EDUCATION

2011 | MA (Merit), Central Saint Martins, University of the Arts London, UK

2004 | BFA in Visual Communication: Photography, American University in Dubai, UAE

2001 | Theatre Studies, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, VA, USA

SOLO EXHIBITIONS

2026 | For Those Here | Site-specific installation, public board intervention, Al Quoz 1 | Dubai, UAE

2018 | Harvest | Mah Art Gallery | Tehran, Iran

2016 | Medial Women | The Bear and the Bean | Oxford, UK

2016 | Medial Women | Christ Church, University of Oxford | Oxford, UK

2015 | Expressions to Nepal | The Mine | Dubai, UAE

2012 | To Heaven To Hell | Jorjani Gallery | Tehran, Iran

2012 | Clippings | Jorjani Gallery | Tehran, Iran

2011 | Afghanistan 1996-… | Central Saint Martins, University of the Arts London | London, UK

2011 | Holy Movement | Mövenpick Hotel | Dubai, UAE

2010 | Virginity Certificate | Central Saint Martins, University of the Arts London | London, UK

2010 | Marked | Central Saint Martins, University of the Arts London| London, UK

2010 | Through Iran; Memories of Tehran | Private Viewing | Dubai, UAE

2008 | Holy Movement | Atbin Art Gallery | Tehran, Iran

SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS

2026 | Relax Your Jaw | The Gulf Between Us | Alserkal Avenue | Dubai, UAE

2024 | Fictional Landscapes | Foundry | Dubai, UAE

2021 | Regeneration | DIFC Art Nights | Dubai, UAE

2018 | Office Run | Regus Dubai World Trade Center CB1 | Dubai, UAE

2018 | Sonorous Symmetry | samt volume .2 | London, UK

2017 | Summer | Cuadro Fine Art Gallery | Dubai, UAE 

2016 | Universal Post | Art Dubai | Dubai, UAE

2016 | Art in Secret | Showcase Gallery | Dubai, UAE

2015 | Vantage Point Sharjah 3 | SAF Art Spaces, Sharjah Art Foundation | Sharjah, UAE

2013 | Vantage Point Sharjah | SAF Art Spaces, Sharjah Art Foundation | Sharjah, UAE

2013 | The Walls of My City | Arte Gallery | Tehran, Iran

2013 | Air Pollution Visual Art Exhibition | Iranian Artists Forum | Tehran, Iran

2012 | Tree | Negah Gallery | Tehran, Iran

2011 | Open Situation II (collaborative performance) | Byam Shaw School of the Arts London | London, UK

2011 | Open Situation I (collaborative performance) | Archway Park | London, UK 2011 | MA Fine Art Auction 2011 | Central St. Martins University of the Arts London | London, UK

2011 | From Charing to King’s | Central Saint Martins, University of the Arts London | London, UK

2011 | From Charing to King’s | Agnus b | London, UK

2011 | The New Pretenders | Barge House Oxo Tower | London, UK

2010 | Hues of Swirling | Springs Community | Dubai, UAE

2009 | Young Collectors Art Fair | Ayyam Gallery | Dubai, UAE

2008 | The 11th Iran Photo Biennial | Saba Cultural Center | Tehran, Iran

2005 | Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin | The Bar, Hayyat Regency | Dubai, UAE

2003 | Exposed | American University in Dubai | Dubai, UAE

2002 | Motion | Five Art Gallery | Dubai, UAE

COLLECTIONS

2017 | Imago Mundi Collection | Italy

2017 | Jameel Arts Centre | Dubai, UAE

ART RESIDENCIES

May - Aug 2026 | Dom Art Projects | Dubai, UAE

Oct 25 - Mar 2026 | Peripheral Acts | Studio Thirteen | Dubai, UAE

Aug - Sep 2017 | Campus Art Dubai Open Studio | Project Space Art Jameel | Dubai, UAE

Feb - Mar 2018 | Kooshk Residency Iran-Europe Exchange Program | 1646 Project Space | The Hague, Netherlands

CONTRIBUTIONS AND ACHIEVEMENTS  

2023 | Speaker | Studio Thirteen | Dubai, UAE

Examining the intersections of memory, identity, transformation, and urban landscapes.

2025 | Instructor | Performing Art Workshop | Jameel Arts Centre, Dubai, UAE

Four-hour performance arts workshop for the Youth Assembly at Jameel Arts Centre, addressing alternative cartographies as cauratorial practice through the lens of mapping the body.

2023 | Speaker | Dubai Women Circle | Dubai, UAE

Invited speaker to a series of talks on ‘Injustice towarsd women’ to discuss artistic perspective on gender pardaigms

2023 | Selected Artist | Campus Art Dubai 10 Core Programme, Dubai, UAE

Select artist among a group of UAE-based artists exploring the realm of public art, building sector knowledge and practitioner capability in the rapidly developing field of public art commissioning. The programme is delivered in partnership with Dubai Culture under the recently announced Dubai Public Art initiative.

2021 | Moderator | Dubai Expo 2020, Spain Pavillion, Dubai, UAE

The talk on ‘Materialities from Scale to Perspective’ with participation from artists Ines J Pedras and Azza Al Qubaisi

2021 | Moderator | Al Murabbaa Arts Festival, Ajman, UAE

The talk on ‘Careers in Culture in the UAE’ with participation from artists Mouza Almatrooshi and Ammar Khalfan Al Attar explored the career opportunities and challenges for artists with UAE creative economy’s growth

2020 | Speaker | Art Quarantine Session 4 | Online platform organised by The Mine and Nadine Khalil, writer and curator | Dubai, UAE

A conversation exploring the role of art and artist in creating awareness and criticality addressing issues that characterise limitations of artistic discourses during a pandemic  

2019 - Present | Advisor | Council of Art, Architecture and Design, American University of Dubai‍, UAE ‍

2018 | Instructor | Performing Art Workshop | Project Space Art Jameel, Dubai, UAE

A three-hour public Performing Art Workshop, inspired by Black Market International, culminating in a forty-five minute open-situation durational collaborative performance 

2018 | Speaker | Tashkeel, Dubai, UAE

Dialogue on potential challenges of international and local art residencies . Tashkeel is a multi-disciplinary studio, work space and gallery for creative practice, experimentation and dialogue among practitioners and the wider community

2018 | Speaker | 1646 Project Space, The Hague, Netherlands

Presentation of the ongoing research and project ‘Harvest’, followed by an open dialogue exploring the questions of belonging and investment within the realm of pseudo-homeland or borrowed and temporary spaces

2017 - 18 | Selected Artist | Campus Art Dubai 6.0 Core Programme | Dubai, UAE

An intensive five-month course with a highly competitive membership level under mentorship of world-renowned curators, critics, academics and artists. Drawing from a variety of media across literature, cinema and sound CAD 6.0 interrogated the idea of ‘genres’ and their constituent elements as means to think through many ways in which places like the Gulf can be envisioned

2018 | Speaker | Tate Modern Exchange | Tate Modern London, UK

Selected speaker for “Sawt (b): Flag Continent, a geopolitical study of content” discussions on censorship and anonymity in art as means to free speech in Middle East. Presentation of an 8-year research evaluating the sociopolitical restructuring of Iranian art throughout history- LookingAt Me, Looking At You. Development of Iranian Art Through Political Restructures, Restructuring Political Developments Through Iranian Art

2017 | Panelist | Alserkal Arts Foundation Public Program | Dubai, UAE

A public discussion titled Making Space: Artist-run initiatives and their place in the city, exploring potential approaches to forming artist-led structures in the city of Dubai, while ruminating over the types of projects that may be initiated and their logistics of operation 

2017 | Co-founder & Jury | Campus Art Dubai Alumni Grant | Dubai, UAE

Co-founder of a peer-run grant with support from Art Dubai and Art Jameel. The grant aims to support the artistic practice of Campus Art Dubai alumni to help develop autonomous artistic growth in ME art community
This grant was launched in November 2017, open to all previous participants of Campus Art Dubai, to be used for the research, exploration, development and production of a new work or from a pre-existing process/series

2016 - 17 | Selected Artist | Campus Art Dubai 5.0 Core Programme| Dubai, UAE

An intensive six-month course with a highly competitive membership level. Programme is under mentorship of world-renowned curators, featuring seminars, critiques, off-site visits, workshops led by a local and international cast of academics, critics, artists and curators. CAD 5.0 interrogated the methodologies with which we engage with and invest in our surroundings locally, globally and in between spaces, investigating ‘engagement’ and ‘re-thinking investment’

2016 | Speaker | ‘BOLD talks Woman’ | DUCTAC, Dubai, UAE

Lecture on contribution, efforts and advancements made by female leaders in arts in Middle East in closing international gaps through culture and arts, followed by Q&A. BOLD talks is a series of events hosting a selection of acclaimed international speakers that present on diversified discussions, facilitating shared exploration towards greater understanding, connection and possibilities at a community level

2016 | Speaker | ‘Women and the Canon International Conference’ | University of Oxford, UK

Lecture on gender and authority in Iran, particularly the obscurity of Iranian female artists in Modernism and factors for flourishing female talent in the post-revolution contemporary art scene. Attendees included senior members from +10 universities including University of Oxford, University of Cambridge, Stanford University, New York University, University of Gothenburg, Stockholm University, etc.

2015 - 16 | Selected Artist | Campus Art Dubai 4.0 Core Programme | Dubai, UAE

An intensive six-month course with a highly competitive membership level. The programme academically, conceptually and contextually took on the theme ‘Turbulent Waters, Shifting Sands’ and explored what it means to exist in the fluid geographies and topographies of the MENA region, while challenging fixed notions of borders, identity, architecture, urban development and trade through course material, workshops, critiques and seminars

2013 | Speaker | Design School of Art and Architecture, Central Tehran Branch, Azad University, Iran

Lecture on the intersection of conceptual art and performance in contemporary art. Attendees included senior faculty and MFA students

2013 | Mentor | Design School of Art and Architecture, Central Tehran Branch, Azad University, Iran

Two-hour workshop on foundation of ‘Black Market Int Performance’; participants included MFA students

2011 | Selected Artist | Critique Session by Turner Prize Winner Mark Leckey | Serpentine Gallery, London, UK

Participation and presentation of works in progress at Leckey's workshop and lecture

2011 | Selected Artist | Black Market Performance Program | Byam Shaw School of Arts, London, UK

Selected by BMI founder Tomas Ruller in collaboration with University of Arts London

2003 | Photographer and Representative | Animation Art, Alarabyia Productions, UAE

Selected by recommendation of AUD’s Dean of Arts, Professor Frank Petrella, for the production of Dubai 24 Hours publication and documentary directed by Micheal Charles Tobias

2003 | Selected Artist | Dubai Center for Special Needs, Dubai, UAE

Selected artist for a mural project at Dubai Centre for Special Needs by recommendation of artist Reetika Rajpal

PUBLICATIONS

Masinaei, S. (2014) Record-breakings in Iranian art world in year 2014. BBC Persian: Art. Available from: <http://www.bbc.com/persian/arts/2014/03/140320_l41_visual_arts_year_end_92.shtml>

Masinaei, S. (2013) Birds by Taha Behbahani; in conversation with artist, the Iranian ambassador to fight against poverty. BBC Persian: Art. Available from: <http://www.bbc.com/persian/arts/2013/11/131127_l41_visual_taha_behbahani_interview.shtml>

Masinaei, S. (2013) Iranian contemporary art boom in Dubai, false excitement, Western curiosity or superior quality? BBC Persian: Art. Available from: <http://www.bbc.com/persian/arts/2013/10/131009_l41_visual_art_art_modern_review.shtml?SThisFB>

Masinaei, S. (2011) Looking at me, looking at you: development of Iranian art through political restructures, restructuring political developments through Iranian art. London: Central Saint Martins, University of Arts London.

Masinaei, S. (2007) Restless Thoughts. Tehran: Contemporary Voice.

Masinaei, S. (2005) One Gulf Apart. Tehran: Roshanan Publishers. 

REEVIEWS

https://tandismag.com/53821/سارا-مسینایی-آریا-ابوالحسنی-عکاسی.html