Iranian-born photographer Ramin Samandari arrived in Odessa, Texas in 1978 at age 17, sent there by his parents in the midst of the Iranian revolution. Samandari thought he might return to his homeland in a few years with a medical degree, but then the Iran-Iraq War broke out,so he renewed his U.S. visa, eventually got a green card, and in 1990 he became a U.S. citizen.
A resident of San Antonio since 1988, Samandari decided in the early '90s to pursue his life long passion of photography.
Throughout the '90s, Samandari exhibited mostly at non-traditional venues in San Antonio and Austin.
Between 2000 and 2001, he had solo exhibitions at the University of Incarnate Word's Center for Spirituality, the Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center, Carver Cultural Art Center and the San Antonio Museum of Art. He has been a stalwart of the San Antonio art scene ever since.
His work has been exhibited at The Blue Star Contemporary Art Museum, UTSA gallery, Southwest School of Art, Artpace, City of San Antonio Department of Arts and Culture and many private galleries.
Samandari’s work is in the permanent collection at San Antonio Museum of Art, University of Texas at San Antonio, Tobin Center for the Performing Art and Institute of Texan Cultures.
Magical Realism Studio is located at The Lone Star Art District, 107 Lone Star Blvd. San Antonio, TX..
Rivard Report Article on "Huddled Masses, Who We Are" Project
San Antonio Express News Article on "Huddled Masses, Who We Are" Project
Profile for Glasstire by David S. Rubin
KLRN TV segment on "San Antonio Faces of Art" Project
Collections:
UTSA Institute of Texan Cultures
San Antonio Museum of Art.
University of Texas at San Antonio.
Tobin Center for the Performing Art.
Selected one person exhibits:
"Faces of Islam", A microcosm of the Muslim community in San Antonio. Dock Space Gallery and Annex. San Antonio, TX. September 2022
"Huddled Masses, Who We Are" - UTSA Institute of Texan Cultures. San Antonio, Texas. September 2019
"Body and Mind" - Dock Space Gallery ( Lone Star Art District). San Antonio, Texas. September 2017
"San Antonio Faces of Art" - Department of Culture and Creative Development. Plaza de Armas, San Antonio, Texas. July 2016
"Faces of Artpace" - Artpace San Antonio. June 2016
"Earthly Bodies" - Gallery Nord. San Antonio, Texas. September 2011 San Antonio Express News
"Veils of Nephele" - Southwest school of Art. San Antonio, Texas. September 2010 San Antonio Express News
"Revelations in the landscape" - University of Texas at San Antonio.Texas. September 2007
"In Search of the Beloved" - Bihl Haus Arts. San Antonio, Texas. July 2007
"Fragments of Memories" (A personal glimpse into modern day Iran)- Blue Star Contemporary Art Center. San Antonio, Texas.
"Sacred Landscapes" - Center for Spirituality and the Arts. San Antonio, Texas. 2004
"Reflections of Islam" - San Antonio Museum of Art. San Antonio, Texas. 2001
"The Immaculate Conception" - Carver Cultural Center. San Antonio, Texas. March 2000
"Suspended Effect of a Presence" - Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center. San Antonio, Texas. September 2000
Selected group exhibits:
"Common Currents" - Group invitationa exhibit ( San Antonio Tricentennial event ).Artpace. San Antonio, TX. 2018
"50 at 50" - group invitationl exhibit. Southwest School of Art. San Antonio, Texas.
"15 Artists @ Gallery Nord"- Gallery Nord. San Antonio, Texas.
"The View from Here" - Bismarck Studios. San Antonio, Texas.
"Urban Jealousy; International Roaming Biennial of Tehran" - Istanbul and Tehran.
"Local Loteria" - Southwest School of Art. San Antonio, Texas.
"Poniendo Ojo" - AnArte gallery. San Antonio, Texas.
"Spirituality and Creativity" - Southwest School of Art. San Antonio, Texas.
"La Femme" - Centro Cultural Aztlan. San Antonio, Texas.
Publications:
"Art at our Doorstep; San Antonio writers & artists". Published by Trinity University press. Edited by Nan Cuba and Riley Robinson.
"Wildflower. Stone"; Poetry book by Marian Haddad. Published by Pecan Grove Press.
Fotoseptiembre Internacional; 1996, 1998, 2000.
Grants:
City of San Antonio Department of Arts and Culture. Individual project grant. 2022-2023
New York Foundation for the Arts Individual grant. 2022
A resident of San Antonio since 1988, Samandari decided in the early '90s to pursue his life long passion of photography.
Throughout the '90s, Samandari exhibited mostly at non-traditional venues in San Antonio and Austin.
Between 2000 and 2001, he had solo exhibitions at the University of Incarnate Word's Center for Spirituality, the Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center, Carver Cultural Art Center and the San Antonio Museum of Art. He has been a stalwart of the San Antonio art scene ever since.
His work has been exhibited at The Blue Star Contemporary Art Museum, UTSA gallery, Southwest School of Art, Artpace, City of San Antonio Department of Arts and Culture and many private galleries.
Samandari’s work is in the permanent collection at San Antonio Museum of Art, University of Texas at San Antonio, Tobin Center for the Performing Art and Institute of Texan Cultures.
Magical Realism Studio is located at The Lone Star Art District, 107 Lone Star Blvd. San Antonio, TX..
Rivard Report Article on "Huddled Masses, Who We Are" Project
San Antonio Express News Article on "Huddled Masses, Who We Are" Project
Profile for Glasstire by David S. Rubin
KLRN TV segment on "San Antonio Faces of Art" Project
Collections:
UTSA Institute of Texan Cultures
San Antonio Museum of Art.
University of Texas at San Antonio.
Tobin Center for the Performing Art.
Selected one person exhibits:
"Faces of Islam", A microcosm of the Muslim community in San Antonio. Dock Space Gallery and Annex. San Antonio, TX. September 2022
"Huddled Masses, Who We Are" - UTSA Institute of Texan Cultures. San Antonio, Texas. September 2019
"Body and Mind" - Dock Space Gallery ( Lone Star Art District). San Antonio, Texas. September 2017
"San Antonio Faces of Art" - Department of Culture and Creative Development. Plaza de Armas, San Antonio, Texas. July 2016
"Faces of Artpace" - Artpace San Antonio. June 2016
"Earthly Bodies" - Gallery Nord. San Antonio, Texas. September 2011 San Antonio Express News
"Veils of Nephele" - Southwest school of Art. San Antonio, Texas. September 2010 San Antonio Express News
"Revelations in the landscape" - University of Texas at San Antonio.Texas. September 2007
"In Search of the Beloved" - Bihl Haus Arts. San Antonio, Texas. July 2007
"Fragments of Memories" (A personal glimpse into modern day Iran)- Blue Star Contemporary Art Center. San Antonio, Texas.
"Sacred Landscapes" - Center for Spirituality and the Arts. San Antonio, Texas. 2004
"Reflections of Islam" - San Antonio Museum of Art. San Antonio, Texas. 2001
"The Immaculate Conception" - Carver Cultural Center. San Antonio, Texas. March 2000
"Suspended Effect of a Presence" - Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center. San Antonio, Texas. September 2000
Selected group exhibits:
"Common Currents" - Group invitationa exhibit ( San Antonio Tricentennial event ).Artpace. San Antonio, TX. 2018
"50 at 50" - group invitationl exhibit. Southwest School of Art. San Antonio, Texas.
"15 Artists @ Gallery Nord"- Gallery Nord. San Antonio, Texas.
"The View from Here" - Bismarck Studios. San Antonio, Texas.
"Urban Jealousy; International Roaming Biennial of Tehran" - Istanbul and Tehran.
"Local Loteria" - Southwest School of Art. San Antonio, Texas.
"Poniendo Ojo" - AnArte gallery. San Antonio, Texas.
"Spirituality and Creativity" - Southwest School of Art. San Antonio, Texas.
"La Femme" - Centro Cultural Aztlan. San Antonio, Texas.
Publications:
"Art at our Doorstep; San Antonio writers & artists". Published by Trinity University press. Edited by Nan Cuba and Riley Robinson.
"Wildflower. Stone"; Poetry book by Marian Haddad. Published by Pecan Grove Press.
Fotoseptiembre Internacional; 1996, 1998, 2000.
Grants:
City of San Antonio Department of Arts and Culture. Individual project grant. 2022-2023
New York Foundation for the Arts Individual grant. 2022