Rania Matar’s work focuses on the Middle East, mainly women and children, and her recent projects-which examine the Palestinian refugee camps in Lebanon, the recent spread veil and its meanings, and the aftermath of war-intend to give a voice to people who have been forgotten or misunderstood. In Boston where she lives she photographs the lives of her four children. Her work has won several awards, and has been published and exhibited widely in the U.S. and internationally. She was recently awarded the artist grant from the Massachusetts Cultural Council, first prize in Women in Photography International, the Purchase Prize for the New England Photographers Biennial 2007 at the Danforth Museum, and Best of Show at the Center for Fine Art Photography in Colorado. Her work was published in the October 2007 issue of B&W Magazine. Her images are currently on exhibit at the Noorderlicht Photofestival 2007 “Acts of Faith” in the Netherlands, at the Danforth Museum in Framinham, MA, and at the Arsenal Center for the Arts in Watertown, MA. She will be exhibiting her work at the Chicago Cultural Center, and at Fotofest in Houston in 2008.
