Background
Shamsavari was born in Tehran, Iran on the same year of the Islamic Revolution. Her mother is an Iranian Bahá"í and her father is of Azerbaijani and Kurdish descent.
Shamsavari was born in Tehran, Iran on the same year of the Islamic Revolution. Her mother is an Iranian Bahá"í and her father is of Azerbaijani and Kurdish descent.
Sara attended the Camberwell School of Art and Design at the University of the Arts London, and during this time experimented with painting, drawing, mixed media and photography, which by her final year dominated.
At 16 months old, Shamsavari developed Wilms" tumor, a tumor of the kidneys. This, along with the persecution the family faced after the Revolution, prompted the family to escape Iran. The family initially moved to Brazil, where they lived for three months before being granted asylum in Britain.
There Shamsavari was successfully cured of cancer at Great Ormond Street Hospital, an experience which later affected her work: "I hope to inspire people towards the message of love, equality and acceptance in this troubled world we live in."
Sara produced work in a range of mediums choosing photography as the first of her professional endeavours for its ability to create an instant bond between the artist and the outside world.