B I O | Robin Elise Maaya

Robin Elise Maaya (b. 1998) is a versatile photographer hailing from the charming and whimsical city of Savannah, Georgia. Having had a camera in hand since the ripe age of eight years old, she has developed a keen eye for capturing the magic in the mundane through visual storytelling. Her passion for photography is driven by her obsession with documenting the ordinary in order to elevate the essence of everyday life to a level of fine art imagery.

Influenced by photographic pioneers such as Sally Mann, Mary Ellen Mark, and Francesca Woodman, Maaya aims to emulate the artistry of her predecessors in order to create a consistent aesthetic in her wide range of subject matter. From the beloved children and families in her life to the local businesses she frequents to the self-portraiture that is relevant in her recently completed and showcased body of work, EXODUS, Maaya strives to tell a story and evoke emotion with whatever subject lands in front of her camera.

Inspired by life, grief, and vulnerability, Robin has blended a love for documentary story-telling and fine art expression through stark, intense, and often emotional photographs.

With a lifelong interest in the arts, Maaya has found inspiration from a variety of mediums and materials that have further inspired and pushed her photographic capabilities. Using tactile objects and a variety of printing methods, Maaya has elevated her photographs to an entirely new level.

In her most recent exhibition for her body of work, EXODUS, Maaya dives head first into the depths of childhood memories - and the darkness that surrounds them - while shedding light on the complex and fragile nature of the human experience. The creation of this visual journey that delves into the profundity of family dynamics showcases Maaya’s resilient nature through her navigation of the shadows and the acceptance of a hidden light.

More recently, Maaya is venturing into another self-healing project, but this time in an artists residency in Lacoste, France situated in the Luberon Valley of Provence. The project she is currently working on titled “The Duet”, is an intimate exploration of her fourteen year journey to finally receiving an Endometriosis diagnosis in April 2023 as well as her own personal experiences in the world of women’s healthcare. During this time, Maaya is taking a step away from her photographic endeavors to get her hands messy - literally and figuratively. Utilizing mediums such as painting, bead work, felting, sculpture, collage, mixed media, and more, Maaya’s goal is to create a body of work that both comforts and disgusts her future viewers to better advocate for Endometriosis awareness - and more generally - the crisis at hand within women’s reproductive healthcare.

Through her artistic lens, Maaya invites us to see the world with new eyes and embrace the power of raw vulnerability and healing through the art of photography. Her work is a visual testament to the catharsis that is within the dissection of our most sacred and suppressed memories and the fears we carry at our core. With each photograph, she transports her viewers to a place where they can confront their own hardships and find solace in the beauty of not having all of the answers.

A friend of hers once sent her a letter saying this: “You have a gift…and it’s not just talent…It’s like you were selected to leave our legacy. The power you have… you can tell your own story, my story, and their story…” and that is exactly what Robin intends to do.

R O B I N E L I S E M A A Y A

2 2 8 - 3 4 3 - 9 9 1 1

R O B I N . M A A Y A @ G M A I L . C O M

R O B I N M A A Y A . C O M

E D U C A T I O N :

S A V A N N A H C O L L E G E O F A R T A N D D E S I G N , 2 0 2 1

S U M M A C U M L A U D E

B F A P H O T O G R A P H Y

F I N E A R T / D O C U M E N T A R Y C O N C E N T R A T I O N

A R T I S T R E S I D E N C I E S:

J A N U A R Y - M A R C H 2 0 2 5: S E L E C T E D S C A D A L U M N I

A T E L I E R A M B A S S A D O R S H I P - L A C O S T E , P R O V E N C E , F R A N C E

O C T O B E R 2 0 2 1 - F E B R U A R Y 2 0 2 2 : S E L E C T E D S C A D A L U M N I

A T E L I E R A S S O C I A T E - S A V A N N A H , G E O R G I A

A W A R D S / H O N O R S :

2 0 2 1 / 2 0 2 2 U N I O N M I S S I O N / S C A D S E R V E M I S S I O N O F M E R C Y

S E L E C T E D P H O T O G R A P H E R F O R P A R K E R S H O U S E

2 0 1 7 - 2 0 2 1 S C A D P O R T F O L I O S C H O L A R S H I P R E C I P I E N T

2 0 1 7 - 2 0 2 1 S C A D A C A D E M I C S C H O L A R S H I P R E C I P I E N T

2 0 1 7 - 2 0 2 1 S C A D S T U D E N T I N C E N T I V E S C H O L A R S H I P

R E C I P I E N T

S E L E C T E D S O L O E X H I B I T I O N S :

2 0 2 4 E X O D U S

C E D A R H O U S E G A L L E R Y - S A V A N N A H , G E O R G I A

2 0 2 2 H O M E A W A Y F R O M H O M E : R E V I S I T E D

C E D A R H O U S E G A L L E R Y - S A V A N N A H , G E O R G I A

2 0 2 2 - 2 0 2 4 M I S S I O N O F M E R C Y , U N I O N M I S S I O N “P A R K E R H O U S E”

S A V A N N A H , G E O R G I A - P E R M A N A N T G A L L E R Y

2 0 2 2 I T ’ S A T H U R S D A Y

S A V O Y S O C I E T Y - S A V A N N A H , G E O R G I A

2 0 2 1 H O M E A W A Y F R O M H O M E

C E D A R H O U S E G A L L E R Y - S A V A N N A H , G E O R G I A

2 0 2 1 - 2 0 2 4 H O M E A W A Y F R O M H O M E

M A T T H E W R E A R D O N C E N T E R F O R A U T I S M

S A V A N N A H , G E O R G I A - P E R M A N A N T G A L L E R Y

2 0 1 9 M O U L T I N G

T H E L O F T G A L L E R Y - S A V A N N A H , G E O R G I A

2 0 1 9 G I R L S W A R D : L E F T

T H E L O F T G A L L E R Y - S A V A N N A H , G E O R G I A

2 0 1 9 G I R L S W A R D : L E F T

O H I O N O R T H E R N U N I V E R S I T Y - A D A , O H I O

2 0 1 9 G I R L S W A R D : L E F T

S T A G E A D A P T A T I O N B A S E D O N T H E B O O K

O H I O N O R T H E R N U N I V E R S I T Y - A D A , O H I O

S E L E C E T E D G R O U P E X H I B I T I O N S :

2 o 2 4 S T U D I O A R T I S T S T A K E O V E R - E X O D U S R E V I S I T E D

C E D A R H O U S E G A L L E R Y - S A V A N N A H , G E O R G I A

2 0 2 4 R U R A L S O U T H - M A I N E X H I B I T

S L O W E X P O S U R E S - Z E B U L O N , G E O R G I A

2 0 2 4 B E Y O N D T H E V E I L

I N T E R N A T I O N A L P H O T O G R A P H Y H A L L O F F A M E & M U S E U M

- S T. L O U I S , M I S S O U R I

2 0 2 2 L O O K !

S U L F U R S T U D I O S - S A V A N N A H , G E O R G I A

2 0 2 1 A L E X A N D E R I N K

S C A D A L E X A N D E R H A L L - S A V A N N A H , G E O R G I A

2 0 2 1 H O M E C O M I N G

M F A P H O T O G R A P H Y R E V I E W S - G L O B A L

2 0 2 1 L O C A L A R T I S T S H O W C A S E

C E D A R H O U S E G A L L E R Y - S A V A N N A H , G E O R G I A

2 0 2 1 L A B O R O F L O V E

C U M U L U S P H O T O - V I R T U A L G A L L E R Y

2 0 2 1 I N T R O S P E C T I O N

L U N A C O L L E C T I V E - V I R T U A L G A L L E R Y

2 0 2 0 P O R T C I T Y R E V I E W

S C A D - S A V A N N A H , G E O R G I A

2 0 2 0 A R T O F P O R T R A I T

N E W Y O R K , N E W Y O R K

2 0 1 9 C H I L D H O O D

P H O T O P L A C E G A L L E R Y - M I D D L E B E R R Y , V E R M O N T

2 0 1 9 P O R T C I T Y R E V I E W

S C A D - S A V A N N A H , G E O R G I A

2 0 1 9 A R T I S T S B O O K S Y M P O S I U M (G I R L S W A R D : L E F T)

S C A D - A T L A N T A , G E O R G I A

2 0 1 8 T H E R E , T H E I R , T H E Y ’ R E

M O O N R I V E R B R E W I N G C O M P A N Y - S A V A N N A H , G E O R G I A

M O N O G R A P H S :

2 0 2 4 E X O D U S

2 0 2 3 I T ’ S A T H U R S D A Y : T H E B O O K O F E V E R Y T H I N G

2 0 2 2 I T ’ S A T H U R S D A Y V O L U M E I I

2 0 2 1 I T ’ S A T H U R S D A Y V O L U M E I

2 0 2 1 H O M E A W A Y F R O M H O M E

2 0 2 1 S E N I O R C O L L E C T I V E

2 0 1 9 M O U L T I N G

2 0 1 9 G I R L S W A R D : L E F T

2 0 1 9 I I

2 0 1 9 L A N C A S T E R B L V D.

P R E S S / P U B L I C A T I O N S :

2 O 2 4 C O N N E C T S A V A N N A H - E X O D U S

S A V A N N A H, G E O R G I A

2 0 2 4 T H E S A V A N N A H I A N - E X O D U S

S A V A N N A H, G E O R G I A

2 0 2 4 C A N V A S R E B E L - M E E T R O B I N E L I S E M A A Y A

N A T I O N W I D E

2 0 2 4 F R E E P I Z Z A P O D C A S T : R O B I N E L I S E M A A Y A

S A V A N N A H, G E O R G I A

2 0 2 4 S T R A N D P O D C A S T : R O B I N E L I S E M A A Y A