Samira Abbassy

Samira Abbassy was born in Ahwaz, Iran, in 1965 and moved to London, U.K., as a child. After graduating from Canterbury College of Art, she began showing in London. She moved to New York in 1998 in order to establish and cofound the Elizabeth Foundation for the Arts and the EFA Studio Center in midtown Manhattan. In a career that has spanned more than thirty years, she has had more than twenty solo shows in London, Dubai, and New York. Her work has also been included in shows at The Metrolitan Museum of Art and The British Museum, and is in their collections as well as other private and public collections worldwide, including at the British Government Art Collection; the Grey Art Gallery at New York University; the Burger Collection; the Donald Rubin collection (Rubin Museum, N.Y.); The Farjam Collection, Dubai; the Los Angeles County Museum of Art; and the Afkhami Collection. (updated 10/2026)