Biography

Yama Rahimi is an Afghan curator, artist, and activist based in Germany. His practice moves between curating and art-making, with a focus on creating space for voices shaped by censorship, displacement, and political violence.

He began his artistic journey in Kabul, studying film directing at the Faculty of Fine Arts at Kabul University. Working across experimental film, photography, and installation, his artistic practice explores memory, identity, and the conditions of visibility. His work has been presented in more than 25 exhibitions across over 15 countries, including at the Whitechapel Gallery in London, the Venice Biennale, and UCLA.

At the core of Rahimi’s work today is his curatorial practice. He is the curator of Hidden Statement – Art inAfghanistan, an ongoing exhibition project that brings together works by Afghan artists both inside the country and across the diaspora. Shown internationally, the project has developed into an evolving archive of contemporary Afghan art and was recognized by Monopol Magazine as one of the 100 best exhibitions.

His recent exhibition, Surviving Shadows, selected through the Apexart NYC Open Call 2025, focuses on the realities Afghan artists have faced since the Taliban’s return to power in 2021. The project brings together artworks that have been destroyed, hidden, or smuggled out of the country, alongside photographs, videos, and personal testimonies. It highlights both the risks of making art and the persistence of creative expression under extreme conditions.

Rahimi also expands curating beyond traditional exhibition spaces. Through the Freedom Canvas Initiative (FCI), which he founded, he curated a project in collaboration with the Lunar Museum of Art (LUMA) and Lonestar Data Holdings, sending digital works by seven Afghan artists to the Moon as part of a long-term archive. The project reflects his ongoing interest in how art can survive beyond borders, censorship, and even Earth itself.

Alongside his curatorial work, he continues to support at-risk artists through advocacy and relocation initiatives.