Shirin Fathi

Shirin Fathi (b. 1981, Tehran) is a multi-disciplinary artist and curator based in London. Her practice focuses on cultural changes in relation to gender identity. Through role-play and the use of cosmetics, masks, and prosthetics, she uses her body as a subject to stage ambiguous and often marginalised identities. Building upon her recent project focusing on gender representation in the history of cultural exchange between Europe and Iran in 19th century Qajar paintings, her current project examines gender representation in relation to the contemporary culture and beauty ideals imposed on Iranian women through cosmetic surgery. This project was developed during her residency at Sarabande Foundation and allowed her to work in an interdisciplinary way working with photography, sculpture-installation and performance expanding her artistic practice.

Fathi holds an MA in Photography from Central Saint Martins and an MFA in Curating from Goldsmiths University. 

Solo and group exhibitions include ‘The Cult of Beauty’, Wellcome Collection, London (2024); ‘The Ingram Prize’, Cromwell Place, London (2023); ‘Sum’, Sarabande Foundation, London (2023); ‘Surface Temperature’, Patel Brown Gallery, Toronto (2023); ‘Headstrong: Women and Empowerment’, The Centre for British Photography, London (2023); ‘Open Mics with Abbas Zahedi’, Frieze x Forma, London (2022); ‘Soon This Will Be Over’, Sarabande Foundation, London (2022); ‘Assemble’, VO Curations, London (2022); ‘Proof 27’, Gallery 44, Toronto (2021);‘Some-bodies’, India International Centre, New Delhi (2019).

Fathi has completed residencies Xenia Creative Retreat, Hampshire (2024); Sarabande Foundation Studio Residency, London (2021-2023);Curatorial Intensive South Asia (CISA) Fellowship (2021-2022;, Khoj International Artists Associations and Goethe Institute, New Delhi (2021-2022); Museum of Contemporary Art, Toronto (2019-2020).