about me

Maryam Mazrooei is an artist, writer, and photographer with over 15 years of experience in journalism and war photography. Holding degrees in Physics and Mass Communication, she served as a senior political editor in Iran, covering pivotal moments in the region’s history with a focus on women’s rights and human resilience. Her award-winning essay on censorship, along with her banned books—Red Lines in Iran, The Common Lover, and The Public Secret—reflect a lifelong commitment to truth, resistance, and artistic freedom.

Alongside her journalistic and photographic work, Maryam has consistently pursued her passion for art. She has exhibited works in watercolor and other painting styles, often infusing her photography with a distinct artistic sensibility. Her creative practice also includes illustrating children’s books and exploring storytelling through various mediums. Maryam has participated in international events and has taken part in discussions on women and sustainable peace.

Since 2012, Maryam has traveled across Afghanistan, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, and Syria, documenting life in conflict zones with a focus on displacement, violence, and survival. In 2016, after two years of photographing in Afghanistan, she moved to Iraq ahead of the joint operation in Mosul against ISIS. Although a significant portion of her work on ISIS rape victims was lost during the chaos of war, the surviving images have been widely recognized for their raw and powerful portrayal of real-life events.

During the Woman, Life, Freedom revolution in 2022, Maryam was arrested for participating in street protests and collaborating with The Guardian, e tragic experience that ultimately led to her exile.

After her release, she relocated to Istanbul, where she took part in an art residency and exhibited her work at Depo Gallery and the USPD Gallery. Now based in Vancouver, she is developing a mixed-media project that explores the relationship between women and nature through painting, sculpture, and photography.