Maheder Haileselassie Seed Awards recipient

Maheder Haileselassie is a self-taught photographer and visual artist based in Ethiopia. Maheder’s artistic practice is informed by the everyday history, memory, and experiences between herself and the people she engages with. She is interested in documenting women's issues, showcasing and celebrating communities that are finding paths to self-sufficiency, and exploring rural/urban challenges and potentials that involve youth, health, agriculture, or technology. She follows an open approach, oscillating between past archives and utopian dreams, emphasizing both from an Ethiopian context. Maheder has been accepted to various renowned programs, such as World Press Photo Masterclass and New York Times Portfolio Review, and her work “Between Yesterday and Tomorrow” won the 2023 Contemporary African Photography Prize. She also runs the Center for Photography in Ethiopia, a learning platform for emerging photographers.