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Self Portrait, 2022

Born to an Armenian family in Damascus - Syria 1984, currently based in Berlin, Germany. Nairy Shahinian’s artistic practice approaches photography as a never-ending process of learning and discovery.

Nairy often employs experimental techniques as investigative tools, allowing her to intimately document her immediate surroundings and experiences.

Her knowledge of the medium developed at a young age in the Damascus studio of her late father, Vahe, an established photographer in Syria.

She earned a Professional Photography Diploma from the New York Institute of Photography in 2008, and has professionally worked in the creative, technical and back offices of art entities for more than a decade.

Since 2008, Nairy has created several photographic series that have been presented at international art spaces and events. She assisted the filmmaker Ammar al-Beik with his film Kaleidoscope in 2015, as well as other films during that period. Starting in 2020, her work took the form of longer projects where she started combining photography with other media and took a more interactive approach.  In recent years, she has also been working on relocating her late father’s photography archive out of Syria, and working as a photographer.

Nairy received an honorable mention award in photography from LICC the London International Creative Competition in 2015, and a third place recognition of merit from Art Ventures International Gallery in February 2024, both on her Alienation Series body of work.

Yerevan, Armenia

2023

Part of Visualizing Yerevan Program from Visualizing Memory Project

WALKING TOUR

Based on #WhatDoesItMean_ToYou_Armenia project (2021)

Conducted by NIDID NGO and Heinrich Böll Stiftung Yerevan

Dubai, 2022

Project and Series

2021-2023 → Visualizing Yerevan

2021-2022 → #WhatDoesItMean_TouYou_Armenia

2021 → It Takes A Few Trials Sometimes!

2021 → Learn From Animals… They’re Great Teachers!

2020-2021 → #SpreadLoveNotCorona_VIRUS

2012 - not finished → Weather Systems series, The Burj Project

2010 - ongoing → Ecstatic Moments Project

2011 → Seizure Of Senses

2009 - 2011 → Alienation series

2008 - 2010 → Windows series

Yerevan, 2021

Awards, Exhibitions and Participations

  • 3rd place recognition of merit winner of Art Venture Gallery’s inaugural competition, February 2024.

  • Visualizing Yerevan Walking Tour based on #WhatDoesItMean_ToYou_Armenia project, Yerevan, Armenia 2023.

    (Conducted with the support of NIDID NGO and Heinrich Böll Stiftung)

  • Encounters, SACF (Syrian Arts & Culture Festival) in London, online exhibition 2023. 

  • The Talking Cure by The Big Conversation Space, The Talk Show, CAC Brétigny, France 2022.

  • Visualizing Yerevan workshop by NIDID NGO, Yerevan, Armenia 2021.

  • Contemporary Syrian Art online auction by Atassi Foundation and ArtScoops 2020.

  • Documenting Humanity collective photography exhibition, La Tozi Gallery and Hotel, Chiapas, Mexico 2020.

  • Documenting Humanity collective photography exhibition, Museo Nacional de las Culturas del Mundo, Mexico City, Mexico 2019-2020.

  • Collective exhibition, Fata Morgana Galerie (coGalleries), Berlin, Germany 2017.

  • Vantage Point Sharjah 5 collective photography exhibition, Sharjah Art Foundation, Sharjah, U.A.E. 2017.

  • Re-Inventing Imagery collective photography exhibition, Art Jameel Photography Award, Naila Art Gallery, Riyadh, K.S.A. 2016.

  • KUNST2016 collective exhibition, Lite-haus Galerie + Projekraum, Berlin, Germany 2016.

  • Inshala Everything Will Be Fixed group experiment, Satellite Space, Dubai, U.A.E. 2016.

  • Vantage Point Sharjah 4 collective exhibition, Sharjah Art Foundation, Sharjah, U.A.E. 2016.

  • Creators Deserve to be Seen, Chatham Gallery, New York, U.S.A. 2016.

  • Honorable Mention in Photography Award, LICC the London International Creative Competition, London, U.K. 2015.

  • The Taste of Light photography and digital media exhibition, GaleriaZero, Barcelona, Spain 2015.

  • Calling collective exhibition, GaleriaZero, Barcelona, Spain 2015.

  • Scope Miami Beach Art Fair, U.S.A. 2015.

  • Florence Biennale X edition, Florence, Italy 2015.

  • KunstBerlin, Berlin Art Platform in Berlin, Germany 2015.

  • Ecstatic Moments solo exhibition, Ayyam Projects, Beirut, Lebanon 2015.

  • Imago Mundi exhibition, featured in the framework of the Venice Biennale, Fondazione Cini, Venice, Italy 2015.

  • Fifth Annual Exposure Photography Award, Louvre Museum, Paris, France 2015.

  • Collective exhibition for international artists, HAUPT - Ort für Gestaltung, Basel, Switzerland 2015.

  • World Art Dubai art fair, Dubai, U.A.E. 2015.

  • Collective exhibition at Instituto de Estudios Portuarios, Malaga, Spain 2015.

  • Creatives! Art Show collective exhibition, Art Sawa - Al Qouz, Dubai, U.A.E. 2015.

  • Vertigo Art Salon collective exhibition, The Creative Center at MTC, New York, U.S.A. 2015.

  • The Tunnel-Project collective exhibition, The Framers Gallery, London, U.K. 2014.

  • Pop-Up Night collective exhibition, Galerie Oberkampf, Paris, France 2014.

  • International Fair of Contemporary Art for Artists, HAUPT - Ort Für Gestaltung in Basel, Switzerland 2014.

  • Participation in ‘The Young Collectors Auction, Sale No. 15’ Dubai, United Arab Emirate, April 30, 2013.

  • Pecha Kucha Night (VOL. 1) Aleppo, Syria 2010.

  • Journée de la Photographie collective exhibition, French Cultural Centre (CCF), Damascus, Syria 2010.

  • Exhibition for the finalists in British Council’s photography competition in celebration of its 75th anniversary in Aleppo, Syria 2009.

  • Exhibition for the finalists in Li-Lak photography competition, Geothe Institute, Damascus, Syria 2007.