b. 1988 in Karaj, Iran | Living in New York, NY.
contact: sarameghdari(at)gmail.com
EDUCATION
MFA Photography, Video, and Related Media, 2016. SCHOOL OF VISUAL ARTS, New York, NY
Certificate in Photography, 2012. TEHRAN UNIVERSITY, Tehran, IRAN
BA in Communication, 2010. The University of Colorado, Colorado Springs, CO.
GRANTS/AWARDS
2016 Thomas Reiss Memorial Award. School of Visual Arts, Alumni Society. New York, NY.
2015 Alice Beck-Odette Scholarship Award. School of Visual Arts. New York, NY.
2014 Graduate Student Assistantship Grant. School of Visual Arts. New York, NY.
2013 Alice Beck-Odette Scholarship Award. School of Visual Arts. New York, NY.
2013 Iranian American Scholarship Fund. San Diego, CA.
2010 American Places Juror’s Award. Gallery of Contemporary Art. Colorado Springs, CO.
RESIDENCIES
2020 F.E.A.R.S. Resident. Female Emerging Artist Residency Series. UCCS, Colorado Springs, CO.
2015 Engaging Artists. More Art, Artist-in-Residence - New York, NY
SOLO EXHIBITION
2020 Silent Self-Screening. Gallery of Contemporary Art, Downtown. Colorado Springs, CO.
2012 Mommoni. The Business of Art Center. Manitou Springs, CO.
SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2024
Tasvir - A Research Exhibition on Contemporary Iranian Image-Based Art, Northlight Gallery, Arizona State University. Pheonix, AZ.
2023
Shesh شش, Studio200 Gallery. Brooklyn, NY.
2022
Zan - Emruz Festival. St. Johns Courtyard. New York, NY.
Bailey House Benefit Auction. New York, NY.
2021
In the U.S. - Screening. GOCA, Ent Center for the Arts. Colorado Springs, CO.
33rd Bailey House Virtual Gala & Auction. artsy.net
2020
Straight Through The Wall, Outdoor Screenings. Downtown Brooklyn and Williamsburg, NY.
Emruz Festival - Virtual Series. New York, NY.
2019
Show #60, Online Exhibition: CHLORINE TIDAL WAVE. Field Projects Gallery. New York, NY.
Rendering Likeness-Volume 2. Established Gallery. Brooklyn, NY.
2 Nights - Performance. The Ear. Brooklyn, NY.
Momentum. iMAgen Projects. New York, NY.
Performance Anxiety - Performance. Chinatown Soup Gallery. New York, NY.
2018
The Identified Self. Abrazo Interno Gallery. New York, NY.
LIC Arts Open's Summer Exhibition. LIC Arts Open Gallery at the Factory. Long Island City, NY.
The Protégés. Galerie Protégé. New York, NY.
The Blue Rose + Plaster Cocktail Launch. The Ear. Brooklyn, NY.
Open Studios - Performance. Clemente Soto Velez Cultural and Educational Center. New York, NY.
Postcards From the Edge. Hosted by Visual Aids at Gallery 524. New York, NY.
2017
Portal. 10th Annual Governors Island Art Fair. Governors Island, NY.
Haphazard Paradigm. Re: Art Show. Brooklyn, NY.
All in a Day's Work. Galerie Protégé. New York, NY.
The Gaze. The Cluster Gallery. Brooklyn, NY.
Nasty Women. Knockdown Center. Queens, NY.
2016
Engaging Artists. Queens Museum. Queens, NY.
In Cylinder. Flatiron Gallery. New York, NY.
SVA MFA Photo, Video & Related Media Thesis Exhibition. SVA Chelsea Gallery. New York, NY.
Green Point Open Studios. Brooklyn, NY.
2015
et.alia/1. SLEEP CENTER Gallery. New York, NY.
et.alia Zine. NY Art Book Fair by Printed Matter. MoMa PS1, Long Island City, NY.
More Art: A Night of Socially Engaged Art. UnionDocs. Brooklyn, NY.
2013
Hear Here Artist Showcase. Stargazers Theatre. Colorado Springs, CO.
2012
Hear Here. Movement Arts Community Studio. Colorado Springs, CO.
Ensemble. RAW: Natural Born Artists. Colorado Springs, CO.
2010
American Places. Gallery of Contemporary Art 121. Colorado Springs, CO. (Juried by William Wylie, Professor of Photography, University of Virginia)
PRESS
ArteEast, Artist Spotlight with Sara Z. Meghdari. May 17, 2023. Lila Nazemian
The Gazette, First Friday Downtown to offer mix of in-person, virtual receptions for new exhibits in Colorado Springs. Jan. 1st, 2021. Jennifer Mulson
VoyageATL, Meet Trailblazer Sara Zahra Meghdari. April 9th, 2019.
ANTE, Immersive, Experimental Performance Openings at The Ear, Brooklyn. May 17th, 2019. Audra Lambert.
Performance is Alive, Performance Anxiety Return to Chinatown Soup. Feb 19th, 2019. Alex Sullivan
VICE-The Creators Project, 28 MFA Artists Shatter the Boundaries Between Photography and Video. July 1, 2016. Andrew Nunes
Untapped Cities, 18 NYC Art Installations and Urbanism Exhibits Not to Miss in February 2016. Jan. 28, 2016. Lynn Lieberman
Spark Magazine, International Artist Collective: et.alia. Feb. 2, 2016. Lindsay Zackeroff
VICE-The Creators Project, Would You Trust an Artist to Photograph You in Your Sleep? July 28, 2015. Sami Emory
PUBLICATIONS
2021 OF COURSE DISCORD: a discourse of accord. Catalog for the exhibition “A Discourse of Accord” curated by Melvin Harper & Sara Meghdari
2021 Shedding Something Shedding. Where practice meets testimony.
2020 Emergency Index: An Annual Document of Performance Practice, Volume #9. Edited by Zoe Guttenplan
2017 4heads, Governors Island Art Fair - Art Catalogue.
ONLINE FEATURES
ArteEast - The Global Platform for Middle East Arts. Artist Spotlight with Sara Z. Meghdari.
Columbia - Oral History Master of Arts. Testimony of the Body and The Experience of Becoming, Silent Self.
Aftab Committee. Iranian American Artists, 3rd Space.
Dodho Online Photography Magazine. nyc series.
Float Photo Magazine: Portfolios. nyc series.
PANELS & TALKS
2021 Visiting Critic with Amna Asghar. NYC Crit Club. Brooklyn, NYC
2020 Visiting Artist + Critics Series with Dr. Katherine Guinness. Director of Art History. University of Colorado at Colorado Springs, CO.
Virtual Studio Visit with GOCA Director Daisy McGowan. Gallery of Contemporary Art. Colorado Springs, CO.
Podcast, Humanitou: Conversations of Humanness + Creativity. Ep 13: Sara Meghdari, Interdisciplinary Artist
Corona Care + Time Capsule. Field Projects. New York, NY.
2019 Artist Talk, Gallerie Protégé. New York, NY.
2018 Artist Talk, Clemente Soto Velez Cultural and Educational Center. New York, NY.
Guest Artist Lecture, International Center of Photography. New York, NY.
Guest Artist Lecture, Photo & Art Club at The Ludlow. New York, NY.
2017 Guest Artist Lecture, University of Colorado. Colorado Springs, CO.
2016 Artist Talk, Queens Museum. Queens, NY.
2012 Artist Talk, Business of Art Center. Manitou Springs, CO.
CURATORIAL PROJECTS
September 2024. Curator of “Softening Mind” with new works by Setare Arashloo at Transmitter Gallery. Brooklyn, NY.
October 2023. Cu-curator of “Familiar Like Skin” with Lila Nazemian at Transmitter Gallery. Brooklyn, NY.
October 2022. Co-curator of “In the Absence of Memories…There Are Fragments” with Farideh Sakhaifar at Transmitter Gallery. Brooklyn, NY.
August 2021. Co-curator of “A Discourse of Accord” with Melvin Harper at Transmitter Gallery. Brooklyn, NY.
June 2021. Co-curator and organizer of “2031: Step Into the Future, Part 1 & Part 2” Video Art Screenings. STTW, New York, NY.
August 2017. Assisting in the curation of “Smokejumpers” at the Brooklyn Grange. Long Island City, NY
February 2017. Co-curator and host of “Lunatic Womxn” at Borough. Brooklyn, NY.
October 2015. Co-curator and organizer of “et.alia/1” at SLEEP CENTER Gallery. New York, NY.
ARTS INDUSTRY WORK
April 2023 - Present. Studio Manager, Will Cotton. New York, NY.
January 2021 - Present. Co-Director. Transmitter Gallery. Brooklyn, NY.
April 2018 - March 2022. Project Manager. Gathering Growth Foundation. Brooklyn, NY.
December 2016 - March 2022. Studio Manager. Cole Barash Photography. Brooklyn, NY.
January 2021 - January 2022 Co-Curator. Straight Through the Wall Arts Collective. New York, NY.
May 2019 - Feb 2020. Digital Archivist. Elisabeth Condon Artist. New York, NY.
September 2013 - May 2016. Lab Assistant. School of Visual Arts: Digital Imaging Center / New York, NY.
June 2014 - June 2015. Department Assistant. School of Visual Arts: MFA Photo/Video Department / New York, NY.
October 2010 - April 2011. Gallery Intern. Galleries of Contemporary Art / Colorado Springs, CO.
November 2010. Assisting in the installation of fully empty 2 at GOCA 1420. Colorado Springs, CO.
August 2010 - January 2011. Art Teacher. Young Rembrandts: The Classical Academy North / Colorado Springs, CO.
March 2008 - January 2009. Teaching and Research Assistant to the Chair - Prof. Suzanne P. MacAulay. University of Colorado: Visual and Performing Arts Department / Colorado Springs, CO.