(b. 1981)
Born in Baghdad, Iraq in 1981, but fled to Sweden with her family at the age of ten. Hayv Kahraman often explores controversial issues of gender, female identity, disapora and war through a nonetheless delicate visual language inspired by Italian Renaissance painting and miniature style spanning drawing, painting and sculpture. She graduated in graphic design from Accadmia di arte in Florence and in web design from the University of Umea in Umea, Sweden. She now lives and works in California. Since 2003, Hayv Kahraman has participated in many international exhibitions such as the “Unveiled, New art from the Middle East” show at Saatchi Gallery in London. Her works were exhibited at the Sharjah Biennial in 2009 and are also included in Doh’s Mathaf: Arab Musuem of Modern Art’s collection.