28th ANNUAL NO DEAD ARTISTS
International Juried Exhibition of Contemporary Art"First Saturdays" Opening Receptions - 7 September + 5 October 5-9 PM
September 3 – October 19, 2024
Artist Statement
Maryam Safajoo is a Tufts University alumni, a Persian American painter based in the United States and
graduated with an MFA from the School of the Museum of Fine Arts at Tufts University in Boston. Her
paintings narrate the stories of the contemporary situation of the systematic persecution of the Iranian
Baha’i community after the 1979 Iranian revolution. She explores cultural behavior and responses toward
violence and human rights violations to encourage conversations that challenge the lack of representation
of ethical behavior, people and voices in our global consciousness while highlighting the necessity of
freedom.
“I experienced this oppression myself in Iran. I remember the day in the early morning when government
security forces burst into my home, ransacked it and took my father to prison; my younger sister was
crying on her way to school. Later my sister was denied access to university and because of her quest to
understand why, was placed in solitary confinement.” These are only a few examples of what Baha’is
around Iran have and are currently experiencing.
Her paintings narrate these stories which are a result of her conversations and interviews with the people
who were near or in these actual events. Many of the incidents she depicts only exist in the memory of
those who experienced them and have no pictorial existence. In many cases if visual records did exist,
they have been confiscated by the Iranian authorities in raids of homes. Her depictions are often the first
time these events have taken visual form. She records the details of this history. For example, the shoes,
clothes, artifacts, and environments seen in her paintings are very close to those that were there in the
event.
Her works are academic in nature and all these paintings are based on qualitative interviews or archival
research. It could even be looked at as a form of visual ethnography which captures experiences of an
entire community which have had no prior visual existence.
Some of her paintings depict the stories of the persecution of her immediate and extended family, the
stories that she grew up with in her childhood. As a child she often accompanied her family to visit the
homes of the Baha’is in Iran who had lost members of their family due to this persecution. Her mother
herself was in prison when she was 19 for about 2 years and nearly all her friends she was imprisoned
with were executed for being Baha’i (Mona Mahmoudnejad, Zarin Moghimi, etc…). They would often
visit the families of her cellmates and she would hear first-hand the stories of these brave individuals from
their closest relatives. While growing up her home was filled with the various stories of the persecution of
the Baha’is around Iran and were woven into the fabric of her everyday life. These experiences in her
formative years had a very influential effect on her and lay at the heart of her current artistic practice.
She takes inspiration from interviewing, hearing, feeling, reading, and researching the stories of the
Bahai’s of Iran.
Her paintings tell the stories of this systematic persecution— including execution or murder, arrest,
detainment, and interrogation. Tens of thousands more have been deprived of jobs, pensions, and
educational opportunities – including a systematic denial of access to higher education. Bahá’í
cemeteries, and properties have been confiscated, vandalized, or destroyed, and many Bahá’ís have had
their homes and other property seized or damaged etc. Throughout her work, she is constantly reflecting
on the concept of a humanity free from prejudice; that is how we can eliminate our prejudices against any
people on the basis of color, nationality, gender or identity, economic or educational status etc. As we
know, these prejudices can complicate the development of our community and prevent us from growing
together, from building a better world. She poses and also asks individuals familiar with the events to
pose and dress as the figures in her paintings.
She primarily works with oil on Linen on small canvases and the details are often miniature in scale. Each
of her paintings are thoroughly researched, are inspired by actual events, and show the beautiful aspects
of those who have been persecuted by highlighting their steadfastness, powerful spirit, and love for
humanity.
Biography
Maryam has exhibited her work at venues including The Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, Crocker Art Museum in Sacramento, CA, Museum of Vancouver in Canada, The Massachusetts State House, International Peace Museum in Dayton, OH, Albany Museum of Art in Georgia, NIU Art Museum in Illinois, Crary Art Gallery, a Nonprofit Art Museum, and will be exhibiting at Ukrainian Institute of Modern Art in Chicago, The Museo dos Correios de Brasilia in Brazil, Palace Museum of Mexico City in Mexico, Evanston Art Center in Illinois as well as Monongalia Arts Center in Morgantown, West Virginia. She is a two-time recipient of the Merit award from the Pinacothèque Art Museum in Luxembourg, The Romero Award, “Stories From My Childhood” best in show award from Northern Illinois University Art Museum; She presented at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston and her remarks at the AJC Boston Diplomats Seder was adapted by Boston Herald into an article. Her work has recently been featured by IranWire, Tavaana, PersianBMS, Radio Farda, Nashraasoo, VOA, Mass General Hospital Global OB-GYN Newsletter and multiple times by the BBC.
Maryam's works are part of the permanent collections of
Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, MA
Nobel Prize Museum in Stockholm, Sweden
Crocker Art Museum, Sacramento, CA
Dayton International Peace Museum, Dayton, OH
Albany Museum of Art, Albany, GA
NIU Art Museum, IL
Crary Art Gallery, a Nonprofit Art Museum, PA
The Museo dos Correios de Brasilia, Brazil
Palace Museum of Mexico City, Mexico
And many other private collections.
Curriculum Vitae
CV:
Education
2016 MFA, Painting, School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, MA
2011 BA, Business Administration, Industries Research and Training Center of Iran, Qazvin, Iran
2011-2012 Graduation Certificate in Graphics, Jahad Daneshgahi Higher Educational Institute,
Tehran, Iran
Artist Books
2026 “Repetitious Insecurity” (forthcoming)
2025 “The Art of Maryam Safajoo: Selected Essays” editor Dr. Thaddeus Herman (forthcoming)
2024 “Our Story is One”, Baháʼí Publishing Trust, Australia
In this beautiful collection of 30 pieces of art by Maryam Safajoo, harrowing stories of
persecution—written in English and Persian—are depicted with dignity and forbearance.
Limited Edition
‣ 12" x 12" (30 x 30 cm)
‣ 144 pages
‣ 200 gsm matte-art interior
‣ Hardcover, thread-sewn bound with head & tail bands, and bookmark
‣ graphic design by Zohreh Faizi
Selected Institution Collections
Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, MA
Nobel Prize Museum, Stockholm, Sweden
Crocker Art Museum, Sacramento, CA
Albany Museum of Art, Albany, GA
Northern Illinois University Art Museum, DeKalb, IL
International Peace Museum, Dayton, OH
Crary Art Gallery: A Nonprofit Art Museum, PA
The Museo dos Correios de Brasilia, Brazil
Palace Museum of Mexico City, Mexico
Krannert Art Museum, Champaign, IL (forthcoming)
Permanent Display
International Peace Museum, Dayton, OH
Library Collections
Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, MA
Nobel Prize Museum, Stockholm, Sweden
RISD Museum, Providence, RI
The San Diego Museum of Art, San Diego, CA
Crocker Art Museum, Sacramento, CA
Tisch Library at Tufts University, Medford, MA
Dean’s office of Humanities and Fine Arts at University of Massachusetts Amherst, MA
Bahá’í World Center Library
National Bahá’í Reference Library
Selected Solo Exhibitions
2026 William and Florence Schmidt Art Center, Belleville, IL (forthcoming)
2025 “Repetitious Insecurity”, ShowUp, Boston, MA (forthcoming) June-July
2025 Ukrainian Institute of Modern Art, Chicago, IL (forthcoming)
2025 Evanston Art Center, Evanston, IL (forthcoming)
2024 Monongalia Arts Center, Morgantown, WV (forthcoming)
2024 Barnes & Noble, Morgantown, WV (forthcoming)
2023 Banned, The Umbrella Arts Center, Concord, MA
2023 A Cry From the Heart, Crary Art Gallery, a Nonprofit Art Museum, Warren, PA
2022 Forsaking All Comfort and Prosperity, Albany Museum of Art, GA
2022 A Cry From the Heart, The International Peace Museum, Dayton, OH
2022 Repetitious Insecurity, ARC Gallery, Chicago, IL
2021 Bahá'í House of Worship, Wilmette, IL
2015 “To Light A Candle” film screening, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA
2010 Ceramics Exhibition, Alborz Ceramic Company, Tehran, Iran
Selected Group Exhibitions
2023-2025 Tender Loving Care: Contemporary Art from the Collection, Museum of Fine Arts,
Boston, MA
2025 Contemporary Figurative Art from the Crocker’s Collection, Crocker Art Museum, Sacramento,
CA (forthcoming)
2025 Foreman Gallery, Oneonta, NY (forthcoming) February
2024 WORLD POSTAL ART BIENNIAL, The Museo dos Correios de Brasilia, Brazil (forthcoming)
2024 NO DEAD ARTISTS: International Juried Exhibition of Contemporary Art, Ferrara Showman
Gallery, New Orleans, Louisiana (forthcoming) September
2024 Recently Acquired Contemporary Figurative Art from the Crocker’s Collection, Crocker Art
Museum, Sacramento, CA
2024 WORLD POSTAL ART BIENNIAL, Palace Museum of Mexico City, Mexico (forthcoming)
2024 “Oneness: Reality or Fantasy?”, Museum of Vancouver, Canada
2023 Anonymously از Iran, Culture Lab LIC, NYC
2023 Prisma Art Prize, Fondamenta Gallery, Rome, Italy
2022 Stories from my Childhood, NIU Art Museum, Dekalb, IL
2021 ‘Abdu’l-Bahá: Champion of Justice, Promoter of Unity, Exemplar of Service, Green Acre A
Bahá'í Center of Learning, Eliot, ME
2016 MFA Thesis Exhibition, Cyclorama, Boston, MA
2015 Violence Transformed, The Resnikoff Gallery, Roxbury Community College, Boston, MA
2015 Body of work, Massachusetts State House, Boston, MA
2015 Students Curate Students, School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, MA
2015 First Year MFA Exhibition, School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, MA
2015 SMFA Medici and MFA Museum Council Mission Hill Open Studios, Boston, MA
2014 Art Sale, School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, MA
2014 New Student Show, School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, MA
Selected Bibliography and Press
2024 Author Q&A with Maryam Safajoo by International and Area Studies Library, University of
Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, February 29, 2024
2024 “New book ‘interrogates reality’ of persecution against Baháʼís in Iran” by Australian Baháʼí
Horizons, July, 2024
2024 “Maryam Safajoo Gentle Chronicler of Baháʼí Persecution” by Brandon Reintjes, Senior Curator
at Missoula Art Museum, June 13, 2024
2024 “Repetitious Insecurity’s introduction” written by Katie Dillard, Director of Curatorial Affairs at
the Albany Museum of Art, Georgia, June 10, 2024
2024 Voice of America: Video Featuring the painting “Two Centuries of Pleas”, June 25, 2024
2024 Iranwire: “Maryam Safajoo; Influenced by several decades of oppression of the Baháʼís of Iran”
by Kian Sabeti, March 8, 2024
2024 “Repetitious Insecurity’s Blurb” written by Sandra Stark, Professor of the Practice, Emerita at the
School of the Museum of Fine Arts/Tufts, April 2, 2024
2024 Baháʼí Blog: “The Art of Maryam Safajoo” by Naysan Naraqi, March 16, 2024
2024 Iran Wire: “The hard year of the Baháʼís in Iran in 2023, 230 abused by the government” by Kian
Sabeti, March 27, 2024
2024 Payam Baháʼí Magazine: “The Most Bitter Farewell” by the editor, Feb 2024
2023 Tender Loving Care Booklet: Contemporary Art from the Collection, by The Museum of Fine
Arts, Boston, July 22, 2023
2023 “Our Story is One’s introduction” written by Michelle Millar Fisher, the Ronald C. and Anita L.
Wornick Curator of Contemporary Decorative Arts within the Contemporary Art Department at
the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, May 22, 2023
2023 BBC: Video featuring the painting of 2023 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Narges Mohammadi: "A
Multitude of Separations” November 7, 2023
2024 “Our Story is One’s Blurb” written by Gerry Bergstein, Faculty Emeritus SMFA at Tufts, Feb 24,
2023
2023 Voice of America: feature of the painting of 2023 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Narges
Mohammadi: "A Multitude of Separations” November 8, 2023
2023 Iran International TV frequent feature of the video of the painting “The Most Bitter Farewell”
2023 Voice of America: Video featuring the painting “The Most Bitter Farewell” July 4, 2023
2023 Tavaana: Video featuring the painting “The Most Bitter Farewell” July 4, 2023
2023 PersianBMS: “A Conversation with Maryam Safajoo about the Campaign #ourstoryisone” by
Heranoosh Talebzadeh and Iman Malakooti, June 2, 2023
2023 BBC: Video featuring the painting “Mothering” by Siamak Mohitzadeh, April 12, 2023
2023 Times Observer: “New exhibitions to open at Crary Art Gallery” March 27, 2023
2023 Best in Show and Jurors’ Choice award recipients announced for NIU Art Museum’s “Stories
From My Childhood” Dec 15, 2022
2023 MGH Global OB-GYN Newsletter: “Who Are the Baháʼís and Why Are They Targeted?”
Boston, MA, January 2023
2022 Yahoo! News: “Persian-American artist to talk about works in her Albany Museum of Art
exhibit”, September 24, 2022
2022 Albany Herald: “Persian-American artist to talk about works in her Albany Museum of Art
exhibit”, from staff reports, Sep 24, 2022
2022 Albany Museum of Art: FORSAKING ALL COMFORT AND PROSPERITY”
2022 WDTN 2NEWS: “Guest: Maryam Safajoo, Iranian Watercolorist & Activist, August 18, 2022
2022 Downtown Dayton Partnership: “Meet the Artist”, August 18, 2022
2022 Fox 31 WFXL: “Courageous Conversations returns to the Albany Museum of Art for college
students” by FOX 31 Staff, Wed, September 21st 2022 at 5:38 PM
2022 The Oakwood Register: “’Round Town” Know Better, by Gary Mitchner, August 24, 2022
2022 BBC: Video “Piece of the persecution of the Bahá'í in Iran”, featuring my paintings, September 4,
2022
2022 Voice of America: feature of the painting “Well”, June 8, 2022
2022 Radio Farda: feature of the painting “Well”, June 9, 2022
2022 Radio Farda: Artist New Year Greeting, March 23, 2022
2022 ARC Gallery: “Repetitious Insecurity” Opening Reception
2021 BBC: Video Feature on my work, December 10, 2021
2021 BBC: Video Featuring the painting “Lover’s Migration”, December 6, 2021
2021 Radio Farda: Interview about my work, February 6, 2021
2021 Nashraasoo: “Paintings of Oppression” March 27, 2021
2021 Sharks Eat Meat: “Review: Maryam Safajoo” Wednesday, June 2, 2021
2021 Art Seen Magazine: “Maryam Safajoo” by Gita Joshi The Curator’s Salon, August 13, 2021
2021 Tavaana: “The Continuation of the Systematic Oppression against the Baháʼí”, October 22, 2021
2021 Persian BMS: “Khabarnegar – Maryam Safajoo’s paintings”, May 5, 2021
2020 Radio Farda: “Picture of the day”, January 21, 2021
2020 Persian BMS: “A Simple Conversation About the Discrimination and Persecution of the Baháʼís
of Iran”, December 25, 2020
2020 Persian BMS: “Visual Teaser, Podcast 7- Episode 34, Discussion of discrimination, harassment
and systematic persecution of the Baháʼís of Iran” by Heranoosh Talebzadeh, December 24, 2020
2020 Iran Press Watch: “A Baháʼí Iranian Artist Addresses Persecution in Paintings”, Source:
Iranwire.com, November 29, 2020
2020 Iran Wire: “A Baháʼí Iranian Artist Addresses Persecution in Paintings” by Iranwire Blogger,
November 27, 2020
2016 Boston Herald: “As You Were Saying…Iran persecutes religious minority”, by Maryam Safajoo,
April 9, 2016
2016 Artist at War: “An Interview with Maryam Safajoo” February 2016
2016 Artist at War: “Video Interview with Maryam Safajoo” March 2016
2016 Voice of America: Interview with Masih Alinejad about my sister, Rouhieh Safajoo
2016 El Mundo: My sister in Prison, report by Maryam Safajoo
2016 Iranwire: “Four Baháʼís Arrested” by Kian Sabeti, March 15, 2016
2016 Center for Human Rights in Iran: “Young Woman’s Quest for higher Education Exposes Iran’s
Discrimination Against Baháʼís, April 1, 2016
2015 Nineteen Months: “Drawing Beauty from Persecution”, February 12, 2015
Selected Awards, Fellowships, Residencies
2025 “The Bear” (Television Series) renumeration for use of my paintings in their season 4 set
(forthcoming) July
2025 Vermont Studio Center Fellowship, fully funded (forthcoming) March 24 th – April 4 th
2025 International Program at International Studio and Curatorial Program residency, Brookline, NYC
(forthcoming)
2023 Renumeration from Mass General Hospital (MGH) for Use of my paintings in their newsletter,
Boston, MA
2022 Merit award from the Pinacothèque Art Museum in Luxembourg
2022 “Stories From My Childhood” best in show award
2022 BBC renumeration for use of my paintings
2021 Merit award from the Pinacothèque Art Museum in Luxembourg
2021 Finalist Prisma art prize 2021
2016 The Romero Award, School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, MA
2014 MFA Scholarship, School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, MA
Selected Artist Talk/Presentation/Panel Discussion
2024 Invited book release talk at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
2024 Video Presentation at “Our Story is One” event at the Museum of Vancouver, Canada June 8th
2024 Main Stage Presenter at The Association of the Friends of Persian Culture, Schaumburg, IL
(forthcoming)
2024 Spotlight talk by Michelle Millar Fisher, Ronald C. and Anita L. Wornick Curator of
Contemporary Decorative Arts, Museum of Fine Arts Boston on Maryam Safajoo and Painting as
Resistance
2024 Presentation in “Narrative of suffering – systematic repression and violation of the rights of
fellow Baháʼís” at Clubhouse
2023 Artist Talk at The Umbrella Art Center, Concord, MA
2023 Invited Artist Talk by The Committee of Wisdom and Action via Zoom
2023 Invited Artist Talk, Baháʼí Center of Scottsdale, AZ
2023 Invited Artist Talk by Friends of Seysan, Iran via Zoom
2023 Artist Talk at Crary Art Gallery, a Nonprofit Art Museum, Warren, PA
2023 Invited Artist Talk by Dr. Laleh Mehrad, Instagram Live
2022 Artist Talk at Albany Museum of Art, GA
2022 Artist Talk at The International Peace Museum, Dayton, OH
2022 Artist Talk at Green Acre A Bahá'í Center of Learning, Eliot, ME
2022 Invited Artist Talk by “Elevated Conversation” on Zoom
2022 Discussion of my work at Art Class, Eton School, Mexico City, Federal District, Mexico City,
Federal District, Mexico
2021 Artist Talk at The Bahá'í House of Worship, Wilmette, IL
2016 Presentation of my art and panel discussion following the screening of the film “To Light the
Candle” at The Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, MA
2016 Remarks at AJC Boston Diplomats Sedar, Boston, MA
2016 Graduation Speech at the Masters SMFA graduation ceremony, MFA Boston, MA
Selected Associations and Memberships
International Association of Art USA, a partner of UNESCO
Lifetime Artist Membership, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, MA
Oil Painters of America
Employment
2021-current Private & Group Art Instructor
Course: Painting & Drawing
Course: Portrait & Figures course
Course: Foundational of Virtual Art class
2016-current Self-Employed Visual Artist
2016 Teaching assistant, School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, MA
Course: The Bridge DRW 1002 0, Professor Charles Goss
2015 Graduate Teaching Assistant, School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, MA
Course: Painting & Drawing Practicum, Professor Maria Magdalena Campos-Pons, member of
American Academy of Arts & Sciences
2014 Assisting Art Installation with Professor Patte Loper, The Drawing Center, New York City, NY
2012 Graphic Designer, Bahá’í Academy, Panchgani, India
2011 Graphic Designer, The Gardener of Art Studio, Tehran, Iran
2010-11 Accountant, Rafooneh Company, Tehran, Iran
2010 Assistant Planning Manager, Rafooneh Company, Tehran, Iran