Nazanin Hafez (*1991 in Shiraz, Iran) is a visual artist based in Iran and Germany. In her artistic practice, she critically engages with social and political injustices, particularly focusing on the impacts of the repressive regime in Iran. Her current work explores the boundaries of depicting scenes of violence and their actors and victims, always striving for an empathetic and dignified approach to the painful subject matter. She employs various mediums, from photography and collage to video and installations. 

 

Contact

contact@nazaninhafez.com

Instagram

+++Current Exhibitions+++

-Museum Wiesbaden, Vordemberge-Gildewart Foundation Exhibition (Currently- 30 November 2025)

-Festspielhaus HELLERAU, Dresden (DE)

 

+++Upcoming Exhibitions+++

Museum Folkwang Essen, Germany (Vernissage: 9 October 2025)

Galerie d’exposition de l’Arsenal, Art Prize Robert Schuman, Metz, France (Vernissage: 13 November 2025)

 

Educational Background

-Meisterschülerin of Prof. Judith Samen, Academy of Fine Arts Mainz (Currently)

-Postgraduate studies in Fine Art under Prof. Parastou Forouhar, Academy of Fine Arts Mainz, Germany (2022 – 2024)

-B.A. Media Art and Design under Prof. Eric Lanz, Saar College of Fine Arts, Saarbrücken, Germany (2017 – 2022)

-B.Sc. Software Engineering, Dr. Shariaty Technical College, Tehran (2013)

Artist in Residence

-Festspielhaus HELLERAU, Dresden, Germany (April – May 2025)

 

Awards and Scholarships

2025

-Nominated for Robert Schuman Art Prize

-Nominated for Vordemberge-Gildewart Scholarship

-Shortlisted for German Peace Prize for Photography, Felix Schoeller Photo Award

 

2024

-Wüstenrot Foundation Scholarship for Photography (Dokumentarfotografie Förderpreis der Wüstenrot Stiftung)

Residency Prize Winner HELLERAU (European Center for the Arts)

-Prix de la Photographie, Clervaux Cité de l’image, Winner

Förderstipendien der Stadt Saarbrücken (The Saarbrücken City Artist Grant)

Scholarship for Socially Active Students at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz

2023

-Felix Schoeller Photo Award, Best Emerging Photographer, Nominee

-POY Asia Award, Photographer of the year Asia, Award of Excellence

-Kunsthochschule Mainz Rundgangspreis für Fotografie Ateliers im Delta

2022

-BarTur Photo Award, Student Prize for Climate Change, Winner

-Ann Lesley BarTur Award, Student Prize, Highly Commended

-Barcelona Human Rights International Photo Festival- Finalist

-Münzenberg Forum’s Art Competition, Collage Competition, Winner

2021

-Saarland Scholarship for International Students (DAAD Graduation Grant)

2020

-Deutschlandstipendium

 

Previous Exhibitions

2025

And This is Us, Frankfurter Kunstverein, Frankfurt (DE)

All Diese Dinge. Kunsthalle Mainz (DE)

2024

HELLERAU Residency Prize Exhibition, Solo Exhibition, Festspielhaus HELLERAU, Dresden (DE)

HELLERAU Photography Award, Museum of Science and Technology, Dresden (DE)

RAY Triennial of Photography, Museum for applied Arts, Frankfurt (DE)

Prix de la Photographie, Montée du Château, Clervaux (LUX)

Bing Bing, Chugye University for the Arts, Seoul

2023

SaarArt 2023, Modern Gallery of Saarland Museum, Saarbrücken (DE)

-Leipziger Baumwollspinnerei, Leipzig (DE)

BarTur Photo Award, Instytut Fotografii Fort, Warschau (PL)

Felix Scholler Photo Award, Museumsquartier Osnabrück (DE)

BarTur Photo Award, Freiraum für Fotografie(f3), Berlin (DE)

2022

Barcelona Human Rights International Photo Festival, Barcelona (ES)

Münzenberg Forum’s Art Competition, Verlagsgebäude Neues Deutschland, Berlin (DE)

-Deutsch-Französischer Garten, Saarbrücken (DE)

 

Mentorships / Professional Developments 

2024

-RAY-Triennale Masterclass, Mentor: Anton Kusters, Frankfurt (DE)

2023

-Canon Student Development Programme, Mentor: Jerome Sessini, Girona (ES) and Perpignan (FR)

 

Publikations / Press / Artist Talk

Interview: Nazanin Hafez- And this is us / Frankfurter Kunstverein/ Frankfurt/ July 2025

 Dresden: Einzigartige Foto-Portraits ausgezeichnet / Interview with MDR Radio / August 2024

– Portraits: HELLERAU Photography Award / Exhibition Catalogue / Dresden/ 2024

– Enge Verbundenheit mit der Welt/ Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (FAZ)/ Katharina Deschka / Frankfurt / 6 June 2024

Lumières sur de nouveaux regards: Prix de la photographie à Clervaux  / Tageblatt / Luxembourg / May 2024

Soft Proof / Exhibition Catalogue / RAY Triennial / MAK Frankfurt / 2024

Wie man als Künstler überlebt, … / Interview with Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (FAZ) / Frankfurt / 28 April 2024

Prix de la Photographie, Clervaux Cité de l’image / Exhibition Catalogue / Clervaux / Luxembourg / 2024

Nazanin Hafez: SaarArt 2023 / Interview with SR / Conducted by: Harriet Weber Schäfer / ARD Mediathek / May 2023

Women Life Freedom : Panel Discussion with Iranian Artists / Conducted by: Dr. Andrea Jahn / Modern Gallery of

Saarland Museum / July 2023

SaarART 2023: AU RENDEZ VOUS DES AMIS /  Exhibition Catalogue / Saarbrücken / 2023

Fratzen der Unmenschlichkeit / Saar-Art.de / 2023

Landesausstellung als Versuchsballon / By Tobias Kessler / Saarbrücker Zeitung / Saarbrücken / 28 Juni 2022