Zahra Nazari is a New York based painter, sculptor, and installation artist working with architectural themes. She was born in Hamedan, Iran to a family of architecture enthusiasts. Her brother is an architect and her father frequently brought her to architectural dig sites to admire ancient history and artifacts. Throughout her entire life, she has pursued a career as a visual artist on the foundation of this inspiration from her youth. She left Iran in 2011 in order to pursue her master’s studies in art in the US.
Nazari has given artist talks and participated as a panelist at institutions including NYU, Columbia University, Cooper Union, and Pratt Institute in New York City. She has been interviewed by and published in Hamptons Art Hub, Hyperallergic, Whitehot Magazine, ZH Magazine, and more. Her works are included in private and public collections worldwide.
Nazari has exhibited both nationally and internationally in galleries and museums including: The Bronx Museum of the Arts – NY, Samuel Dorsky Museum of Art – NY, MANA Contemporary – NJ, Spartanburg Art Museum – SC, Masur Museum of Art – LA, New York Academy of Art – NY, Denise Bibro Fine Art – NY, Illinois Institute of Art – IL, China Millennium Monument, Beijing – China, Lite-Haus Galerie, Berlin – Germany, Saba Institution, and Baran Gallery in Tehran, Iran.
Nazari has been a recipient of the Creative Engagement Grant from the Lower Manhattan Cultural Council, and visiting artist fellowships from MASS MoCA and Cooper Union. She has been an artist in residence at Sculpture Space in Utica – NY, and Vermont Studio Center – VT, as well as several others.
Nazari received her BFA from the School of Art & Architecture in Tabriz, Iran, and her MFA from the State University of New York in New Paltz in 2014.