Ziyah Gafić was born in Sarajevo, where he graduated in Comparative literature. Since 1999 he has been travelling extensively and covered major events in more then forty countries. Gafić’s work was exhibited at many relevant galleries and photo festivals such as: Visa pour l'image Perpignan, Rencontres du photograhie Arles, Fovea Editions New York, Oude Kerk Amsterdam, Tom Blau gallery London, Grazia Neri gallery Milano. Nowdays, he regularly publishes his work in some of the worlds leading publications such as Amica, La repubblica, Time, GEO, The Sunday Times Magazine, Tank, Telegraph Magazine, Newsweek, L'Espresso. His photo essay on Bosnia was published in the book „Tales from Globalizing World“ by Thames & Hudson while his works are included in several overviews of contemporary photography such as „Photography as Contemporary Art“ by Thames & Hudson and „The way people live“ by Gabriel Bauret.
Gafić just completed his long term project “Troubled Islam”.
SELECTED AWARDS & GRANTS
2001. Ian Parry scholarship
2001. World Press Photo 2nd prize
2001. World Press Photo Masterclass
2002. Kodak Award for Young Reporters at Visa pour l’Image
2002. World Press Photo 1st prize
2002. World Press Photo 2nd prize
2002. HSBC foundation special mention
2003. PDN’s 30 emerging photographers
2003. Grand Prix Discovery of the Year at Arles Meetings of photography
2005. Giacomelli memorial fund
2007. Getty Images Grant for Editorial Photography
2007. American Photography
2007. Photo District News award
2007. Hasselblad Masters award finalist
2014. TED speaker and TED fellow
“In all their simplicity, these items are the last resort of identity, the last permanent reminder that these people ever existed.” A stark but powerful tribute to the victims of the Bosnian War.
Consortium Book Sales & Dist, January 10, 2012