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Mustafa Saeed (b. 1989) is a Somali-born artist based in Hargeisa, Somaliland. His multidisciplinary work spans photography, graphics, and sound, blending poetic symbolism with socio-political critique to address themes such as war, conflict, and the environment.
A prominent voice in contemporary Somali art, Mustafa is the founder of Fankeenna, a youth-led art platform in Hargeisa that serves as a studio, gallery, and workspace for local artists. He is also a contributor to Everyday Africa, a collective of photographers dedicated to portraying the diverse and everyday experiences across the African continent.
His past exhibitions include major group shows like UNSEEN Photo Fair (Amsterdam), Lumieres d'Afriques (Paris), and AddisFotoFest (Addis Ababa). He has also collaborated with leading international media outlets, including The New York Times, The Washington Post, BBC, Wall Street Journal, and The Guardian, where his visuals and narratives have reached a global audience.
In addition to his exhibitions and media contributions, Mustafa's work continues to push the boundaries of visual storytelling, offering a profound exploration of the human condition amid the complexities of conflict and environmental change.
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2025 Arab Documentary Photography Program Fellowship, supported by AFAC, Prince Claus Fund and Magnum Foundation.
2025 Reframing Neglect: Africa Tour, Gebre Kristos Desta Center, Addis Ababa. Group Show
2025 Fankeenna Film Festival, Hargeisa, Somaliland. Group Show
2024 People Made of Stories, Amsterdam, Netherlands. Group Show
2024 Neglected Tropical Diseases, Nairobi, Kenya. Group Show
2024 Photoville Festival, New York City, USA. Group Show
2023 Reframing Neglect, Group Exhibition
2022 AFRICA FOTO FAIR, Abidjan, Ivory Coast. Group Show
2022 Photo Vogue Festival: Re-framing the END, Milan, Italy. Group Show
2020 Addis Foto Fest Archive Tour, Sharjah, UAE. Group Show
2019 MARA’INA, ITHRA Center, Dhahran. Group Show
2019 Since Yesterday, Soomaal Art House, Minneapolis. Group Show
2019 The Anarchist Citizenship, Amsterdam, Netherlands. Group Show
2018 UNSEEN Photo Fair with Gallery LhGWR, Amsterdam. Group Show
2017 Cornered Energies, Hargeisa, Somaliland. Solo Show
2017 UTOCORPIS: Les Corps Utopiques, Touring Video Installation
2016 Joburg Art Fair, Johannesburg. Group Show
2015 Lumières d’Afriques, Paris, Touring Exhibition
2015 Just Another Photo Festival, Delhi, India. Group Show
2014 Addis Foto Fest, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Group Show
2013 Pop Up Addis, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Group Show
2013 Hargeisa and Me, Hargeisa, Somaliland. Solo Show
2012 Sirta Tahriibta, Hargeisa, Somaliland. Group Show
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2022 ART WORKS Projects’ Emerging Lens Mentorship Program Grant
2020 Visual Arts Grant from the Arab Fund for Arts and Culture (AFAC)
2015 Arab Documentary Photography Program Grant — supported by AFAC, Magnum Foundation, and Prince Claus Fund