"Shamsavari’s portraits create a connection between her subjects and the world, acting as a portal to a land where dignity and respect are the basis on which our humanity is met”

- Sara Rosen, Mandatory 2016

Sara Shamsavari is an award winning  British- Iranian interdisciplinary artist based in London. Her work has been exhibited internationally for over 20 years in museums and public spaces including  Museo Bardini in Florence, London's Southbank Centre, Nathan Cummings Foundation  in New York, Espace Pierre Cardin in Paris, and Lowe Museum of Art Miami. Currently leading courses on Art Ethics and Social Change, Sara  regularly lectures on art, photography, migration and identity at Central Saint Martins and LCF as well as being a visiting lecturer at NYU Abu Dhabi. Several of her artworks are housed among the permanent collections of international museums and foundations including The Museum of Contemporary Photography Chicago and NoVo Foundation for women and girls founded by Peter and Jenny Buffet.  Sara's work has been widely published in books and media including Aperture, Guardian , New York Times and Vogue.

Born in the midst of the Iranian Revolution, Sara recovered from infant cancer while fleeing war and impending persecution of her family in Iran and was granted asylum at the age of two in the UK where she and her family have resided ever since. Her early experience surviving war and her rich Iranian heritage and upbringing as a foreign child from a refugee background in the UK shaped her perspective and continue to inform her artistic subject matter.

Shamsavari explores themes of global identity, inclusion and transformation. Several of her photographic projects centre around challenging stereotypes and common preconceived judgements based on labels including appearance, culture, religion and sexuality. Her abstract expressionist paintings are  reflections of her own journey as a refugee and migrant in London and the ongoing trauma faced by refugees and minorities around the world. 

Sara is launching her first capsule  jewellery collection ‘Kimiya’ in collaboration with Frida and Florence in  2024. The collection promotes the importance of freedom to be ourselves without fear of persecution, oppression or judgement.


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