Fatimah

  • Photographer
  • Artist
  • Women Activist
Photographer, Artist, Women Activist
FATIMAH
I am Fatima, a photographer.

Dedicated to My Beloved Mother and Sisters, and to the Resilient Daughters and Mothers of Afghanistan.

Afghanistan a land shaped by millennia of history, where cultures collide and civilizations converge.
Each province within its rugged embrace tells a unique story, reflected in its landscapes, its people, and the intricate artistry of its traditions. Here, garments are more than fabric; they are narratives, woven with threads of identity, heritage, and the echoes of ancient empires. Yet, amidst this beauty lies a history marked by conflict, a backdrop against which the resilience of Afghan women emerges with unparalleled strength.
The lives of Afghan women, their grace and endurance, have long remained concealed from the world’s gaze. In recent decades, conflict has cast a shadow over their stories, distorting their identities into a single, sorrowful narrative. Their beauty, capabilities, and voices have been overshadowed, framed solely through the lens of victimhood. Yet within this darkness lies a different truth. a hidden splendor, a profound resilience. This is the story I tell in The Beauty Amid War.
Nietzsche once said, “We have art in order not to die of the truth.” For me, this project is an act of resistance, a celebration of Afghan women’s resilience and their unyielding spirit in the face of adversity. It is a reclamation of beauty, of femininity, and of individuality. It shifts the narrative from pain to empowerment, revealing the hidden elegance that flourishes even amidst turmoil.
In this photographic series, I present the diverse faces of Afghan women; Pashtuns, Tajiks, Hazaras, Qizelbashes, and Uzbeks. each adorned in their distinctive traditional attire. Through their calm gazes and poised expressions, they stand as ambassadors of Afghanistan’s rich cultural mosaic. Their clothing, crafted with meticulous handwork and vibrant colors, tells stories of forgotten heritage and artistry. These photographs challenge stereotypes, portraying Afghan women not as victims, but as symbols of beauty, strength, and resilience.
The intricate patterns of their garments, the rich textures of their textiles, and the deliberate details in their adornments echo the deep traditions of a culture that has endured through centuries. These women, unburdened by clichés, stand before my lens, not hidden behind veils, but wrapped in the authenticity of their heritage. Each portrait captures the serenity, coquetry, and allure that have too often been overlooked.
The Beauty Amid War transcends borders. It calls Afghan women to embrace their individuality, to step beyond the confines of imposed identities, and to proudly reveal their faces to the world. This collection critiques stereotypes and male dominance while celebrating Afghanistan’s sartorial heritage and cultural wealth. Each photograph invites viewers to witness the beauty of diversity and the strength found in differences, from the bustling streets of Kabul to the serene heights of Bamyan, from the citadel of Herat to the ancient alleyways of Kandahar. As an artist, my work has always been rooted in the exploration of gender and social dynamics in Afghan society.
Through this project, I aim to redefine the narrative surrounding Afghan women by highlighting their beauty, courage, and dreams. I believe that genuine peace arises from embracing diversity and celebrating individuality. In this celebration, we uncover a world of limitless beauty. a world where women are no longer perceived as weak but as pillars of strength and hope.
In this narrative, Beauty and Peace are inextricably linked, for indeed, Peace is Always Beautiful.

© Designed by Ehsan Talebzadeh

About Fatimah

Fatimah Hossaini is an acclaimed Afghan-Tehran-born artist, award-winning photographer, curator, and the visionary founder of the Mastooraat Organization. Recognized for her profound contributions to art and advocacy, Fatimah is one of the youngest recipients of Hypatia International Award, a testament to her global impact in research, artistic innovation, and social change. In 2022, she was honored by the Women’s Forum in France as a Rising Talent and Youth Ambassador, further solidifying her role as a leader in cultural and humanitarian discourse.

A former lecturer at the Faculty of Art at Kabul University, Fatimah’s academic journey spans diverse disciplines. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Photography from the University of Tehran, preceded by a degree in Industrial Engineering. Her artistic and academic pursuits have brought her to New York City, where she is currently a 2024–2025 Fellow at Parsons School of Media, Art, and Technology at The New School and an artist-in-residence at the Elizabeth Foundation for the Arts (EFA) and The New York City Artist Safe Haven Residency Program (NYCASHRP) as a NYC-based international artist. Previously, she completed an esteemed residency at the Cité Internationale des Arts in Paris, France.

As a tireless advocate for women’s and refugee rights, Fatimah channels her passion into art that explores identity, femininity, and resilience. Her work offers a poignant lens into the Afghan experience, often blending staged photography with vibrant colors and evocative storytelling. Her critically acclaimed book, Beauty Amid War—a collection of photographs portraying Afghan women—was published in 2022 by CDP Editions in France and in 2023 by Allemandi in Italy which win the ‘University4Eu, your future, our Europe’ Prize.

Fatimah’s art has been exhibited worldwide, from solo showcases to prestigious art festivals across Asia, Europe, and the United States. Her thought-provoking articles and artwork have been featured in leading publications, including Time, The Guardian, Vogue, Arte, and many more.

Through her bold and unflinching vision, Fatimah continues to illuminate the narratives of marginalized communities, creating art that transcends borders and speaks to the universal human spirit.

Don’t forget your history and Water your roots, so your soul can blossom. Afghanistan was only a name for me for more than 20 years, I just knew it was my motherland and the language people speak is close to my language, I’d see some images from Afghanistan on TV but it was not nice. My father used to listen to Ahmad Zahir songs and playing Damboora. He always told us the stories of his village and how they left the country.

I used to think about my motherland all the time without any reason, without any information or an obvious image. I decided to fly to my motherland on an autumn Saturday morning. I went there and everything changed for me. I am now the daughter of the land of Lajaward, the land of super women like Gawharshad begum or Queen Suraya and the land of untold stories. I am now a storyteller of my motherland who want to create and capture beauty in the middle of war. I feel like I lived here for a long time.

I now feel in love with this part of the world, my motherland, and I found the LOVE in this hopeless place

Group Exhibitions

  • The Night of Women of Afghanistan, with Afghan fellows, The New School, New York City, USA (March 21, 2025)
  • Group Exhibition with Iranian Women Artists Gohar Dashti and Maryam Firuzi, curated by Del Barrett, Hundred Heroines Museum and Gallery, Gloucester, England (November 2024)
  • Group Exhibition, MENA Art Fair with Women Artists, Paris, France (September 2024)
  • What a Wonderful World, Abu Dhabi, UAE (November–December 2023)
  • Group Exhibition at Photo Ville Festival, Brooklyn Bridge, New York, USA (June 2023)
  • Oriental Vision, Baden Photo Festival, Austria (June–October 2023)
  • Group Exhibition at Month of Photography Festival, with Behind the Veil photo series, Bratislava, Slovakia (October 2023)
  • Group Exhibition as Habib Sharifi Prize Winner, Salon des Beaux-Arts, 160th Edition, Paris, France (September 2023)
  • Group Exhibition at Photo Aubrac Festival, France (September 2023)
  • Multiples, Caring Gallery, Paris, France (September 2022)
  • Women for Justice, Milan, Italy (July 2022)
  • Group Exhibition at La Gacilly Festival, France (January–September 2022)
  • Ewas Weg, Gallery #23, Langenberg, Velbert, Germany (May 2022)
  • Politically Intimate, Caring Gallery, Paris, France (April 2022)
  • Fear of Beauty, Women Photographers Association, Milan, Italy (March 2022)
  • Le Rire des Amants, Une Épopée Afghane, Paris, France (January 2022)
  • With Afghan Streets, Basel, Switzerland (November 2021)
  • Asia Peace Film Festival, Pakistan (2019)
  • United, Lara Bohman Gallery, Stockholm, Sweden (2017)
  • Unfinished Lines, Tirana National Historical Museum, Albania (2017)
  • A Glance Into the Mirror, ABAY Gallery, Istanbul, Turkey (2017)
  • We Together, Graz, Austria (2016)
  • Unlimited, Innsbruck, Austria (2016)

Solo Exhibitions

  • The Beauty Amid War, University of Málaga, Spain (March 2025)
  • The Beauty Amid the Shadows of War, Festival Les Créatives, University of Geneva, Switzerland (November–December 2023)
  • The Beauty Amid War, AIWAC, University of Arkansas, Rome, Italy (November 2023)
  • The Space In-Between, 229.lab Galerie, Paris, France (April–May 2023)
  • Fatigue du Chemin, 15 Rue de Seine Galerie, Paris, France (April 2023)
  • Le Bellezza di Fronte alla Guerra, Frosinone Academy of Fine Arts, Italy (February 2023)
  • Une Élegie Pour un Miracle, Petite Galerie, Cité Internationale des Arts, Paris, France (November–December 2022)
  • An Élegy for a Miracle, 15 Rue de Seine Galerie, Paris, France (September 2022)
  • The Beauty Amid War, Brindisi Municipality, Italy (April 2022)
  • Pearl in the Oyster, Lecce Academy of Fine Arts, Lecce, Italy (October 2021)
  • The Beauty Amid War, Radio France, Paris, France (October 6, 2021)
  • Beauty Amid War, Iranian Artists Forum, Momayez Gallery, Tehran, Iran (2021)
  • Beauty Amid War, Herat Citadel, Herat, Afghanistan (November 2019)
  • Beauty Amid War, China Soong Ching Ling Foundation, Beijing, China (September 2019)
  • Beauty Amid War, Canadian Embassy, Kabul, Afghanistan (2019)
  • Beauty Amid War, Chinese Embassy, Kabul, Afghanistan (2019)
  • Passing the Burqa, Azad Gallery, Kerman, Iran (2018)
  • Veiled, Doran Gallery, Isfahan, Iran (2018)
  • Afghans with New Vision, Idea Gallery, Tehran, Iran (2013)

Curatorial Projects

  • The Beauty Amid War, University of Málaga, Spain (March 2025)
  • The Beauty Amid the Shadows of War, Festival Les Créatives, University of Geneva, Switzerland (November–December 2023)
  • The Beauty Amid War, AIWAC, University of Arkansas, Rome, Italy (November 2023)
  • The Space In-Between, 229.lab Galerie, Paris, France (April–May 2023)
  • Fatigue du Chemin, 15 Rue de Seine Galerie, Paris, France (April 2023)
  • Le Bellezza di Fronte alla Guerra, Frosinone Academy of Fine Arts, Italy (February 2023)
  • Une Élegie Pour un Miracle, Petite Galerie, Cité Internationale des Arts, Paris, France (November–December 2022)
  • An Élegy for a Miracle, 15 Rue de Seine Galerie, Paris, France (September 2022)
  • The Beauty Amid War, Brindisi Municipality, Italy (April 2022)
  • Pearl in the Oyster, Lecce Academy of Fine Arts, Lecce, Italy (October 2021)
  • The Beauty Amid War, Radio France, Paris, France (October 6, 2021)
  • Beauty Amid War, Iranian Artists Forum, Momayez Gallery, Tehran, Iran (2021)
  • Beauty Amid War, Herat Citadel, Herat, Afghanistan (November 2019)
  • Beauty Amid War, China Soong Ching Ling Foundation, Beijing, China (September 2019)
  • Beauty Amid War, Canadian Embassy, Kabul, Afghanistan (2019)
  • Beauty Amid War, Chinese Embassy, Kabul, Afghanistan (2019)
  • Passing the Burqa, Azad Gallery, Kerman, Iran (2018)
  • Veiled, Doran Gallery, Isfahan, Iran (2018)
  • Afghans with New Vision, Idea Gallery, Tehran, Iran (2013)

Accomlishments

The youngest among the top ten winners of the Hypatia International Award
recognizing commitment in the fields of research, art, and professions by CICOP, Italy (2021)
2022 Women’s Forum Rising Talent Ambassador
Paris, France
'University4EU, Your Future, Our Europe' Prize
for the photo book Beauty Amid War, Italy (2022)
The Habib Sharifi and SNBA Award Winner
Paris, France (2023)
ODI Prize from Chinese master artist Song Dong
Paris, France (2023)

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