Masood Sarwer is a visual artist and a documentary photographer based in India. His artistic practice centres around the tensions surrounding identity, gender, human rights, and climate emergency. His work has been exhibited both nationally and internationally.
He practices long-term, in-depth projects and spends most of his time documenting largely issues revolving around ecology to social structures and the contemporary issues in the Murshidabad district region where he grew up and is intimately familiar with.
In 2023, he was named as one the young achievers on Forbes – 30 under 30 (Asia). In 2022, he won the Global Prize “Photography 4 Humanity” and his work was exhibited in the United Nations General Assembly gallery in New York and in “Right Here, Right Now Global Climate Summit” at the University of Colorado Boulder, US. He was also nominated for the 6 x 6 global talent award (Asia) - World Press Photo.
In 2023, he received the Artist Residency in UK from FORMAT Photography Festival and also exhibited his work there in United Kingdom.
In 2020, he got selected for the Eddie Adams Workshop XXXIII where he won “The Jim Dietz Scholarship” and he was one of the finalists at the student Alexia Grant 2020. He also has received a scholarship from VII Academy.
In 2018, he won the scholarship to attend Foundry Photojournalism Workshop and was awarded the Foundry Golden Scarf. He is a faculty member of the Grayscale - Academy of Photography and Creative Vision.
In parallel to his personal documentary works, Sarwer has collaborated with numerous NGOs, media, and press organizations to develop projects that delve into topics that surround the subjects of climate change.
His current long-term project, 'Unintended Consequences'' -- a visual investigation into climate change in the Farakka Barrage was granted the Artist Assist Grantee 2023 by the Nazar Foundation. Where he is examining the definition of “slow violence” birthed by the Barrage and has been documenting the human relationship with the environment.
His work has been published in the magazines like Forbes, National Geographic Traveller Magazine, CU Boulder Today, United Nations Human Rights New York, The Hindu, FORMAT, Edge of Humanity,VII Academy, FirstPost, Creative Image Magazine, Vasa Project, and Galería Quarentena.