Trained as a visual artist at the Academy of Fine Arts in Antwerp, Mashid Mohadjerin started working as a photographer for international publications and media outlets. As a female Middle Eastern photographer specific topics were assigned to her more often than others. In 2009 she received 1st prize for Contemporary Issues at World Press Photo.
Many publications, awards and assignments later, certain questions started forming in her mind about the visual representation of the groups and subjects she was depicting. For example the association of the Muslim World with terror attacks, civil wars, female oppression, migration, authoritarianism, and backwardness became trying for her.
As a photojournalist she became frustrated with trying to put complex issues into a distorted reductive context. Popular media not only demands simplification of enormously complex events and topics, it highlights certain issues while choosing to ignore others.
These concerns lead Mashid to return to long-term Artistic Research Projects. The thesis for her first research project was on the Female Body and Resistance in the Muslim world.
As a visual artist she believes that it is not enough to only document her subjects; it is important to create work that will move beyond the existing visual representations in the media and elsewhere. The emotive being equally important as the factual.
In recent years Mashid’s research based work has expanded towards multi-media installations containing video work, sound and collage. In her lens-based work, she connects contemporary issues with historic events and personal stories. Including text and sound.
Mashid obtained her PhD in the Arts in 2021, she published three books and is currently working on her next Monograph will be on Masculinity.
