Ghazal Mojtahedi | Multimedia Artist
Education
MFA, Intermedia and Digital Arts, University of Maryland Baltimore County, Baltimore, MD – 2025
Fully funded graduate assistantship. Recipient of the Kathy O’Dell IMDA Award for Outstanding MFA Thesis and a research grant from the Dresher Center for the Humanities. Thesis explores themes of migration, identity, and memory through multimedia installation and experimental video, inspired by the myth of the Hanging Gardens of Babylon.
MA, Painting, Tehran University, Tehran, Iran – 2018
BA, Theater Staging, Tehran University, Tehran, Iran – 2015
GPA: 3.98
Professional Experience
Independent Multidisciplinary Artist
2020–Present
Develop and produce multimedia work across experimental animation, collaborative storytelling, fashion photography, and freelance video production—merging personal narratives with creative direction and visual editing.
• Solo creator of the experimental animated film Passport Tale, selected by multiple international film festivals and featured in Windows on Charles at the Maryland Film Festival
• Co-creator of Your Story Belongs Here (UMBC Department of Theatre) – developed short videos for an interdisciplinary project exploring identity, race, and belonging through personal storytelling
• Directed and managed a creative team photoshoot for an independent fashion brand, overseeing concept development, visual direction, styling, and photo editing
• Edited and directed freelance wedding video projects, handling multi-camera footage, sound, and delivery of polished final cuts
Independent Film Projects – Director & Producer
2024–2025
Develop and produce short films in narrative and documentary genres, with a focus on storytelling, international collaboration, and festival and university presentations.
• Burial Permit – Producer. Short narrative film set in Tehran, Iran. Managed production logistics and creative coordination. Currently submitting to Oscar-qualifying film festivals
• Flight Among Shadows – Director. Interview-based documentary filmed in Baltimore, MD. Directed, edited, and shaped the narrative structure. Official selection of five international film festivals. Presented artist talk at the University of Maryland, College Park (hosted by Professor Qmars Haeri)
Curator Assistant, Center for Art, Design and Visual Culture (CADVC)
University of Maryland Baltimore County, Baltimore, MD
2022–2025
• Co-curated the 2023 Visual Arts Senior Exhibition, supporting undergraduate artists with planning, artwork selection, and installation
• Organized and maintained large-scale inventory using spreadsheets to streamline archival workflows
• Assisted with layout, installation, and wall label writing for 11 contemporary art exhibitions to ensure cohesive presentation and accessibility
• Coordinated public programming, including talks, workshops, and community events to increase audience engagement and outreach
• Filmed, edited, and subtitled artist talks and events to expand digital access and build an online archive
• Led the archiving of artworks, books, posters, and theses to preserve institutional history and improve searchability
• Conducted condition reporting and digital cataloging of the permanent collection to ensure conservation standards
• Managed updates to institutional database and website while ensuring copyright compliance and consistency
Selected Exhibitions (installation, research, and programming support):
Levester Williams: all matters aside (2024), Oletha DeVane: Spectrum of Light and Spirit (2022), Tahir Hemphill: Rap Research Lab (2023), States of Becoming (2023)
Multimedia Production Assistant, Commonvision Design & Print Center
University of Maryland Baltimore County, Baltimore, MD
2022–2025
• Designed graphics and motion content for print and digital media
• Operated digital and large-format printers with precision
• Managed print production workflows and maintained supply inventory
• Provided tailored customer service for diverse project needs
Art and Theatre Instructor
Various institutions, Iran
2020–2021
Taught puppetry, set design, and directed a children’s theater performance for students aged 4–7.
• Art Instructor, Homaye Mehr School of Visual Art, Alborz – 2021
• Theatre Instructor, Maha Talk Language Training Center, Alborz – 2021
• Art & Theatre Instructor, Armaghan Kindergarten, Alborz – 2020
Freelance Costume & Set Designer (Theatre, Film & Television)
2013–2024
Designed costumes and sets for six public theater productions, including one in the United States.
• Awarded Best Costume Designer for The Wild Duck at the 3rd University of Art and Architecture Theater Festival, Tehran
• Created props for Oliver Twist, performed at Iran’s largest opera venue
• Served as assistant costume designer for films and television series featuring large ensemble casts
Credits
• Costume Designer, Jegar-e-Khob, Silver Spring Black Box Theatre, MD, USA – 2024
• Costume Design Assistant, Cold Blood (TV Series), Tehran, Iran – 2022
• Costume Design Assistant, Uncle Purang’s Cottage (TV Program), Tehran, Iran – 2021
• Costume Design Assistant, Blue Days (TV Series), Rasht, Iran – 2021
• Stage & Costume Designer, Moza Moza, Iranshahr Hall, Tehran, Iran – 2019
• Stage & Costume Designer, Jenga, Edareh Theatre, Tehran, Iran – 2018
• Costume Design Assistant, The 47 (Feature Film), Tehran, Iran – 2018
• Costume Design Assistant, Oliver Twist (Stage), Vahdat Hall, Tehran, Iran – 2018
• Costume Design Assistant, Double (Short Film), Tehran, Iran – 2017
• Stage & Costume Designer, The Hothouse, Paliz Theatre, Tehran, Iran – 2017
• Stage & Costume Designer, Ubu Roi, Khane Kouchak Namayesh, Tehran, Iran – 2014
• Stage & Costume Designer, The Wild Duck, Iranian Artists Forum, Tehran, Iran – 2013
Awards & Grants
• Award Recipient, The Kathy O’Dell IMDA Award for Outstanding MFA Thesis and Exhibition, University of Maryland Baltimore County, MD, USA – 2025
For Hanging Gardens and Echo of Home (archived in ProQuest)
• Grant Winner, Scholarly Development Fund, Dresher Center for the Humanities, Baltimore, MD, USA – 2024
• Award Recipient, Best Costume Designer for The Wild Duck, 3rd University of Art and Architecture Theater Festival, Tehran, Iran – 2013
Film Festival Awards
Flight Among Shadows (Short Documentary – Director & Producer) – 2024
• Jury’s Award – FIAC, Mexico
• Special Jury Award – Tamizhagam International Film Festival, India
• Honorable Mention – Aussie Gold Film Festival, Australia
• Top 3 Finalist – Athens International Monthly Film Festival, Greece
Passport Tale (Experimental – Director & Producer) – 2024
• Best Experimental Short – Makizhmithan International Film Festival, India
• Winner of the Season – Ural Shorts, Russia
• Top 3 Finalist – Athens International Monthly Film Festival, Greece
• Nominee – Couch Film Festival, Toronto, Canada
Skills
Fabrication: Sewing, costume design, paper sculpture, origami
Creative: Graphic design, motion graphics, self-branding, social media management
Fine Arts: Installation art, mural painting, acrylic and mixed media painting, sculpture, film and video production
Software: Adobe Creative Suite (Premiere Pro, Audition, After Effects, Illustrator, InDesign), MadMapper, TouchDesigner, Blender, Figma, Google Workspace, Microsoft Office Suite (Mac and PC)
Equipment: DSLR cameras, audio recording gear, Zoom recorders, welding tools, woodshop machinery
Exhibition: Installation design, projection mapping, exhibition documentation, object handling
Writing: Grant writing, wall label writing, critical and practice-based research, translation, subtitling
Administrative: Team management, organization, coordination, event planning
Certifications: Google (VR), Udemy (Premiere Pro, Digital Marketing), Coursera (UI Design), LinkedIn (AR/VR)
Languages: English (Advanced), Persian (Native), Arabic (Basic)
Visual Art Exhibitions
2017–2025
• The Only Way Out Is Through: IMDA MFA Thesis Exhibition, Center for Art, Design, and Visual Culture, Baltimore, MD, USA – 2025
• Windows on Charles, Maryland Film Festival Public Art Installation, Baltimore, MD, USA – 2024
• Artscape 2024, Annual Arts Festival, Baltimore, MD, USA – 2024
• Immigrant Contributions Mural, Public Art Installation, UMBC Campus, Baltimore, MD, USA – 2024
• The Eighth Painting and Third Persian Garden Biennial, Municipal Gallery, Qazvin, Iran – 2022
• Sateen Visual Arts Recall, Cultural Center, Kish Island, Iran – 2022
• Sateen Visual Arts Recall, Art Space, Tehran, Iran – 2021
• Backpack Video Project, Online Screening curated by videoartist.ir, Tehran, Iran – 2021
• 5th Annual Painting Exhibition of Alborz Province, Cultural and Artistic Hall, Tehran, Iran – 2021
• Golden Autumn, Ehsan Gallery, Tehran, Iran – 2019
• Pooya Jamali’s Artworks Exhibition (Live Performance), White Line Gallery, Tehran, Iran – 2018
• Printmaking & Painting Exhibition, Elaheh Gallery, Tehran, Iran – 2017
Press & Interviews
• IMDA MFA Thesis Exhibition 2025, Center for Art, Design and Visual Culture (CADVC), UMBC – 2025
Featuring Ghazal Mojtahedi as one of five exhibiting artists – CADVC.UMBC.edu, USA
• BmoreArt’s Picks: March 25–31 – 2025
Featured listing of The Only Way Out Is Through: 2025 IMDA MFA Thesis Exhibition – BmoreArt.com, USA (March 2025)
• Moza Moza: A Theatrical Critique on Corruption – 2019
Featuring commentary by Sirus Hemmati, Ali Yaghoubzadeh, and Ghazal Mojtahedi – HonarOnline.ir, Iran
• Review of Moza Moza at the 15th Theater Critique Session – 2019
Coverage of the play Moza Moza, featuring Ghazal Mojtahedi – MehrNews.com, Iran