Details

First Name

Maya

Last Name

Smira

Username

maya

Bio

Maya Smira (born in 1983) is a multidisciplinary artist specializing in time-based media, combining photography, video, installation, and performance with her practice in dance, yoga, and movement. Having lived in various places around the world, including the Middle East, Europe, America, and the Far East, her work engages with global and social issues, deeply influenced by her international travels. Maya holds a BA in Arts and Humanities from the Open University of Tel Aviv(2012), a BFA in Photography from Minshar School of Art (2012), and an MFA from the San Francisco Art Institute (2014). She also holds a teaching certificate from Kibbutzim College of Education and is a certified dance and yoga instructor.

Maya has presented multiple solo exhibitions, and her work has been featured in museums, galleries, and festivals worldwide. She works extensively in artist residency programs, including in Los Angeles, New York, Shanghai, Iceland, Jerusalem, India, and Japan. Her residencies include the Swatch Art Peace Hotel (2019) and her current residency at the NARS Foundation. Maya’s artistic achievements include notable awards and grants, including the LG Art of the Pixel Award (2014), the Outset Prize for Best Video Artist at Fresh Paint Art Fair Tel-Aviv (2016), an Honorable Mention by the International Photography Awards in NYC (2018), an Exhibition Grant by the Rabinovitch Foundation for the Arts (2019), a Production Grant by the Mandel Foundation for Excellence in Art (2024), and an Artis Residency Grant (2025).

 

In her practice, Maya explores global and interpersonal themes, addressing both the visible and hidden changes in our world, alongside geographical, social, and cultural conflicts and processes globally.

Website

http://www.mayasmira.com

Country of residence

United States (US)