curated by Maria Kapajeva), Fast Forward
2016: ArtyCul Show, An interview with Shawn Naphtali Sobors. Bristol, UK
2016: Arnolfini, Shenasnameh, APHE. Bristol, UK
2016: Weston-super-Mare Art College. Weston-super-Mare, UK
2016: An Interview with Colin Pantal, Shenasnameh, Photo Book Bristol. Bristol, UK
2015: An Interview with Colin Pantall. Bristol, UK
2015: Shenasnameh, Bristol UWE. Bristol, UK
2015: Asian Women Photographer's Showcase. Singapore
2013: Binam, Image and Identity. Cardiff, UK
2012: The Radio 2 Arts Show with Claudia Winkleman. London, UK
2012: In Conversation with Carolyn Hassan. Penarth, UK
2010: In Conversation with Professor Alexis Nuselovici. Newport, UK