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A photograph of an exhibition installation in a domestic space. The space has unpainted walls, and the right and left walls have traces of old paint and filler. There are six framed photographs on the walls. Directly ahead on the far wall is an image of someone holding up a red dress. Other images are black and white and show different body parts and a structure. There is a row of text that has been installed along the top of the walls, above the photographs.
Practice in Place

Practice in Place: Amak Mahmoodian

Amak Mah­mood­i­an shares her expe­ri­ence of liv­ing and work­ing as an artist in Bristol.

Posted
22/09/26

Could we start by talking about you and your practice, and how you came to Bristol?

I am originally from Iran, I moved to the UK in 2007 to complete my practice based PhD in photography. Since 2014, I've been living in Bristol, where I work as Senior Lecturer in Photography at the University of the West of England. I also work full time as a multidisciplinary artist. I try to create a balance between my practice and teaching, which go hand-in-hand in inspiring each other, creating a better platform for each.

In my work, I explore notions of identity, displacement, exile, and gender representation. My work very often starts with personal narratives.

This could be an experience, something I went through, or a chapter of my life; but after initial research, it very much pertains to wider social and political issues in the world and in particular the Middle East. All the forms of practice I work with are essentially research based.

With my practice, I explore the notions of identity, displacement and present marginalised communities. In working together, I often create a pause- path that we both share.

I don't limit myself to one specific medium. Photography is my primary practice, but I also work with poetry, drawing, video, and writing; creating a visual language that focuses on the story or hidden histories of communities I work with. Format and material varies depending on the space I’m working in, it shifts and constantly transitions and changes.

A photograph of an exhibition installation in a domestic space. The space has unpainted walls, and the right and left walls have traces of old paint and filler. There are six framed photographs on the walls. Directly ahead on the far wall is an image of someone holding up a red dress. Other images are black and white and show different body parts and a structure. There is a row of text that has been installed along the top of the walls, above the photographs.
CREDIT
A photograph of an exhibition installation in a domestic space. The space has unpainted walls, and the left wall has traces of old paint and filler. There are six framed photographs on the walls. Directly ahead on the far wall is an image of someone holding two babies. Other images are smaller and include close ups of a statue and a seascape. There is a row of text that has been installed along the top of the walls, above the photographs.
CREDIT
A photograph of an exhibition installation in a domestic space. The space has unpainted walls, and the right and left walls have traces of old paint and filler. There are six framed photographs on the walls. Directly ahead on the far wall is an image of someone holding up a red dress. Other images are black and white and show different body parts and a structure. There is a row of text that has been installed along the top of the walls, above the photographs.
CREDIT
  • A photograph of an exhibition installation in a domestic space. The space has unpainted walls, and the left wall has traces of old paint and filler. There are six framed photographs on the walls. Directly ahead on the far wall is an image of someone holding two babies. Other images are smaller and include close ups of a statue and a seascape. There is a row of text that has been installed along the top of the walls, above the photographs.
  • A photograph of an exhibition installation in a domestic space. The space has unpainted walls, and the right and left walls have traces of old paint and filler. There are six framed photographs on the walls. Directly ahead on the far wall is an image of someone holding up a red dress. Other images are black and white and show different body parts and a structure. There is a row of text that has been installed along the top of the walls, above the photographs.

Where do you make your work, do you have a studio space in the city?

I work from a studio at Spike Island, I feel very lucky because it's a great community. Before that, I worked from a room in my house, the only thing I needed was my desk and to have access to the library or different institutions.

As a teacher, I see very often that we don't have much patience, we want to become established. I totally understand this, but sometimes, especially when your work is political and you’re working with communities who are vulnerable, the process can be slow. You might need to pause and consider how the work is presented, as well as the safety and mental health of participants.

For a recent work, One Hundred and Twenty Minutes (2019- 2024), I worked with 16 participants from 14 different countries. These people live in exile, and they cannot go back home for various political or personal reasons. When I started working with them, I didn't know anything about their culture, religions, family or social lives, or the gender presentation in their countries. Therefore, the process was the core of the work. This involved significant research into all aspects of these people's lives, and so much deep and layered dialogue and conversation with participants.

Through the research I also do sketches, drawings and look at the polaroids I take to create a visual dialogue that I can then share with participants. This is when I think around 30% of work is done. I then start having conversations with people whose opinion I trust. Not to change what I'm doing, because the work is close to your heart as an artist and you know what the core of the project is, but it’s really good to talk to people who you know, who are experts but at the same time friends. This helps me think through whether I need to add other elements, or maybe there’s an aspect I don’t need to focus on so much.

With 120 minutes, the edit happened through conversation with the participants, so the final selection is their edit. This was an experiment but actually I'm really happy that I made the decision to work in this way. It was their dream and I was the interpreter of that dream, translating it into a visual language for people who live in between worlds. This bridge between the world of the dream and reality helped address the question of their representation. It was a pleasure and privilege for me to work with them in this way.

A black and white photograph of two children standing in a woodland. The child on the left is wearing a knee length dress and has short hair. The child on the right and has shoulder length hair and is wearing a dark sweatshirt and joggers. They are standing in front of each other, and holding a hand up to the others face and covering their eyes.
CREDIT
A photograph of an interior and a landscape which have been exposed together so that both are visible in the image. The image is out of focus. It includes a window with pink gingham curtains and a table with a matching gingham tablecloth. The landscape visible included a large green space, trees and sky.
CREDIT
  • A black and white photograph of two children standing in a woodland. The child on the left is wearing a knee length dress and has short hair. The child on the right and has shoulder length hair and is wearing a dark sweatshirt and joggers. They are standing in front of each other, and holding a hand up to the others face and covering their eyes.
  • A photograph of an interior and a landscape which have been exposed together so that both are visible in the image. The image is out of focus. It includes a window with pink gingham curtains and a table with a matching gingham tablecloth. The landscape visible included a large green space, trees and sky.

As an artist, you’ve worked with many of the organisations in the city. What resources or facilities are there that you can access in Bristol?

When I moved to Bristol, I felt at home for the first time. I think it's because of the history of the city, because people have had to accept it, and are familiar with different cultures, different skin colours, different accents. When I moved to Bristol I felt a connection and was captivated by the earth and the land, it was quite warm and welcoming. Bristol is also a hub; there are great institutions that you can access, but it’s not that large or overwhelming. It’s also close to London, but more affordable. I can easily travel there for meetings or talks.

As a tutor at the University of the West of England, I am constantly in conversation with young photographers. I’m teaching, but it’s also a learning process - to see how they see the world and what their perspective is, what their opinions and ideas are. Alongside that, over the last 12 years, I’ve created a community or family who know the language of the work. We keep in contact and have a dialogue, and see each other in my studio or over a cup of coffee.

I am grateful that I have relationships with different institutions in Bristol. I work with IC visual Lab, RRB Photobooks, who I first worked with on Shenasnameh (2007-2010). Since then, we have a creative bond and work together, which has led to other opportunities and collaborations in the city and outside, even internationally. There’s also Martin Parr Foundation, and Watershed.. It’s really amazing to see at Spike and Arnofini (where I had a solo show in 2020) good communication and a scene happening; where I see students and many established artists. These organisations are quite inclusive, and people are part of their communities.

A photograph of an exhibition in a gallery space. The walls of the space are dark colour, and there are two pillars in the centre and towards the back. The installation consists of two large black and white photographs which are hanging close to the centre of the space between suspended panes of glass. The furthest photograph shows a seated figure. The one in the foreground shows what appears to be an architectural structure with a white abstract shape. There are plinths around the room, all painted the same dark colour as the walls. The one in the foreground has a small glass structure which holds two photographs.
CREDIT
A photograph of an exhibition in a gallery space. The walls of the space are dark colour, and there is a pillar close to the far wall. The installation includes black and white photographs of different sizes which are hung on the far wall. The largest photograph shows a group of four people standing on a shore by the sea. There is a plinth in front of the wall painted the same dark colour. It has a small glass structure on top which holds two photographs.
CREDIT
A photograph of an exhibition in a gallery space. The walls of the space are dark colour, and there is a series of plinths in a row from front to back in the centre of the image. They are painted the same dark colour as the walls and appear to have a series of artworks on top in the form of boxes. There are two large photographs suspended from the ceiling between panes of glass on the right and left of the image. Both images depict seated figures. There is another photographic work on the far wall, which has white text written part on the image and part of the wall.
CREDIT
  • A photograph of an exhibition in a gallery space. The walls of the space are dark colour, and there are two pillars in the centre and towards the back. The installation consists of two large black and white photographs which are hanging close to the centre of the space between suspended panes of glass. The furthest photograph shows a seated figure. The one in the foreground shows what appears to be an architectural structure with a white abstract shape. There are plinths around the room, all painted the same dark colour as the walls. The one in the foreground has a small glass structure which holds two photographs.
  • A photograph of an exhibition in a gallery space. The walls of the space are dark colour, and there is a pillar close to the far wall. The installation includes black and white photographs of different sizes which are hung on the far wall. The largest photograph shows a group of four people standing on a shore by the sea. There is a plinth in front of the wall painted the same dark colour. It has a small glass structure on top which holds two photographs.
  • A photograph of an exhibition in a gallery space. The walls of the space are dark colour, and there is a series of plinths in a row from front to back in the centre of the image. They are painted the same dark colour as the walls and appear to have a series of artworks on top in the form of boxes. There are two large photographs suspended from the ceiling between panes of glass on the right and left of the image. Both images depict seated figures. There is another photographic work on the far wall, which has white text written part on the image and part of the wall.

Are there art spaces and organisations you love to visit, both in the city and further afield?

I am more interested in finding different ways of working with an organisation, particularly through workshops and teaching, to explore the criteria of their work. You learn a lot about culture, and the social and individual personal lives of people in a geographical and physical space.

There are organisations that I really enjoy working with, for example, refugee charities and organisations here in Bristol. Or Bristol Archives, which is a great resource, really worth a visit. Beyond that, there are organisations that are relevant to the nature of my work, for example, I work with the organisation in Birmingham called Multi-story who often work with marginalised communities.

I try to expand my field beyond photography. I really like working and collaborating with the Exile Museum. I am also interested in working with UNICEF, and am in conversation with them for a current project. I get to know and collaborate with different organisations for different projects so it changes. Right now, my research is related to records of war and children through UNICEF, the Exile Museum, and the Imperial War Museum, which are all outside Bristol.

I try to visit art institutions when I’m invited to different places. In January, I was in Bangladesh for 12 days for the festival Chobi Mela, which I really wanted to visit, not just to see work, but to see another way of working which relates to the facilities that different places have - the way that work and culture connect to each other. I am always interested in visiting different institutions outside the UK, for example, Photo Katmandu who I have worked with and am very much interested to work with again; and Reminders Photography Stronghold in Tokyo, Japan, who I worked with in 2016. In London, there’s the Photographer’s Gallery, Tate Modern, Victoria and Albert Museum and the British Library.

Is there anyone you would like to mention that you would like our network to know about, whose work you connect with?

This is a really complicated question for me! I feel lucky to have worked with different institutions in Bristol and have a connection with them. The work brings all these communities and people to me which I really appreciate, and am grateful for. I still work with ICVL and RRB, I work with SERCHIA, and the University of the West of England is a huge part of my work. The team at Arnolfini are the people who are really close to my heart, we always have conversations about work. And Spike Island feels like a second home to me, I feel quite safe going there, working, and knowing the artists, and knowing how inspiring it is to be part of that community.

Another place that is really close to my heart is Martin Parr Foundation. I have worked with people there and some of them were my students, it is really important to me. There has been a moment of change because of unfortunately losing Martin, but it has become more and more important as a community and place to turn to. All these places in Bristol are connected.

And there are many individual artists and I'm learning a lot. Some of them were my dear students, and now they are my mentors - we help each other and work together. I am in conversation with other artists daily and have realised how as human beings they are helping me to move forward.

A black and white passport photograph of a woman wearing a hijab. The photograph appears to have been stamped with blue and red stamps.
CREDIT
A black and white image of a fingerprint. The print in black on a white background takes up most of the image.
CREDIT
  • A black and white passport photograph of a woman wearing a hijab. The photograph appears to have been stamped with blue and red stamps.
  • A black and white image of a fingerprint. The print in black on a white background takes up most of the image.

Bristol has a well established visual arts ecology, what opportunities do you see for artists in the area?

Opportunities come in different ways. As a young artist, you can categorise and think about which ones are suitable for you - we cannot do all of them, which one would be quite significant in moving forward your career? At an earlier stage, you might also be more comfortable working with a smaller organisation, or having a conversation with a few people. As an artist, it’s important to make a plan for yourself.

There are exhibition openings, and the conversations which happen there; or as a university student, there are many guest speakers and portfolio reviews in small groups, which can be helpful for developing your work and your creative path, and for understanding your work contextually. Alongside that, there are larger events like Bristol Photo Festival, which happens every two years. The festival is an opportunity for me to invite artists I know, often younger - I don’t like to say that they are emerging and I am established because we are all artists, we are creating together. I tell my younger students to use opportunities such as the festival. You see international artists give talks, you see their work and exhibitions, and you see how artists deal with issues or narratives in different places in the world.

BOP happens in Bristol, which is absolutely amazing. It is more related to photography books, but again, there are talks which are quite important and useful. Another event I always attend and really enjoy is BABE.

There are so many different opportunities in Bristol, including great artists who live in the city and artists that are nationally and internationally renowned. There are editors and writers, you could email them and perhaps meet for a conversation, it’s quite possible in Bristol.

Sustaining yourself as an artist can be challenging, often our community is the most important context for creating work. What or who helps you maintain your practice?

There are so many people. It might sound crazy, but I have imagined conversations with people who are absent in my life, and they help me a lot in a very powerful way. They are not physically present for me in Bristol and I can’t see them because there is no right to return, but they continue to help me do what I do, to make what I make, to say what I think is important to say.

There are also real conversations that I have here, people like me who live in exile or artists or friends; people who help me to create, or survive - my work for me is surviving, I don't have any other way to continue. Even the conversations in my neighborhood - when I walk past the local cafe and they come out and bring me my favourite drink because they heard about a difficult time, or buying vegetables and the shop has kept a pack of mangos for me because they know I like them. It's not always big institutions or opportunities, but how we are fed by these small gestures of humanity in our life. I feel this and live it in Bristol. We might have difficult experiences, as people living in exile, or working with marginalised communities, but these experiences are small compared to the uplifting and great experiences I have here.

And of course my family here helps me - my own small family and my larger chosen family in the visual arts community here, who are part of my daily conversation.

How can people find out more about your work?

https://amakmahmoodian.com/

@amakmahmoodian

VASW