Latifa Zafar Attaii

Cultures of Resistance Awardee — Iran/Afghanistan

Latifa Zafar Attaii is an artist who has lived in Iran and Afghanistan. Attai’s latest intricate artworks often incorporate photography and stitching, including in her “Untitled” series, where floral designs are embroidered on top of printed images. Currently, Attai is a working on piece entitled “Thousand Individuals.” The series features a thousand passport portraits, in which the faces of individuals are covered in brightly covered embroidery thread, creating a striking tension between individuality and anonymity. Attai hopes to eventually increase the number to 10,000. 

She was born in 1994 in Ghazni, Afghanistan. A few years later her family migrated to Quetta, Pakistan. She studied elementary school there as a refugee. Later she moved to Afghanistan to continue her studies. She currently lives and works in Tehran, Iran. 

Attaii has had several group exhibitions in Dubai, Ajman, Abu Dhabi, Tehran, Goa, Lahore, Quetta and Kabul. 

Attaii received a Cultures of Resistance Award (CoR Award) in 2022 and will be using the award for her “Thousand Individuals” series.

Follow her on Instagram here to learn more about her work.

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