Visual Artist in Residence, 2025 Afghan-Tehran born artist, award-winning photographer, curator, and founder of the Mastooraat Organization, Fatimah Hossaini is a creative force whose work bridges art, identity, and advocacy. She is celebrated globally as one of the youngest recipients of the Hypatia International Award and was honored as a rising talent and youth ambassador by the Women’s Forum […]
Musician in Residence, 2024-2025 Mehrnam Rastegari is a well-established Persian musician, award-winning film score composer, singer, violinist, and master Kamancheh player. She has been featured in some of the most prestigious music festivals worldwide, including GlobalFest in NYC, USA, Secret Planet in NYC, USA, Fajr International Music Festival in Tehran, Iran, the WOMEX (World Music
Born and raised in Dhaka, Bangladesh, Tara Asgar (documented name Ali Asgar) is a multidisciplinary transgender (She/Her) artist, educator, and activist focusing on themes of gender and desire. Her early career and activism challenged conservative gender norms in Bangladesh, particularly concerning sexuality and eroticism. Witnessing the tragic murders of LGBTQIA+ activists Xulhaz Mannan and Mahabub
Musician in Residence, 2024 Artist-composer, Kanunist and educator Firas Zreik has performed and recorded across the world as a leader and highly sought collaborator since 2013. A sonic revolutionary, the Palestine-born New Yorker has transformed global perception of the Kanun. His treatment of the instrument preserves its identity as a vital part of the Maqam
Visual Artist in Residence, 2024 Kabir Mokamel is a visual artist and activist who has enjoyed international success in his career as a painter, graphic designer, creative director, and graffiti artist. In addition to his work as co-founder and creative director of the art activism organization ArtLords, Mokamel continues his independent art practice, which focuses
Visual Artist in Residence, 2024 Aida Sulova’s work reflects her upbringing in the Soviet Union and her experiences as a multi-disciplinary artist and independent curator from Kyrgyzstan. She utilizes memory and storytelling as central themes in her artistic practice to explore concepts such as collective memory, nation-building, and the role of individuals within larger social
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