Hossaini Fatima

Born in 1993 in Tehran, Iran, Fatimah Hossaini is an acclaimed Afghan-Tehran-born artist, award-winning photographer, curator, and the visionary founder of the Mastooraat Organization. Recognized for her profound contributions to art and advocacy, Fatimah is one of the youngest recipients of the Hypatia International Award, a testament to her global impact on research, artistic innovation, and social change. In 2022, she was honored by the Women’s Forum in France as a Rising Talent and Youth Ambassador, further solidifying her role as a leader in cultural and humanitarian discourse. A former lecturer at the Faculty of Art at Kabul University, Fatimah’s academic journey spans diverse disciplines. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Photography from the University of Tehran, preceded by a degree in Industrial Engineering. Her artistic and academic pursuits have brought her to New York City, where she is currently a 2024–2025 Fellow at Parsons School of Media, Art, and Technology at The New School and an artist-in-residence at the Elizabeth Foundation for the Arts (EFA) and The New York City Artist Safe Haven Residency Program (NYCASHRP) as a NYC-based international artist. Previously, she completed an esteemed residency at the Cité Internationale des Arts in Paris, France. As a tireless advocate for women’s and refugee rights, Fatimah channels her passion into art that explores identity, femininity, and resilience. Her work offers a poignant lens into the Afghan experience, often blending staged photography with vibrant colors and evocative storytelling. Her critically acclaimed book, Beauty Amid War—a collection of photographs portraying Afghan women—was published in 2022 by CDP Editions in France and in 2023 by Allemandi in Italy which won the ‘University4Eu, your Future, our Europe’ Prize. Fatimah’s art has been exhibited worldwide, from solo showcases to prestigious art festivals across Asia, Europe, and the United States. Her thought-provoking articles and artwork have been featured in leading publications, including Time, The Guardian, Vogue, Arte, and many more. Through her bold and unflinching vision, Fatimah continues to illuminate the narratives of marginalized communities, creating art that transcends borders and speaks to the universal human spirit. She is a member of the agency of artists in exile.