Mehrdad Mirzaie

Mehrdad Mirzaie, an Iranian multidisciplinary artist now residing in the United States, centers his endeavors on the image-based medium, particularly emphasizing the reinterpretation of historical imagery and the interplay between bygone eras and contemporary contexts. His practice is marked by an exploration of the inherent potency of images as conduits for conveying historical narratives. His fervent interest in archives, image analysis, and alternative artistic processes leads him to delve into the intricate relationship between history and storytelling.

Mirzaie’s pursuits extend to a focused exploration of the history of Iranian photography alongside his artistic endeavors. Engaging as a curatorial assistant at the Northlight Gallery, he delves into researching the historical aspects of photography in Iran. Presently, he is immersed in pursuing an MFA in photography at Arizona State University.

Sara Abbaspor

Sara Abbaspour is an Iranian artist and teacher who lives and works between the U.S. and Iran. She holds an MFA in Photography from Yale School of Art, an MA in Photography from the University of Tehran, and a BSc. in Urban Planning and Design from Ferdowsi University of Mashhad. Abbaspour draws on influences from her background in urban studies. While embracing a herstorical approach, her photographs often seem timeless and placeless. She explores the relationship between spaces and their inhabitants in their constant state of becoming, collaborates with these elements, and often considers these photographs self-portraits. Her work exists in a meeting point between temporal and eternal, inside and out, familiar and peculiar, personal and political, seen and unseen, magic and mundane, imagined and experienced. Sara is currently an Assistant Professor of Photography at the University of New Mexico.