Mehrdad Mirzaie
Email: merdadmirzaie@gmail.com | mmirzaie@asu.edu
Website: www.mehrdadmirzaiee.com
Research Archive: www.tasvirarchive.com
Website: www.mehrdadmirzaiee.com
Research Archive: www.tasvirarchive.com
Education
2027 (expected) — MA in Art History, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ.
Thesis: Dialectical Image: Toward a Critical Historiography of the Photographic Image in Iran (2009–2026)
Thesis Committee Chair: Dr. Cecilia Fajardo-Hill
Thesis: Dialectical Image: Toward a Critical Historiography of the Photographic Image in Iran (2009–2026)
Thesis Committee Chair: Dr. Cecilia Fajardo-Hill
2025 — Master of Fine Arts in Photography, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ.
2012 — Bachelor's Degree in Photography, Tehran University of Art, Tehran, Iran.
2008 — Diploma in Painting, Fine Art School, Tehran, Iran.
Research Interests
History and theory of photography; vernacular photography; archives and counter-archives; visual historiography; collective memory; politics of visibility and disappearance; contemporary artistic production; visual culture; transnational photographic practices; and curatorial methodologies.
Research Projects
MA Thesis Research
2025–Present | Arizona State University
Dialectical Image: Toward a Critical Historiography of the Photographic Image in Iran (2009–2026)
Research examining the historical significance of vernacular photographic images in Iran under conditions of political repression, censorship, digital blackouts, and archival instability. Drawing on critical photographic theory and visual historiography, the thesis investigates how unofficial photographs circulate, disappear, survive, and contribute to historical knowledge.
Tasvir Archive
2022–Present | Founder and Director
Research on Contemporary Iranian Image-Based Art
www.tasvirarchive.com
Research on Contemporary Iranian Image-Based Art
www.tasvirarchive.com
Founded and directed an independent, nonprofit research initiative dedicated to documenting, preserving, and critically examining contemporary Iranian photography and image-based artistic practices.
Developed a collaborative research archive containing more than 4,000 works by Iranian photographers and image-based artists across 12 countries, including artist biographies, portfolios, critical essays, interviews, and historical materials.
Coordinated archival research, artist contributions, interviews, documentation, and collaborations with independent researchers and cultural institutions.
Co-curated exhibitions and developed research-based presentations and publications that activate the archive as a living, collaborative artistic and historical resource.
Investigated how archival classifications, institutional access, censorship, and historical erasure shape the preservation and interpretation of Iranian photographic histories.
Academic, Research, and Curatorial Appointments
2022–Present — Assistant Curator, Northlight Gallery and Collection
School of Art, Arizona State University, Phoenix, AZ.
School of Art, Arizona State University, Phoenix, AZ.
Conduct research on photographic collections, historical materials, artists, and exhibitions.
Contribute to exhibition development, curatorial research, collection documentation, digitization, and installation.
Support the management and organization of photographic archives and collection records.
Mentor students through gallery-based internships, collection research, exhibition installation, and professional training.
2025 — Curatorial Intern, Phoenix Art Museum, Phoenix, AZ.
Contributed to curatorial research, collection documentation, and exhibition development.
Assisted with object research, database organization, and institutional research activities.
2022–2025 — Collection Assistant, Sollari Collection, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ.
Assisted with collection documentation, research, organization, and care.
2016–2018 — Assistant Curator, in collaboration with Neda Mohammad, Tehran, Iran.
Selected Curatorial Projects
2026 — Photo-Role-Playing. Curated by Cecilia Fajardo-Hill. Assistant Curator, Northlight Gallery, Arizona State University, Phoenix, AZ.
2026 — Yonia Fain's Map of Refugee Modernism. Curated by Chelsea Haines. Assistant Curator, Harry Wood Gallery, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ.
2026 — Anne Noggle, Roger Buchanan and New California Views: 1970s Photography in the Northlight Collection. Curated by Cecilia Fajardo-Hill. Assistant Curator, Northlight Gallery, Arizona State University, Phoenix, AZ. February 6–March 6, 2026.
2025 — Unsuspected. Curated by Cecilia Fajardo-Hill. Assistant Curator, Northlight Gallery, Arizona State University, Phoenix, AZ.
2025 — Of Light and Alchemy. Guest curated by Liz Allen. Assistant Curator, Northlight Gallery, Arizona State University, Phoenix, AZ.
2024 — Tasvir Exhibition: Contemporary Iranian Image-Based Art. Co-Curator, Northlight Gallery, Arizona State University, Phoenix, AZ.
2024 — Tasvir Exhibition: Photobook and Narrative. Co-Curator, Step Gallery, Arizona State University, Phoenix, AZ.
2024 — Land, Body & Archive. Curator, Northlight Gallery, Arizona State University, Phoenix, AZ.
2022 — An American Journey Continues: Photographs and Digital Montage by Stephen Marc. Assistant Curator, Northlight Gallery, Arizona State University, Phoenix, AZ. October 21–November 19, 2022.
Teaching Experience
University Teaching and Instruction
2027 — Instructor, Curatorial, Collections & Exhibition Internship, Northlight Gallery, Arizona State University, Phoenix, AZ. Spring Session C.
2026 — Instructor, Curatorial, Collections & Exhibition Internship, Northlight Gallery, Arizona State University, Phoenix, AZ. Fall Session C.
2026 — Instructor, Collection Inventory Internship, Northlight Gallery, Arizona State University, Phoenix, AZ. Summer Session B.
2026 — Instructor, Photography as Experience, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ.
2025 — Instructor of Record, Introduction to Art, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ.
2025 — Instructor, Photography as Experience, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ.
2025 — Instructor of Record, Photo II, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ.
2024–2025 — Instructor, Activism and Art in Contemporary Art, Gostareh, online course.
2024 — Instructor of Record, Material Study in Photography I, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ.
2024 — Instructor, Digital Printing for Artistic Practice, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ. Summer course.
2023 — Teaching Assistant, Photography as Experience, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ.
2022 — Teaching Assistant, Photography as Experience, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ.
Additional Teaching Experience
2020–2021 — Instructor, History of Photography, Fine Art Institute, Tehran, Iran.
2008–2010 — Instructor, Basic Drawing, Fine Art Institute, Tehran, Iran.
Publications and Scholarly Writing
Essays and Critical Writing
2026 — Mirzaie, Mehrdad. “Statelessness: States of In-Betweenness.” In Reflections on Refugee Modernisms, edited by Chelsea Haines. Published on the occasion of Yonia Fain's Map of Refugee Modernism.
2022 — Mirzaie, Mehrdad. “The Looks of the Absent.” Darz.art.
2021 — Mirzaie, Mehrdad. “A Review of Tattered Masterpieces.” Darz.art.
Interviews
2025 — “Photographers on Photographers: Mehrdad Mirzaie in Conversation with Liz Cohen.” Interviewer and contributing writer. Lenscratch, September 4, 2025.
2022 — Mirzaie, Mehrdad. “Interview with Behrang Samadzadegan about Minimalism and Conceptual Art at TMoCA.” Darz.art.
2022 — Mirzaie, Mehrdad. “Interview with Rozita Sharafjahan about Manouchehr Motabar's Exhibition.” Darz.art.
Artist Books, Exhibition Catalogs, and Other Publications
2027 (forthcoming) — Evolving Narratives: Reflections on Iranian Photobooks and Their Context Since the 1990s. Essay by Amirhossein Kardoni; introduction by Mehrdad Mirzaie. Published by Tvali in collaboration with Dastras and the Tasvir Archive Project.
2026 — Site Specific II. Tall Poppy Press. Featuring Garden in an international group publication documenting site-specific exhibitions and installation practices.
2024 — Friend of the Artist, vol. 17.
2019 — Meta-Text. Kaarnaama Art E-Magazine, New York.
2019 — Iran: Berührungspunkte. Limited-edition publication, Graz, Austria.
2018 — The Republic. Artist book. Knack Publication, Tehran, Iran.
2014 — Iranomutomorphosis.net. Fabrica, Benetton Group, Italy.
2013 — Second Annual Festival of Portraiture. Sadrang Gallery, Tehran, Iran.
2012 — Saba Photo. Saba Art-Cultural Institute, Tehran, Iran.
Conference Presentations and Scholarly Lectures
2026 — “After the Massacre: Photography, Blackout, and Collective Memory.” Photography Network, 2026 Virtual Symposium. Online lecture.
2025 — Lecture on contemporary Iranian photography and historiographic methodologies. École des arts visuels, Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM), December 2, 2025. Invited online lecture.
2025 — “Re-Reading Photos Through Narratives.” Society for Photographic Education (SPE), November 20, 2025. Lecture examining urgency, temporality, and representation in contemporary Iranian photography.
2025 — “Re-Reading Photos Through Narratives.” Society for Photographic Education (SPE) National Conference, Reno, NV. Separate presentation.
2024 — “Imago.” Society for Photographic Education (SPE) Annual Conference, St. Louis, MO.
Invited Artist Talks and Public Lectures
2026 — Artist Talk, Arizona Photo Alliance, Phoenix, AZ.
2026 — Artist Talk, Phoenix Art Museum, Phoenix, AZ.
2025 — “Garden.” Artist Talk, Northlight Gallery, Arizona State University, Phoenix, AZ.
2024 — Artist Talk, Photography and Identity Seminar, Point Park University, Pittsburgh, PA.
2024 — Curator Talk, Tasvir Exhibition, Northlight Gallery, Arizona State University, Phoenix, AZ.
2024 — Curator Talk, Tasvir Exhibition, Photography Department, Arizona State University, Phoenix, AZ.
2024 — Curator Talk, Tasvir Exhibition, Photography Alliance Arizona, Phoenix, AZ.
2024 — “A Memorial Was Observed; Forgotten Time.” Artist Talk, Arizona State University, Phoenix, AZ.
2023 — Artist Talk, Death and Photo Course, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ.
2023 — Artist Talk, Of Fervorous Bodies, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ.
2018 — Artist Talk, Second Annual Photo Exhibition, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran.
2018 — Artist Talk, The Republic, Knack Gallery, Tehran, Iran.
Honors, Awards, Grants, and Fellowships
2026 — First Place, Lenscratch 2026 Student Prize.
2026 — Main Prize Honorable Mention, PHmuseum Photography Grant, for Garden.
2025 — Thesis Grant, School of Art, Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts, Arizona State University.
2025 — Thesis Grant, Graduate and Professional Student Association, Arizona State University.
2025 — Research Grant Program, Graduate and Professional Student Association, Arizona State University.
2025 — Creative Constellation Grant, Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts, Arizona State University.
2025 — Design and Arts Corps Grant, Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts, Arizona State University.
2024 — Research Grant Program, Graduate and Professional Student Association, Arizona State University.
2024 — Third Place, Lenscratch 2024 Student Prize.
2024 — Creative Constellation Grant, Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts, Arizona State University.
2024 — Design and Arts Corps Grant, Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts, Arizona State University.
2024 — Arizona Artists Guild Scholarship, Arizona.
2024 — K. Herberger/Art Scholarship, Arizona State University.
2024 — Master Class Scholarship, Anderson Ranch Arts Center, Colorado.
2023 — Top Winner, LensCulture Emerging Talent Awards 2023.
2023 — Artist to Work Program Grant, Phoenix Department of Arts and Culture, Arizona.
2023 — Research Grant Program, Graduate and Professional Student Association, Arizona State University.
2023 — Artist Opportunity Grant, Arizona Commission on the Arts.
2023 — Honorable Mention, Houston Center for Photography Fellowship Awards, Houston, TX.
2023 — Carmody Foundation Art for Good Grant Project, Seventh Cycle, Phoenix, AZ.
2023 — Special Talent Award, Arizona State University.
2023 — Vermont Studio Center Residency Fellowship, Vermont.
2023 — Graduate and Professional Student Association Travel Grant, Arizona State University.
2023 — Honorable Mention, Ephemerality, Strata Gallery, Santa Fe, NM.
2022 — University Graduate Fellowship, Arizona State University.
2016 — Selected for FotoFilmic'16 Summer Shortlist Festival.
2013 — Honorable Mention, Photo Festival of Tehran University of Art, Tehran, Iran.
Residencies and Professional Development
2027 (upcoming) — Artist-in-Residence, Cranbrook Academy of Art, Bloomfield Hills, MI. February 10–27, 2027.
2026 (upcoming) — Artist Residency, Adams State University, Alamosa, CO.
2024 — Master Class, Where Are We Going?, with John Edmonds, Anderson Ranch Arts Center, Snowmass Village, CO.
2023 — Artist-in-Residence, Vermont Studio Center, Johnson, VT.
Solo and Two-Person Exhibitions
2027 (upcoming) — Two-Person Exhibition, Pima Community College, Tucson, AZ. Title to be announced.
2025 — Garden. Northlight Gallery, Arizona State University, Phoenix, AZ.
2024 — A Memorial Was Observed; Forgotten Time. Step Gallery, Arizona State University, Phoenix, AZ. Two-person exhibition.
2023 — Imago. Strata Gallery, Santa Fe, NM. Solo exhibition.
2016 — The Republic. Knack Gallery, Tehran, Iran. Solo exhibition.
Selected Group Exhibitions
2026 — Breath. Curated by Dani Godwin, Tempe Center for the Arts, Tempe, AZ.
2026 — PLAZA. Lionel Rombach Gallery, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ.,2026.
2026 — PLAZA. Step Gallery, Arizona State University, Phoenix, AZ.
2026 — Fever Dream, Desert Crafted, Arizona..
2026 — Muscle Memory: Lens on the Body. Phoenix Art Museum, Phoenix, AZ.
2025 — Unsuspected. Curated by Cecilia Fajardo-Hill, Northlight Gallery, Arizona State University, Phoenix, AZ.
2024 — Healing – Rethinking Gender: The Solari Collection and Us: History/Present. Curated by Cecilia Fajardo-Hill, Northlight Gallery, Arizona State University, Phoenix, AZ.
2024 — 12th International Combined Caucus Juried Exhibition. Society for Photographic Education, Washington University, St. Louis, MO.
2024 — Galbut Prize Exhibition. Harry Wood Gallery, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ.
2024 — Land, Body & Archive. Northlight Gallery, Arizona State University, Phoenix, AZ.
2023 — Memento Mori III. Curated by Ashley Czajkowski, Harry Wood Gallery, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ.
2023 — Artlink's 23rd Annual Juried Exhibition. Phoenix, AZ.
2023 — Homecoming 2022 & 2023. Photography Biennial, Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester, NY.
2023 — Echoes Seen: Collaborations in Image and Verse. Step Gallery, Arizona State University, Phoenix, AZ.
2023 — All the Moves. Humanities Institute, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ.
2023 — Land, Body & Archive. Lionel Rombach Gallery, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ.
2023 — Small Works. Strata Gallery, Santa Fe, NM.
2023 — The Magic Silver Show. Clara M. Eagle Gallery, Murray State University, Murray, KY.
2023 — All Eyes on You. Eye Lounge Gallery, Phoenix, AZ.
2023 — Ephemerality. Strata Gallery, Santa Fe, NM.
2023 — 10th Annual Art d'Core Gala. Phoenix, AZ.
2023 — Galbut Prize Exhibition. Harry Wood Gallery, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ.
2023 — Home.com.ing, 11th Annual Combined Caucus Exhibition. Rocky Mountain College of Art and Design, Denver, CO.
2023 — Filter Photo | Context 2023. Chicago, IL.
2023 — 60th Annual Juried Competition Exhibition. Masur Museum of Art, Monroe, LA.
2023 — 17th Arte Laguna Prize Exhibition. Arsenale, Venice, Italy.
2023 — New Wave. Traveling exhibition: Anderson Ranch Arts Center, Snowmass Village, CO; Red Rocks College of Art and Design, Denver, CO; Solano Community College, Fairfield, CA; and New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM.
2023 — Of Fervorous Bodies. Harry Wood Gallery, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ. Three-person exhibition.
2022 — Migration. Analog Forever Magazine, online group exhibition.
2022 — TEN X TEN – Small Works Exhibition. Midwest Center for Photography, Wichita, KS.
2022 — Darkness Falls. Decode Gallery, Tucson, AZ.
2022 — New Graduate Exhibition. Harry Wood Gallery, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ.
2021 — TAG (The Art Grads). Step Gallery, Arizona State University, Phoenix, AZ.
2021 — New Graduate Exhibition. Harry Wood Gallery, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ.
2019 — Iran: Berührungspunkte. Curated by Maryam Mohammadi and Joachim Hainzl, Kunsthalle, Graz, Austria.
2018 — Ebgha-va-Elgha. Curated by Mahoor Tousi and Aidin Bagheri, Pars Building, Tehran, Iran.
2017 — Museum of Patriotism. Curated by Hoofar Haghighi, Mehrava Gallery, Tehran, Iran.
2016 — Running Toward Dreams. Negar Art Gallery, Tehran, Iran. Collaborative exhibition between the University of Arkansas and Iranian artists.
2016 — The Art of Humanity. Imago Mundi Art Collection, Rubelle and Norman Schafler Gallery, Pratt Institute, New York, NY.
2016 — Limited Access 6. Curated by Amirali Ghasemi, Vista Gallery, Tehran, Iran.
2015 — Map of the New Art. Fondazione Giorgio Cini, Venice, Italy.
2015 — Iranian Artists Under 30. Curated by Varesh Darvish, Borås Museum of Modern Art, Borås, Sweden.
2015 — Tehran Mon Amour. Curated by Christoph Sehl, Royal Gallery, Munich, Germany.
2013 — Untitled. Curated by Behrang Samadzadegan, Aaran Gallery, Tehran, Iran.
2013 — Second Annual Festival of Portraiture. Sadrang Gallery, Tehran, Iran.
2013 — Photo Festival of Tehran University of Art. Saba Art-Cultural Institute, Tehran, Iran.
2012 — Saba Photo (Iranian Photographers' Artworks Collection). Saba Art-Cultural Institute, Tehran, Iran.
2012 — Group Exhibition. Honar Gallery, Tehran University of Art, Tehran, Iran.
2012 — Post Pop. Curated by Behrang Samadzadegan, Mahe Mehr Gallery, Tehran, Iran.
2007 — Image of the Year. Iranian Artists' Forum, Tehran, Iran.
2004–2007 — Annual Group Exhibitions, Fine Art School, Tehran, Iran.
Selected Press and Media Coverage
2026 — Smithson, Aline. “The 2026 LENSCRATCH 1st Place Student Prize Winner: Mehrdad Mirzaie.” Lenscratch.
2026 — Trimble, Lynn. “An Artist Who Launched His Career in Iran, and Now Documents Its Violence from a World Away.” Southwest Contemporary, July 10, 2026.
2025 — Brazeal, Sarah Marie. “Graduating MFA Student Bridges Art, Memory and Political Discourse.” April 30, 2025.
2024 — Leventhal, Drew. “The 2024 LENSCRATCH 3rd Place Student Prize Winner: Mehrdad Mirzaie.” Lenscratch, July 24, 2024.
2024 — Duzant, Magali. “Imago.” LensCulture.
2024 — “Artist Blog: Mehrdad Mirzaie.” Der Greif.
2024 — “Artist Feature: Mehrdad Mirzaie.” Der Greif.
Screenings
2013 — Inertia. Slideshow screening, Charsoo Honar, Tehran, Iran.
2012 — Inertia. Slideshow screening, Tehran University of Art, Tehran, Iran.
Public Art Projects
2023 — Add Space. Tulsa Artist Fellowship, Tulsa, OK.
Collections
Luciano Benetton Collection, Italy
Northlight Collection, Arizona State University
Academic and Professional Service
2012 — Director, Photography Association, Department of Photography, Tehran University of Art, Tehran, Iran.