Bio
Current Location: Spain.
Maysun is an award winning Spanish - Palestinian independent visual journalist based in Spain and mainly focused in documentary photography and investigative storytelling. The interest of learning and her desire to help people made her realise the necessity of documenting her surroundings from a young age.
With a Degree in Photography, a Postgraduate Diploma in Photojournalism from Universidad Autónoma of Barcelona (UAB) and a Master's Degree in Cinematography by ECAM Film School of Madrid, Maysun has been devoted to journalism since 2004. For 20 years, she has been covering conflict, political and social crisis and environmental issues all around the world, including Europe –specially the Balkans – , Southeast Asia, North and East Africa, Central America, but with special emphasis in the Middle East.
Maysun is also a certified professional UAS pilot and operator.
She has worked for non profit clients (NGOS) such as Greenpeace, Intermón-Oxfam and Oxfam Internacional, Red Cross, European Comission (EU), AECID, Instituto Cervantes and national/international News Agencies such as EPA, AFP, Corbis, or ACN (Spain). Her work has been published in the most important papers, magazines and other kind of media such as Time Magazine, The New York Times, Lens Blog by NYT, National Geographic, Foreign Policy, The Guardian, Der Spiegel, Stern, Focus magazine, The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, Los Angeles Times, International Herald Tribune, ABC News, NBC News, Al Jazeera, Die Welt, El País, El Mundo, CNN, Ojo de Pez Magazine, among others.
Maysun also collaborates with prestigious national and prestigious international institutions such as University of Oxford, Columbia University, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Universidad de Zaragoza, Universidad Ciudad de Alicante, Universidad de Alcalá de Henares, among others.
She is an International Federation of Journalists (IJF) member, a RISC Training Alumni and a TEDx Speaker fellow.
Maysun combines her work as a documentary storyteller with painting, artistic creation, public speaking and teaching. She has also taken part as Cinematographer / DOP of “Llueven Vacas" (2017), a several award winning film by director Fran Arráez and screenwriter and author of the work Carlos B., together with consecrated actors as Eduardo Noriega, Maribel Verdú, María Barranco, Laia Marull, Sergio Peris-Mencheta, Asier Etxeandía, Secun de la Rosa or Victor Clavijo, among others. Maysun has starred, along with other colleagues, the latest documentary by Hernán Zin, "Dying to tell", which is currently broadcast in more than 100 countries, through NETFLIX.
In that vein, Maysun has worked in the camera department on the famous Spanish series, “Cuéntame cómo pasó” and "HIT" by RTVE.
"I'm committed to my job as I consider it a way to be engaged and consistent with my convictions and my ethics. Journalism is a way to be engaged with our world."
"I insist."
AWARDS AND GRANTS
2020 IWMF Journalism Relief Fund. Grantee.
2019 "Desalambre" Awards by El Diario.es. Best Multimedia for "Tierra sin Ellas" (Revista 5W). Winner.
2018 II Women Photograph Workshop at Photoville. Grantee.
2018 The New York Times Portfolio Review .Grantee.
2018 Nominated for the 6x6 Talent Program by World Press Photo.
2017 “Enfoque” Prize. Special Category: Women Photojournalists. Winner.
2017 Photojournalism National Award (Spain). Finalist.
2015 Moscow International Foto Awards (MIFA) Editorial: Conflict. Honorable Mention.
2015 IPA Awards. Editorial: War/Conflict First Prize. Winner.
2015 IPA Awards. Deeper Perspective. Honorable Mention.
2015 Photojournalism National Award (Spain). Honorable Mention.
2015 Juan Guerrero Photography Award. Winner.
2015 Applied Arts Photography and Illustration Awards. Photojournalism Story Category. Winner.
2015 4th Edition Prix Lucas Dolega. Finalist.
2014 Favoured daughter of the City of Zaragoza by the Zaragoza City Hall.
2014 IPA Awards. Deeper Perspective. Honorable Mention.
2013 Pulitzer Prize. Nominated by European Pressphoto Agency (EPA) for the coverage of Syria Civil War.
2013 Robert Capa Gold Medal. Nominated by European Pressphoto Agency (EPA) for the coverage of Syria Civil War.
2013 IPA Awards. Editorial: War/Conflict First Prize. Winner.
2013 IPA Awards. Deeper Perspective. Finalist.
2013 Marco Luchetta International Award. Finalist.
2013 Manuel Rivera Ortiz Grant. Finalist.
2013 PDN Photo Annual Award. Winner.
2013 2EME Edition Prix Lucas Dolega. Finalist.
2013 Reflexiva Award. Finalist.
2012 XVI International Prize of Humanitarian Photography Luis Valtueña. Finalist.
2011 PHE Ojo de Pez Human Values Award. Finalist.
2009 IPA Awards. Editorial: Photo Essay. Honorable Mention.
2009 Fotoactivate Awards by Inspiraction NGO and Vice Magazine. Winner.
2009 Enfoca Awards by Share Asociation 2009. Finalist.
2008 Foto-Nikon Award. Finalist.
2008 Fnac New Talent Award 2008. Finalist.
2008 XI International Photojournalism Award - City of Gijon. Finalist.
2008
XI International Photojournalism Grant - “City of Gijon”. Workshop Grantee.
EXHIBITIONS
NOW! (VALENCIA, SPAIN) - July 2023 - April 2024. "Arqueologia de la memòria. Les Fosses de Paterna". Museo Prehistoria de Valencia. Collective.
NOW! (SPAIN) - 2023-X. “25 años del Premio Internacional de Fotografía Humanitaria Luis Valtueña”. Collective. (Travelling).
2023 “To Exist is to Resist. Retrospective of an Occupation. 2005-18”. Museo Cristina García Rodero, Puertollano, Spain. Curated by Maysun and Antonio Graell. Spain. Solo. (Travelling)
2022 "The Road Home: Migration, Displacement & Redefining Where we Live" The JKC Gallery, New Jersey, USA.
2021 “To Exist is to Resist. Retrospective of an Occupation. 2005-18”. Sala La Alhóndiga de Segovia. HAY FESTIVAL SEGOVIA in collaboration with ANIGP-TV and Segovia City Hall. Curated by Antonio Graell. Spain. Solo. (Travellling)
2021 "Front-Eras del Mundo". Torreón Fortea, Zaragoza, Spain. Serendipia Gestión Cultural and Zaragoza City Hall. Collective.
2019 “Invisible. La cárcel de mujeres de Hamas”. Solo exhibition. Madrid Docu Fest.
2019 “To Exist is to Resist. Retrospective of an Occupation. (2005-18)”. SALA CASYC UP. Fundación Caja Cantabria. Santander, Spain. Solo.
2019 “Cierta Luz. De Fotógrafas Aragonesas”. Curated by Colectivo 4F. La Lonja Palace. (Zaragoza). Collective.
2018-X “Iguales en Derechos”. Abogacía Española. Collective. Spain. (Travelling)
2017-X “Creadores de Conciencia”. Programa Arteria DKV. Collective. Spain. (Travelling)
2016 “Invisible. La cárcel de mujeres de Hamas”. Solo exhibition. Fundación Pública Andaluza: El Legado Andalusí. Parque de las Ciencias. Granada, Spain.
2016 “In Prima Linea: Donne Fotoreporter in luoghi di guerra”. Collective. Palazzo Madama. Torino, Italy.
2016 RED ACOGE. EFTI. Espacio Unonueve. (Calle de Gutenberg, 4) Madrid.
2015 “De fotógrafos para fotógrafos”. Asociación Nacional de Informadores Gráficos de Prensa y Televisión (ANIGPTV) Collective. Spain.
2015 “Hell on Earth. Syrian Civil War”. PARIS Climate Change Summit. COP21 2015. Lucie Foundation. France.
2015 - Present “UPFRONT FOTO-REPORTEROS: Una Generación mundial | A world Generation”. Collective. Travelling Worldwide.
2014 “Testigos de las Revoluciones Árabes”. PHOTOESPAÑA 2014. Centro de Historias de Zaragoza. Ayuntamiento de Zaragoza.
2014 “Gaza. Under Fire”. Tehran's International Press Festival. Iran.
2014 “Egyptian Women. Between Revolution and Democracy” Consell de la Joventut de Barcelona, Spain.
2013 "Españoles en primera línea // Estallido Árabe". Sala LaMetro. Colón Metro Station. Photon Festival. Collective. Valencia, Spain.
2013 “Hell on Earth. Syrian Civil War”. Luis Valtueña Award Exhibition by Medicos del Mundo. Collective. Travelling around Spain.
2013 "Doce ojos para el 2012”. La Pantera Rosa. Collective. Zaragoza, Spain.
2012 “Estallido Árabe”. Fotoviedopress 12. Collective. Oviedo, Spain.
2012 “Egyptian Women. Between Revolution and Democracy” Biennal Xavier Miserachs. Solo exhibition. Palafrugell, Spain.
2011 “Freedom Shadows” Fotoviedopress 11. Collective. Oviedo, Spain.
2010 “Kosova Independence. The Price of Freedom”. Multimedia. Zphoto Collective. Zaragoza, Spain.
2010 “To Exist is to Resist” Collective. APFA. Gijón. Spain.
2010 “To Exist is to Resist” Solo exhibition. Palau Robert. Barcelona, Spain.
2009 “To Exist is to Resist” Solo exhibition. Alcorcón Social Center. Madrid, Spain.
2009 “To Exist is to Resist” Solo exhibition. Sala Entresuelo. Granada. Spain,
2008 “To Exist is to Resist” Collective Projection. XI International Photojournalism. Festival “City of Gijón”. Gijón, Spain.
2008-09 “Feeling Tennis”. ATP PICTURES. FNAC for. Collective. Around Spain.
2006 “Mentides, enganys, mitges veritats.” Group exhibition. Centre Cultural Tecla Sala. Barcelona. Spain.
2005 “Impresions”. Multimedia. Sala “Dra”. Museo Marítimo de Barcelona. Spain.
BOOKS AND CATALOGS.
2019 “Cierta Luz. De Fotógrafas Aragonesas”. Catalog. Comisariada por Colectivo 4F. Zaragoza, Spain.
2018 “Creadores de Conciencia”. Programa Arteria DKV. Catalog. Spain.
2018 “Queer Terror. Life, Death and Desire in the Settler Colony”. C. Heike Schotten. Columbia University.
2017 “Fotoperiodismo 3.0. Libro Blanco del Fotoperiodismo”. Estela Alcaide. libros.com.
2016 “Fremden Zimmer. 16 junge Männer aus Syrien und ihre Geschichten”. Wilhelm Christoph Warning. Sieveking Verlag.
2016 “Siria. Revolución, sectarismo y yihad”. Ignacio Álvarez-Ossorio. Fundación Alternativas. Editorial La Catarata.
2016 “In Prima Linea: Donne Fotoreporter in luoghi di guerra”. Catalog. Palazzo Madama. Torino, Italy.
2015 “Number 1. Después de la guerra”. REVISTA 5W.
2015 “UPFRONT FOTO-REPORTEROS: Una Generación mundial | A world Generation”. Book.
2014 “Testigos de las Revoluciones Árabes”. PHOTOESPAÑA 2014. Catalog. Ayuntamiento de Zaragoza.
2013 “Photon Festival. The book”. Various authors. Valencia, Spain.
2013 “Siria. Más Allá de Bab Al Salam”. Libros.com. Ethel Bonet, Manu Brabo, Sergi Cabeza, Maysun, Antonio Pampliega, Alberto Prieto.
2008 Foto Nikon 2008. Digital Photo Image S.A. Various authors. Barcelona, Spain.
2008 “Paisatges Quotidians”. Manuel Atuan. Xarxa D'Enllaç amb Palestina. Ajuntament de Barcelona. Various authors. Barcelona, Spain.
CINEMA, TV, DOCUMENTARIES and MULTIMEDIA.
2022 “Kautela, el fotógrafo”. By Patricia Roda Amador · Documental, Biopic. Starred as herself. (Spain)
2021 “Detrás del Instante”. Season II by RTVE. Protagonist. Starred as herself. (Spain)
2020 "Solita". by Maysun for Red Jesus. Official clip. Role: Director and protagonist. (Spain)
2019-20 "HIT". RTVE Series. Role: Still Photographer at Camera Dep. (Spain)
2019 "Cuéntame cómo pasó". RTVE Series. Role: Camera Dep. (Spain)
2019 "Europa" by Sergio Duce. Role: Photojournalist. (Spain)
2018 "Dying to Tell" by Hernán Zin. Role: Protagonist. (Spain)
2018 "Tierra sin Ellas" Docuweb by Revista 5W and Intermon Oxfam. (Coproduction)
2017 "Llueven vacas" by Fran Arráez. Feature film. Role: Cinematographer. (Spain)
2010 "Dou te Nada" by Arturo Palomares for Expensive Soul. Official clip. Role: Camerawoman. (Portugal)
2008 "Burbujas" by Arturo Palomares for El Luto del Rey Cuervo. Official clip. Role: Camerawoman. (Spain)