Basir Mahmood MDSVAD - BNU

Basir Mahmood

Graduation year:   2010

From MDSVAD Distinction to Global Cinematic and Artistic Acclaim

Since graduating with Distinction in BFA Visual Arts from BNU in 2010, Basir Mahmood has established an internationally acclaimed practice spanning major biennials, museums, and universities. From Rijksakademie fellow to Oxford curriculum feature, his celebrated journey reflects MDSVAD's power to expand artistic imagination and shape global contemporary discourse.

MDSVAD Mariam Dawood School of Visual Arts & Design, BNU

Imagining Possibilities Beyond Borders

Graduating with Distinction from BNU in 2010, Basir Mahmood has carved a monumental path in contemporary art and cinema. From Rijksakademie and Harvard research fellowships to winning the Ammodo Tiger Short Award at Rotterdam, his practice bridges cinematic research and global pedagogy. Today, his works enrich prestigious collections like the Stedelijk Museum and Oxford University's curriculum—a profound testament to MDSVAD's legacy of nurturing world-class creative visionaries.

“I still remember the excitement of first entering BNU, and I continue to return to that feeling as a source of inspiration. For me, excitement is the essential condition for making art. At MDSVAD, I was fortunate to have extraordinary teachers who introduced us to fresh ideas, methods and techniques, while always reminding us that there was much more to discover.

I strongly believe that BNU's red-brick and glass building contains all the possibilities one needs to discover what one truly wants and provides the foundation from which to pursue it. During my years there, I changed everything about myself and the world around me. The international recognition my work later received was a possibility I first began to imagine while I was at BNU.”

Career highlights

International Film & Art Awards

Recipient of the Ammodo Tiger Short Award at the International Film Festival Rotterdam, the International Short Film Award at Open City Documentary Festival in London, the 2nd Paulo Cunha e Silva Art Prize (Porto), and the 18th Contemporary Art Festival Sesc_Videobrasil Prize (São Paulo).

Academic Leadership & Pedagogy

Completed a Master of Film – Artistic Research at the Netherlands Film Academy (2025). His piece Brown Bodies in an Open Landscape Are Often Migrating was incorporated into Oxford University's Ruskin School of Art curriculum in 2025. Appointed to teach Master’s students in Integrated Media and Art & Media Studies at Carl von Ossietzky University of Oldenburg (Winter 2026–27).

Prestigious Fellowships & Research

Served as a Research Fellow at the Rijksakademie van beeldende kunsten in Amsterdam (2016–2017) and won the South Asia Institute Emerging Artist Award from Harvard University (2015). Presented research at Harvard University's South Asia Institute and Goldsmiths, University of London.

Institutional Collections

Artwork acquired by renowned international institutions including the Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam, M HKA Antwerp, Centre national des arts plastiques (CNAP, France), FRAC Bretagne, Qatar Museums, Queensland Art Gallery, and KADIST (Paris & San Francisco).

Basir Mahmood’s pioneering artistic research, distinguished pedagogical contributions, and global recognition exemplify the transformative spirit of BNU—where curiosity is ignited within red-brick walls and carried to the world’s most prestigious cultural stages.

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