Yumna Al-Arashi (b. 1988) is an artist currently residing in Zürich.
CURRENT
Trust, Helmhaus Zürich, September 23 - November 13, 2022, Zürich
How To Separate Carefully, Grispace 170205, 29.09.2022 - 02.04.2023, Hotel Greulich Zürich
EDUCATION
2022 Master of Fine Arts, Zürich University of the Arts, Switzerland
2011 Bachelor of Liberal Arts, The New School, New York City
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2020 I Am Who I Am Who Am I, Anahita Contemporary, Berlin
2017 Shedding Skin, The Hole Gallery, New York City
2017 Shedding Skin, Jason Vass Gallery, Los Angeles
SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS / SCREENINGS
2022 How To Separate Carefully, Grispace 170205, Zürich
2022 Trust, Helmhaus, Zürich
2022 The Revolution Is A School, MoMA PS1, New York
2021 Library of Alexandria, Rindermarkt, Zürich
2021 The Calm Before The Storm, NEST Gallery, Zürich
2021 Capture Photography Festival, Mount Pleasant Art Screen, Vancouver
2020 European Month of Photography, Studio 4, Berlin
2019 Women in Windows, Shedding Skin, Chung King Gallery, Los Angeles
2018 Tribeca Film Festival, Rituals: The 99 Names of God, New York City
2018 Face, Arab Women Artists Now, Rich Mix, London
2017 Women In Film, Shedding Skin, The Roxy Cinema, New York City
2017 Identiad, Shedding Skin, Squash 73, Mexico City
2017 ICP - International Center of Photography, Projected: Face, New York City
2017 Behind The Portrait, Face, Gulf Photo Plus, Dubai
2017 Feminisms x Arab Muslim Diaspora, Protein Studios, London
2016 Annenberg Space For Photography, GirlGaze, Los Angeles
2016 Her Room, Junior High, Los Angeles
2015 Permanent Collection, US Embassy in Sana'a, Yemen
2015 Signed for Syria, Protein Studios, London
2015 Permanent Collection, Visual Supply Co., Oakland, California
2015 I Am Not A Machine, VSCO, Photoville, New York City
2014 Northern Yemen, Los Angeles Art Book Fair, Los Angeles
2013 Milk Studios, Milk Made, New York City
2013 Discovering Yemen, Gulf Photo Plus, Dubai
SELECTED WRITING
2020 Why Do We Judge Creative Decisions as Simply Good or Bad? It’s Nice That
2019 The Image of The Woman, Mixed Feelings, Naomi Shimada + Sarah Raphael, Quadrille Books
2019 On Racism And Revenge, I Will Not Be Erased, Gal-Dem, Walker Books
2018 Finding Home, Lindsay Magazine, Issue No. 1
SELECTED AWARDS, GRANTS, RESIDENCIES
2020 MONTAÑAS, AICP Shortlist
2019 Decelerator Program @ Strange Found, Artist in Residence, Catskills, New York
2018 N.O.W. Award, The 99 Names of God, Tribeca Film Festival, New York City
2017 Magnum Foundation Fund Nominee
2017 Shortlist, London National Portrait Gallery, Taylor Wessing Portrait Prize
2017 ASOS Supports Talent Grant
2017 International Women’s Media Foundation, Women’s Stories Grant
2016 Arab Fund for Arts and Culture Grant
2016 30 Under 30 Women Photographers, Photo Boîte
2015 VSCO Artist Initiative Grant
2014 US Department of State, Art In Embassies
PUBLIC SPEAKING / TEACHING
2018 - 2020 Lecturer, University of the Arts, London
2020 Visiting Lecturer, Falmouth University, United Kingdom
2019 International Photography Festival, Olten, Switzerland
2019 NOWNESS panel discussion, Somerset House, London
2019 Censorship in the Arts, The Space, Birmingham
2019 Visiting Lecturer, University of Creative Arts, Rochester, United Kingdom
2019 Study Hall - The Slow Factory, Central Saint Martins, London
2019 On Representation, It’s Nice That, London
2019 Documentary and Citizenship, University of South Wales and National Museum of Cardiff:
The European Centre for Documentary Research Conference, United Kingdom
2018 IN FOCUS: Women in Photography, ICP/Reuter’s, London
2018 Art in the Digital Age, AAMPE, Google Headquarters London
2018 Photography’s MeToo Movement, Frontline Club, London
2017 Today at Apple, Apple, London
2015 VSCO’s Artist Initiative conference, San Francisco
2013 Gulf Photo Plus Slidefest IX “Discovering Yemen”
PUBLIC COLLECTIONS
US Embassy in Sana'a, Yemen
Visual Supply Co., Oakland, California
SELECTED PRESS
Yumna Al-Arashi Is Upending the Stereotypes That Shackle Muslim Women, Artsy
Seeking Action — Not Just Talk — About Diversity in Photojournalism, New York Times
Yumna Al-Arashi, Künstlerin, RBB Kultur Radio
Parting Shots, CNN
Northern Yemen Under The Veil, Fisheye Magazine
Shedding Skin, Vogue Magazine
Voices of Change - The All Women Issue, Huck Magazine
Fading tradition of female facial tattoos in Middle East and North Africa, CNN
I Am Who I Am Who Am I, Zeit Magazin
A Photographer Honors Her Great-Grandmother And The Traditional Art Of Face Tattoos, HuffPost
Matriarchal Lines In Muslim Communities Explored By Yumna Al-Arashi, Ignant
Yumna Al-Arashi captures the last generation of Muslim women with facial tattoos, It’s Nice That
These Photographs Are Preserving the Vanishing Tradition of Female Facial Tattoos, Artsy
Projected, International Centre For Photography
Shedding Skin, Index
Yumna Al-Arashi talks identity, art and the importance of the female gaze, Azeema Magazine
Internationaler Frauentag – Fotografie von und für Frauen, Foto Magazin‘
My work is a protest. Just not against my heritage’, Zenith Magazine
CURRENT
Trust, Helmhaus Zürich, September 23 - November 13, 2022, Zürich
How To Separate Carefully, Grispace 170205, 29.09.2022 - 02.04.2023, Hotel Greulich Zürich
EDUCATION
2022 Master of Fine Arts, Zürich University of the Arts, Switzerland
2011 Bachelor of Liberal Arts, The New School, New York City
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2020 I Am Who I Am Who Am I, Anahita Contemporary, Berlin
2017 Shedding Skin, The Hole Gallery, New York City
2017 Shedding Skin, Jason Vass Gallery, Los Angeles
SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS / SCREENINGS
2022 How To Separate Carefully, Grispace 170205, Zürich
2022 Trust, Helmhaus, Zürich
2022 The Revolution Is A School, MoMA PS1, New York
2021 Library of Alexandria, Rindermarkt, Zürich
2021 The Calm Before The Storm, NEST Gallery, Zürich
2021 Capture Photography Festival, Mount Pleasant Art Screen, Vancouver
2020 European Month of Photography, Studio 4, Berlin
2019 Women in Windows, Shedding Skin, Chung King Gallery, Los Angeles
2018 Tribeca Film Festival, Rituals: The 99 Names of God, New York City
2018 Face, Arab Women Artists Now, Rich Mix, London
2017 Women In Film, Shedding Skin, The Roxy Cinema, New York City
2017 Identiad, Shedding Skin, Squash 73, Mexico City
2017 ICP - International Center of Photography, Projected: Face, New York City
2017 Behind The Portrait, Face, Gulf Photo Plus, Dubai
2017 Feminisms x Arab Muslim Diaspora, Protein Studios, London
2016 Annenberg Space For Photography, GirlGaze, Los Angeles
2016 Her Room, Junior High, Los Angeles
2015 Permanent Collection, US Embassy in Sana'a, Yemen
2015 Signed for Syria, Protein Studios, London
2015 Permanent Collection, Visual Supply Co., Oakland, California
2015 I Am Not A Machine, VSCO, Photoville, New York City
2014 Northern Yemen, Los Angeles Art Book Fair, Los Angeles
2013 Milk Studios, Milk Made, New York City
2013 Discovering Yemen, Gulf Photo Plus, Dubai
SELECTED WRITING
2020 Why Do We Judge Creative Decisions as Simply Good or Bad? It’s Nice That
2019 The Image of The Woman, Mixed Feelings, Naomi Shimada + Sarah Raphael, Quadrille Books
2019 On Racism And Revenge, I Will Not Be Erased, Gal-Dem, Walker Books
2018 Finding Home, Lindsay Magazine, Issue No. 1
SELECTED AWARDS, GRANTS, RESIDENCIES
2020 MONTAÑAS, AICP Shortlist
2019 Decelerator Program @ Strange Found, Artist in Residence, Catskills, New York
2018 N.O.W. Award, The 99 Names of God, Tribeca Film Festival, New York City
2017 Magnum Foundation Fund Nominee
2017 Shortlist, London National Portrait Gallery, Taylor Wessing Portrait Prize
2017 ASOS Supports Talent Grant
2017 International Women’s Media Foundation, Women’s Stories Grant
2016 Arab Fund for Arts and Culture Grant
2016 30 Under 30 Women Photographers, Photo Boîte
2015 VSCO Artist Initiative Grant
2014 US Department of State, Art In Embassies
PUBLIC SPEAKING / TEACHING
2018 - 2020 Lecturer, University of the Arts, London
2020 Visiting Lecturer, Falmouth University, United Kingdom
2019 International Photography Festival, Olten, Switzerland
2019 NOWNESS panel discussion, Somerset House, London
2019 Censorship in the Arts, The Space, Birmingham
2019 Visiting Lecturer, University of Creative Arts, Rochester, United Kingdom
2019 Study Hall - The Slow Factory, Central Saint Martins, London
2019 On Representation, It’s Nice That, London
2019 Documentary and Citizenship, University of South Wales and National Museum of Cardiff:
The European Centre for Documentary Research Conference, United Kingdom
2018 IN FOCUS: Women in Photography, ICP/Reuter’s, London
2018 Art in the Digital Age, AAMPE, Google Headquarters London
2018 Photography’s MeToo Movement, Frontline Club, London
2017 Today at Apple, Apple, London
2015 VSCO’s Artist Initiative conference, San Francisco
2013 Gulf Photo Plus Slidefest IX “Discovering Yemen”
PUBLIC COLLECTIONS
US Embassy in Sana'a, Yemen
Visual Supply Co., Oakland, California
SELECTED PRESS
Yumna Al-Arashi Is Upending the Stereotypes That Shackle Muslim Women, Artsy
Seeking Action — Not Just Talk — About Diversity in Photojournalism, New York Times
Yumna Al-Arashi, Künstlerin, RBB Kultur Radio
Parting Shots, CNN
Northern Yemen Under The Veil, Fisheye Magazine
Shedding Skin, Vogue Magazine
Voices of Change - The All Women Issue, Huck Magazine
Fading tradition of female facial tattoos in Middle East and North Africa, CNN
I Am Who I Am Who Am I, Zeit Magazin
A Photographer Honors Her Great-Grandmother And The Traditional Art Of Face Tattoos, HuffPost
Matriarchal Lines In Muslim Communities Explored By Yumna Al-Arashi, Ignant
Yumna Al-Arashi captures the last generation of Muslim women with facial tattoos, It’s Nice That
These Photographs Are Preserving the Vanishing Tradition of Female Facial Tattoos, Artsy
Projected, International Centre For Photography
Shedding Skin, Index
Yumna Al-Arashi talks identity, art and the importance of the female gaze, Azeema Magazine
Internationaler Frauentag – Fotografie von und für Frauen, Foto Magazin‘
My work is a protest. Just not against my heritage’, Zenith Magazine