Abbas Zahedi is a London based artist, known for his interdisciplinary blend of social practice, performance, installation, moving-image, institution-building and writing. His practice emerged out of working with migrant and marginalised communities in the UK to explore the concept of neo-diaspora, and the ways in which personal and collective histories interweave.

Upcoming Solo Exhibition

• Ouranophobia SW3, Chelsea Sorting Office, General Release, 2020.

Solo Exhibition

• How To Make A How From A Why?, Fire Station, South London Gallery, 2020.

Selected Group Exhibitions

• In Hindsight…, Bladr, Copenhagen, 2020
• B, Belmacz, London, 2019
• Degree Show, Central Saint Martins, London, 2019
• The Age of New Babylon, Lethaby Gallery, London, 2018
• Diaspora Pavilion, Wolverhampton Art Gallery, 2018
• °c, clearview.ltd, London, 2018
• appetite, Apiary Studios, London, 2018
• Diaspora Pavilion, Palazzo Pisani a Santa Marina, Venice, 2017
• rb&hArts, Royal Brompton Hospital, London, 2008

Performances / Interventions

• Soul Refresher, Brent Biennial, London Borough of Culture 2020
• The Perfect Feeling, Rabbits Road Press & Bethlem Gallery, London, 2020
• Long Table: Lament, South London Gallery, 2020
• AMRA, Spike Island, Bristol, 2019
• Rose & STEMM, Guest Projects, London, 2019
• Words that We Share, BLOCK UNIVERSE, Whitechapel Gallery, London, 2019
• Outset Grant Ceremony, Royal Academy of Arts, London, 2019
• The Conch, curated by Cédric Fauq, South London Gallery, 2019
• Sermons, Rabbits Road Press & New Art Exchange, Nottingham, 2018
• Of Other Futures, Lethaby Gallery, London, 2018
• Metaphonica IV, Mercury KX Records, CSM, London, 2018
• The Boulevard, Tate Britain, London, 2018
• Studio Jum’ah, Tate Exchange, London, 2018
• 24h Livestream Residency, Youtube & King’s Cross, London, 2018
• Diaspora Pavilion, Closing Program, Venice, 2017
• Sonic Soundings, curated by Erika Tan, Online & Venice, 2017
• Standing Block, Burlington Camden, Lincoln Projects, London, 2017
• #FakeBooze, Diaspora Pavilion, Venice, 2017
• In conversation with Brian Patten, Bradford Literature Festival, 2015

Screenings

• #DeleteTheBeans, SlipStream TV, 2020
• Body Politics and Mental Territory, DOCLISBOA, Lisbon, 2019
• Beyond the Body curated by Mania Akbari, Wolf Cinema, Berlin, 2019
• Diaspora Pavilion Closing Program, Venice, 2017

Fellowships / Residencies / Projects

• Postgraduate Artist in Residence, South London Gallery, 2019/2020
• An Alternative Map of the Universe, ICF x Guest Projects, London, 2019
• The Centre for Transnational Art, Identity and Nation (TrAIN), London, 2019/2020
• Curriculum, Rabbit’s Road Press, 2018
• Live Archive, New Art Exchange, Nottingham, 2018
• Agents of Creative Change, Battersea Arts Centre, London, 2018
• Formerly Called, Wysing Arts Centre, Cambridge, 2018
• Asia Art Activism Research Network, Raven Row, London, 2018
• BARBEDOUN via Square Root Soda Works, London, 2015 – 2017
• School for Social Entrepreneurs Fellowship, 2017
• Belief & Conflict Forum, Kings College London, 2014-2015
• Rumi’s Cave: Director & Resident Artist, London, 2013 – 2015
• Fish Bar Symposium, Grove Fish Bar, London, 2010 – 2017

Awards

• Thinking Time, Artangel, UK, 2020
• Jerwood Arts Bursary, 2019
• Aziz Foundation Academic Scholarship, 2018
• Khadijah Saye Memorial Fund Scholarship, 2017
• Dounie Trust Scholarship, 2017
• UCL Union Centenary Social Colours, 2008

Academic

• MA Contemporary Photography; Practices and Philosophies, Fine Art Programme, Central Saint Martins, 2017-2019 – Merit
• MBBS Medicine, University College London, 2007-2012 – discontinued due to personal hardship.
• BSc. Physiology and Pharmacology, University College London, 2002-2006 – first class honours, Dean’s list & faculty prize.

Teaching

• Visiting Lecturer, Sculpture MA, Royal College of Art, UK, 2020-2021
• Visiting Lecturer, Edinburgh College of Art, UK, 2020
• Visiting Tutor, MFA, Goldsmiths, University of London, UK, 2020

Interviews / Press / Publications / Writing

• Review: Brent Biennial, Hettie Judah, The Guardian, 2020
• Featured: Brent Biennial, Louisa Buck, The Art Newspaper, 2020
• Featured: Essential Artists: Abbas Zahedi, Elephant Magazine, 2020
• News: Artangel: Thinking Time, The Guardian, 2020
• Interview: The Suite (212) Sessions with Juliet Jacques, 2020
• Essay: Transactional Objects Full of Contexts in Voided Sites, Cedric Fauq, Mousse Magazine 71, Winter 2020
• Review: How to Make a How from a Why?, The White Pube, 2020
• Featured: Artist To Watch: Abbas Zahedi, Contemporary Art Society, 2020
• Review: AMRA, Spike Island, Amy Grace, Bristol24/7, November 2019
• Essay: Curating for the Age of Blackness, Cedriq Fauq, Mousse Magazine 66, Winter 2019
• Interview: SINK.SEXY x Abbas Zahedi, 2019
• Review: ME, MYSELF & A I I I (2017), by curator Laura O’Leary, 2018
• Letter: British artists lament the value of art in schools, The Guardian, 2018
• News: Diaspora Pavilion | Venice to Wolverhampton, E-Flux, February 2018
• Spotlight: Diaspora Pavilion, Art Quarterly [ArtFund], Spring 2018
• News: Transforming an artist’s studio for prayer, Art Radar Journal, January 2018
• Interview: Jum’ah at the Tate: Abbas Zahedi, Amaliah.com, January 2018
• Opinion: Arts + Culture with Kazim Rashid, DAZED, January 2017
• Letter: Artists demand swift justice for Grenfell victims, The Guardian, 2017
• Television: Venice Biennale, Britain’s New Voices, BBC Two, 2017
• News: Diaspora Pavilion at the Venice Biennale, Contemporary Art Society, 2017
• Television: Peter Yorke’s Hipster Handbook, BBC Four, 2016
• Feature: BARBEDOUN, Huffington Post, 2015
• Featured: OOMK zine, ISSUE 2: PRINT, 2013
• Featured: Cultural Crossroads, Roxane Zand, Sotheby’s Blog, December 2012