Shirin Fathi

Shirin Fathi is a multi-disciplinary artist and curator. A graduate of the Goldsmiths MFA Curating course, her own 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 marginalized 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.

Her work has been featured in The Guardian, The Observer, The i and the British Journal of Photography. She is currently part of the Wellcome Collection’s major exhibition ‘The Cult of Beauty’ and has been recently selected as one of the 2023 Ingram Prize finalists.

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