INFO



MAHSA ALAFAR
مهسا علافر
VISUAL ARTIST

Mahsa Alafar is an Iranian artist, educator, and researcher currently residing in the US and serving as a Visiting Artist at GVSU. She holds a bachelor's degree from Tehran University and a master's degree from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, where she was awarded the New Artist Society Merit Scholarship. While not affiliated with Islam, as a Muslim-born woman, Mahsa takes a critical stance on issues of social, political, and cultural discrimination against women, often drawing upon Iranian traditions and Islamic culture. As a woman from the Middle East living in the West, she also explores methods of decolonization and desexualization, specifically with regards to the Western gaze surrounding the terms "Orient" and "Orientalism". Education

2022 School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC), Master of Fine Arts in Studio, Chicago, IL 
2012 University of Tehran, Bachelor of Fine Arts in Photography, Tehran, Iran 

Exhibition Records

   Solo Exhibitions

2023 “Fancy a gapبزنی؟ حرف باهام داری حال “ performance, NoNationArtLab, Chicago, IL 
2022 “A funeral for Woman, Life, Freedom victims” performance, NoNationArtLab, Chicago, IL 
2017 (Underground) Borghe Art space, Tehran, Iran 
2016 (Underground) Kaj Art space, Tehran, Iran 
2015 (Underground) Abi art space, Tehran, Iran 
2014 “Expired time”, University of Tehran, Iran 
2011 “Memorial for my memory”, University of Tehran, Iran 

   Group Exhibitions

2023 “Forgotten”, SE Center for Photography, Greenville, SC 
2023 “We like small things v.6”, Filter Photo, Chicago, IL 
2023 TPS 31: The International Competition, Odessa, TX 
2023 Grand Rapids Art Prize, Grand Rapids, MI 
2023 “9th Contemporary Art Exhibition”, Providence, RI 
2023 “Body Revealed”, Art Square Gallery, NY 
2023 “Conceptual Photography Exhibition”, D’art Gallery, Denver, CO 
2022 PINT SIZE: Small Scale Assemblage, Transmission Gallery, San Francisco, CA 
2021 “Art through lens”, Yeiser art center, Paducah, KY 
2021 Billboard show, Redbull Arts , Chicago, IL 
2021 “JOY, this is just what I needed”, Edward A. Dixon gallery, Dayton, OH 
2018 Aleyha gallery, Tehran, Iran 
2013 “Maan”, Silk Road Gallery, Tehran, Iran 

Collaborative Work

2023 “Reclaiming the Orient” with Michael Powell, Silva, Grand Rapids, MI 
2021 “The Barrier” with Michael Powell, SAIC gallery, Chicago, IL
2017 “Narrating the Shared Spaces” - Kingdom of The Netherlands embassy and platform 28 & WORKNOT! Group, Tehran, Iran 

Volunteer/Activism Work

2020 Invited by TedxTehran to deliver a keynote speech on the founding philosophy of "Radio Goli" 
2019 Founder of the Hangomioon Indigenous Women’s Book Club on Hengam Island, Iran 
2018 Directing and co-acting in a collaborative play alongside underprivileged children from the Shokoofa NGO at the "Kafekhab" Theater, located in Shahrzad theater, Tehran, Iran 

Teaching Experience 

2022-2023 Thesis Advisor, Photo Department, Grand Valley State University, Allendale, MI 
2022 -2023 Visiting Artist, Photo Department, Grand Valley State University, Allendale, MI 
2022 Photo Department Teaching Assistant, School of the Art Institute of Chicago, IL 
2022 Photo Department Teaching Assistant, School of the Art Institute of Chicago, IL 
2021 Photo Department Teaching Assistant, School of the Art Institute of Chicago, IL 
2021 Photo Department Teaching Assistant, School of the Art Institute of Chicago, IL 
2021 Photo Department Teaching Assistant, School of the Art Institute of Chicago, IL 
2021 Photo Department Teaching Assistant, School of the Art Institute of Chicago, IL 
2015-2018 Photography Lecturer- Payame Noor University, Tehran, Iran 

Job Experience

2021-2022 Virtual Event Technician, IRFM, SAIC, Chicago, IL 
2021-2022 AV Technician, IRFM SAIC, Chicago, IL 
2018-2022 Founder of “Radio Goli” music podcast 
2010-2015 Head of creative design department, Nimad Creative House, Tehran, Iran 
2008-2019 Freelance photographer/videographer 
2008-2018 Film Actor, IMDB, Iran
2012-2017 Lab Manager in Samin Print-Tehran, Iran 

Awards

2023 Motu Viget Grant, ArtPrize, Grand Rapids, MI 
2023 Honorary mention recipient at the "Conceptual Photography Exhibition" hosted by D'art Gallery in Denver, CO. 
2021 AICAD nomination from Photo Department, SAIC, Chicago, IL 
2020 Recipient of the New Artists Society full-ride scholarship at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC), IL 

Short Film Festival 

2018 Official Selection for Short Film Tariki (Umbra) at Cannes Film Festival
2014 Recipient of the Best Actress award for the film Withdrawal at the Nahal Short Film Festival 
2014 Recipient of the Best Actress Award for the film Withdrawal at the Parvin Etesami
2013 Recipient of the Best Emerging Actors Award for the movie Acrid at the Rome Film Festival 

Publications 

2023 Mahsa Alafar, Float Magazine, Home Is Where 
2023 Mahsa Alafar, Field Projects, More is Never Enough 
2022 Mahsa Alafar, A Homeless Flag for Flagless People, Journal of Engaged Research, Issue 2 
2022 Mahsa Alafar, True Revolution? Journal of Engaged Research, Issue 2 2018 Mahsa Alafar, “Contemporary Elements of Apartment Life”, Iranian Anthropology & Culture web magazine (In Farsi) 
2017 Mahsa Alafar, “After Party, an exploration in Iranian funeral culture”, Iranian Anthropology & Culture web magazine (In Farsi) 
2016 Mahsa Alafar, Herfeh Honarmand, Quarterly Art Journal, Issue 36, Tehran, Iran 




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