Curriculum Vitae

 

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UPCOMING EXHIBITION|CURATORIAL PROJECT

2024  Across Latitudes, Soheila Esfahani, Heidi McKenzie, Zinnia Naqvi, curated by Shannon Anderson, Art Gallery of Mississauga, Mississauga, ON, July 20-September 29

2024  In Search of a Loss of Self: The Language of Alterity, works from McIntosh Gallery’s Permanent Collection curated by Soheila Esfahani & Mélika Hashemi, McIntosh Gallery, London, ON (fall)

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SOLO EXHIBITIONS

2024  Are You Buying These with Loonies or Toonies?, curated by Shannon Bingeman, Tom Thomson Art Gallery, Owen Sound, ON

2023  Cultured Pallets: Aga Khan Museum, site-specific installation at the Aga Khan Museum, curated by Bita Pourvash, Toronto, ON.
2023 
The Tool That Could Part Tangled Things, Red Head Gallery, Toronto, ON.

2022-23  Been T[here], Cambridge Art Galleries (Preston Gallery), Cambridge, ON.

2022  Been T[here], Red Head Gallery, Toronto, ON.

2019  Cultured Pallets: True North, site-specific installation at the True North conference, Kitchener, ON.
2019  Pattern (dis)Placement, Red Head Gallery, Toronto, ON.
2019  Pattern (dis)Placement, Redeemer University College Gallery, Ancaster, ON.

2018  Cultural Translation, Grebel Gallery at Centre for Peace Advancement, Conrad Grebel University College, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON
2018 
IntersticeStation Gallery, Whitby, ON.
2018.
Interstice, Ross Creek Centre for the Arts, Canning, NS.

2017  ImmigrantsUniversity of Waterloo Art Gallery, Waterloo, ON.
2017 
IntersticeThe Red Head Gallery, Toronto, ON.
2017  Artist’s Project, Glenhyrst Art Gallery of Brant, Branford, ON.
2017  Interstice, Republic Gallery, Vancouver, BC.

2016  In-BetweenDurham Art Gallery, Durham, ON.

2014  My Place is Placeless, The Red Head Gallery, Toronto, ON.

2012  10/12/2012, Homer Watson House and Gallery, Kitchener, ON.

2011  Somewhere In Between: Poems, Pallets, Patterns, Buffalo Arts Studio, Buffalo, NY.

2010  Trans-(across, over, beyond), MFA Thesis Exhibition, Art Lab, University of Western Ontario, London, ON. (catalouge)

2009  The Seeker & the Search, curated by Suzanne Luke, Robert Langen Art Gallery, Wilfrid Laurier University, Waterloo, ON.

2008  The Seeker & the Search, Redhead Gallery, Toronto, ON.
2008  Mapping of a Quest, Rotunda Gallery, Kitchener, ON.

2007  What is not to be found is my desire, Cambridge Centre for the Arts, Cambridge, ON.

2006  What is not to be found is my desire, Propeller Centre for the Visual Arts, Toronto, ON.
2006  Hear the Secrets Hidden within the Notes, Homer Watson House & Gallery, Kitchener, ON.

2005  Hear the Secrets Hidden within the Notes, Propeller Centre for the Visual Arts, Toronto, ON.
2005  Poetic Compositions, Curated by SAVAC (South Asian Visual Arts Collective), Canadian Heritage Head Office, Toronto, ON.

2004  Poetic Compositions, Propeller Centre for the Visual Arts, Toronto, ON.
2004  Poetic Compositions, Rotunda Gallery, Kitchener, ON.

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SELECTED SMALL GROUP EXHIBITIONS

2023  of many worlds in this world, Soheila Esfahani, Jessica Karuhanga, Sheri Nault, curated by Ashar Mobeen, Artlab Gallery, Western University, London, ON.
2023  Portraits of Home, Soheila Esfahani, Travis Shilling, Jordyn Stewart, Diana Thorneycroft, curated by Alexandra Hartstone, Grimsby Public Art Gallery, Grimsby, ON, Gallery Stratford, Stratford, ON

2022  The Art of Living: On Community, Immigration, and the Migration of Symbols, Jude Abu Zeineh, Soheila Esfahani, Xiaojing Yan, curated by Catherine Bédard, Canadian Cultural Centre, Paris, France. Watch the preview produced by Canadian Cultural Centre Paris here.

2021  Garden Dispatches, collaborative online project by Soheila Esfahani, Tonia Di  Risio & Sally Thurlow, Red Head Gallery, Toronto, ON.

2020  Representing the Diaspora: Adaptation. Hybridization. Resistance. Soheila Esfahani, Mariam Magsi & Sumaira Tazeen curated by Iman Bhatti, OCADU Graduate Gallery, Toronto, ON.
2020
Translations, Jamelie Hassan & Soheila Esfahani, curated by Jenelle Pasiechnik, Campbell River Art Gallery, Campbell River, BC.

2018-19  Connections & Contexts: 4 Artists Explore Islamic Influences and Traditions, Soheila Esfahani, Melika Hashemi, Jamelie Hassan, Sumaira Tazeen, THEMUSEUM, Kitchener, ON.

2016  Pattern Migration, Soheila Esfahani, Sanaz Mazinani & Diyan Achjadi, curated by Kendra Ainsworth, Art Gallery of Mississauga, Mississauga, ON.

2015  Traversive Territories, Sarindar Dhaliwal, Soheila Esfahani, Colette Urban, curated by Corinna Ghaznavi, Varley Art Gallery, Markham, ON.

2013  Equal Interference, site-specific installation by Soheila Esfahani & Carlos Tamarit, curated by Suzanne Luke, Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics, Waterloo, ON.
2013 Ornamental Boundaries, Soheila Esfahani & Brendon Tang, curated by Crystal Mowry, Kitchener-Waterloo Art Gallery, Kitchener, ON.

2012  Past Forward | Present TENSE, curated by Michelle Salter, Soheila Esfahani, Fatima Garzan, Farhang Jalili, Hamilton Artist Inc., Hamilton, ON. (catalogue)

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SELECTED JURIED & GROUP EXHIBITIONS

2023-24  DRAFTS 4: Body and Space Relations, Akash Inbakumar, Atanas Bozdarov, Clemens Thornquist, Erin Lewis, Helga Halldorsdottir, Karin Landahl & Stefanie Malmgren de Oliveira, Marjan Kooroshnia, Sameer Farooq & Soheila Esfahani, curated by Tazeen Qayyum, Faisal Anwar & Faseeh Saleem, Art Address, Oakville, ON,  Textil Museet, Borås, Sweden.

2023  Node, group exhibition by members of Red Head Gallery, plan.d. produzentengalerie, Dusseldorf, Germany.
2023  
Embassy Cultural House: Celebrating 40 Years of Cultural History, Satellite Project Space, London, ON.
2023  Ornamental Gestures, Virgil Baruchel, Millie Chen, Ruth Cuthand, Soheila Esfahani, Ed Pien, Tazeen Qayyum & Shaheer Zazai, group exhibition curated by Sandy Saad-Smith, Doris McCarthy Gallery, University of Toronto Scarborough,  Toronto, ON.

2021  Go; Rise and Strike: International Women’s Day Exhibition (online), Embassy Cultural House, London, ON.
2021  Facing Time, curated by Jordan Strom, Durrah Alsaif, Simranpreet Anand, Rebecca Bair, Lorna Brown, Diana Burgoyne, Chila Kumari Burman, Audrey Capel-Doray, Lisa Chen, Qian Cheng, Lincoln Clarkes, Share Corsault, Patrick Cruz, Francis Cruz, Eryne Donahue, Tom Douglas, Wayne Eastcott, Soheila Esfahani, Gabor Gasztonyi, Barry Goodman, Jaswant Guzder, Brian Howell, Jim Jardine, Bill Jeffries, Doreen Jensen, Ali Kazimi, Ann Kipling, Laura Wee Láy Láq, George Littlechild, Ken Lum, Al McWilliams, Elizabeth MacKenzie, María Angélica Madero, Chito Maravilla, Sally Michener, my name is scot, David Neel, Al Neil, Mark Neufeld, George Omorean, Leslie Pool, Deborah Putman, Marianna Schmidt, Jack Shadbolt, Drew Shaffer, Hari Sharma, Stephen Shore, Jarnail Singh, Jeannette Sirois, Manuel Axel Strain, Ed Varney, Carrie Walker, Jin-me Yoon, Surrey Art Gallery, Surrey, BC.
2021  Distance Makes the Heart Grow Weak, organized by Ruth Skinner and Dickson Bou , ArtLab Gallery, Western University, London, ON.

2020-22  Cultured Pallets: SAIB, DTK’s Art Walk, organized by Downtown Kitchener BIA & Kitchener-Waterloo Art Gallery, Kitchener, ON.
2020  Resistance & Resilience, Dallas Karonhia’nó:ron Canady Binette, Chun Hua Catherine Dong, Pilar Escobar, Soheila Esfahani, Lux Habrich, Joyce Joumaa, Asia Mason, Kosisochukwu Nnebe, Michaëlle Sergile, Ya-Nan Song, Winnie Wu, Xiaojing Yan, curated by Rhonda Meier, Warren G Flowers Gallery, Dawson College, Montreal, QC.
2020  
Open Channels|Passages Communicants,Canada C3 online group exhibition curated by Melissa Rombout, Lizzie Ittinuar, Sarni Pootoogook, Deanna Bailey, Soheila Esfahani, Christine Fitzgerald, Anna Gaby-Trotz, Phil Irish, Benjamin Kikkert, Paula Murray, Dominique Normand, Geoff Phillips, Francine Potvin, Leslie Reid, Rachel Rozanski and Véronique Tifo, Frankfurt Book Fair 2020, Frankfurt, Germany.

2019-2020  Speculative Energy Futures: Prototypes for Possible Worlds,  FAB Gallery, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB.
2019-2020  Close to Home, curated by Shannon Anderson, Oakville Trafalgar Memorial Hospital, Oakville, ON.
2019-2020 
Open Channels|Passages CommunicantsCanada C3 group exhibition curated by Melissa Rombout, Lizzie Ittinuar, Sarni Pootoogook, Deanna Bailey, Soheila Esfahani, Christine Fitzgerald, Anna Gaby-Trotz, Phil Irish, Benjamin Kikkert, Paula Murray, Dominique Normand, Geoff Phillips, Francine Potvin, Leslie Reid, Rachel Rozanski and Véronique Tifo, Âjagemô Gallery at Canada Council for the Arts, Ottawa, ON.
2019-2020  Bonds and Sutures, curated by Zana Kozomora,  WalterFedy, Kitchener, ON.

2019  Pentimento, group exhibition by members of the Red Head Gallery, Red Head Gallery, Toronto, ON.

2018-19  The Living River Project: Art, Water and Possible Worlds, Nadine Bariteau, Elizabeth Chitty, Patricia Coates, Soheila Esfahani, Gautam Garoo, Joscelyn Gardner, Patrick Mahon + Dickson Bou with Mona Stonefish (with Windsor Grade 4&5 Students), Colin Miner, Chris Myhr, Troy Ouellette, Lee Rodney with Justin Langlois, Hamilton Perambulatory Unit and IN/TERMINUS Research Group, Quinn Smallboy, and Jennifer Willet, Art Gallery of Windsor, Windsor, ON (catalogue)

2018  Forward Motion, Christina Battle, Steven Beckly, Patrick Cruz, Soheila Esfahani, Melissa General, Julius Poncelet Manapul, Jihee Min, Ed Pien, Veronique Sunatori, Meera Margaret Singh, Tazeen Qayyum, Small Arms Inspection Building, Mississauga, ON.
2018 
@redheadgallery, group exhibition by members of the Red Head Gallery, Red Head Gallery, Toronto, ON.
2018 
Flow: From the Movement of People to the Circulation of Information, curated by Jordan Strom, Sean Alward, Mary Frances Batut, Edward Burtynsky, Soheila Esfahani, Monique Fouquet, Sara Graham, Antonia Hirsch, Brian Howell, Ian Johnston, Myron Jones, Laura Wee Láy Láq, M. Simon Levin, Vicky Marshall, Val Nelson, Philippe Raphanel, Helma Sawatzky, Hari Sharma, Haris Sheikh, Meera Margaret Singh, Reva Stone, Brendan Tang, Jer Thorp, Paul Wong, Surrey Art Gallery, Surrey, BC.

2017  Downtown/s: Urban Renewal Today for Tomorrow, The 2017 Art Gallery of WindsorTriennial of Contemporary Art, Shane Darwent, Susan Dobson, Chris Edwards, Soheila Esfahani, (F)NOR, Jessica Frelinghuysen, Hamilton Perambulatory Unit, Meaghan Hyckie, In/Terminus Creative Research Collective, Carey Jernigan and Julia Campbell-Such, Andrea Kastner, Vince Allen Kogut, Greg Ludlow, Cyndra MacDowall & Joshua Babcock, Luke Maddaford, Laura Marotta, Tegan Moore, Taien Ng-Chan, Nadja Pelkey and Joey Stewart, Kathryn Ricketts and Terry Sefton, Jessica Thompson, David Trautrimas, Julie Rae Tucker and Margaret Tucker, Art Gallery of Windsor, Windsor, ON.
2017  
Red Head Now, group exhibition by members of the Red Head Gallery, Red Head Gallery, Toronto, ON.
2017  where/between, Curated by Pantea Haghighi, Southern Alberta Art Gallery, Lethbridge, AB.
2017  Canada: Day 1, Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21, Halifax, NS.
2017  Art Toronto: Toronto International Art Fair, Republic Gallery, Toronto, ON.
2017  Passage + Obstacle, curated by Ivan Jurakic, in conjunction with Bridges Math Art conference, University of Waterloo Art Gallery, Waterloo, ON.
2017  Connect 2017: Embracing Place, Homer Watson Gallery, Kitchener, ON.
2017  Dar’a: Full Circle, curated by Jamelie Hassan, Tom Benner, Doris Bittar, Peter Dykhuis, Soheila Esfahani, Fatima Garzan, Janice Gurney, Stacey Ho (in collaboration with Julia Aoki), Robert Houle, Miriam Jordan-Haladyn,  Meryl McMaster, Nadia Myre, Troy Ouellette, Anna Wieselgren, Jennifer Willet,  Artcite Inc., Windsor, ON.
2015|16|17  Material Girls, curated by Blair Fornwald, Jennifer Matotek & Wendy Peart, Morehshin Allahyari, Jaime Angelopoulos, Christi Belcourt, Katherine Boyer, Karin Bubaš, Andrea Carlson, Ying-Yueh Chuang, Alex Cu Unjieng, Raphaëlle de Groot, Abigail DeVille, Soheila Esfahani, Ran Hwang, Sarah Anne Johnson, Felice Koenig, Deirdre Logue, Rachel Ludlow, Jodie Mack, Amy Malbeuf, Sanaz Mazinani, Meryl McMaster, Tricia Middleton, Allyson Mitchell, Dominique Rey, Winnie Truong, Marie Watt, Dunlop Art Gallery, Regina, SK, Doris McCarthy Gallery, Scarborough, ON, Contemporary Calgary, Calgary, AB, College Art Galleries, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Rodman Hall Art Centre, St. Catharines, ON (catalogue)

2016  where/between, curated by Pantea Haghighi, Equinox Gallery, Vancouver, BC
2016  Defining Identity, THEMUSEUM, Kitchener, ON.
2016  Connect 2016: Go with the Flow, Cambridge Centre for the Arts, Cambridge, ON.
2016
 
Inside|Outside, group exhibition by members of the Red Head Gallery, Cambridge Centre for the Arts, Cambridge, ON, Homer Watson Gallery, Kitchener, ON.

2015  The Red Head Gallery at 25, Red Head Gallery, Toronto, ON. (catalouge)
2015
  
Human Nature, curated by Corinna Ghaznavi,  Art Gallery of University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK.
2015  Connect 2015, curated by Suzanne Luke, WalterFedy, Kitchener, ON.
2015  Human Nature, curated by Corinna Ghaznavi, Carleton University Art Gallery, Ottawa, ON.

2014  The Source: Reconsidering Water Through Contemporary Art, curated by Stuart Reid, Nadine Bariteau, Raymond Boisjoly, Elizabeth Chitty, Soheila Esfahani, Gautam Garoo, Patrick Mahon, Colin Miner, Lucy + Jorge Orta, Gu Xiong, Rodman Hall Art Centre (Brock University), St. Catharines, ON. (catalouge)
2014  Cultured Pallets:SLF, Summer Lights Festival, Kitchener, ON.

2013  Direct From the Studios,  Homer Watson House & Gallery, Kitchener, ON.
2013  The Third Space,  curated by Sanaz Mazinani, Soheila Esfahani, Negar Farajiani, Gita Hashemi, Elnaz Maassoumian, Naz Rahbar, Sona Safaei-Sooreh, York Quay Gallery, Harbourfront Centre, Toronto, ON.

2011 Convergence, curated by Suzanne Luke, The Communitech Hub, Kitchener, ON. (catalogue)
2011 Finding Correspondences, curated by Jordan Strom, Digital Natives, Soheila Esfahani, Mark Neufeld, Emilio Rojas, Tony Romano, Ming Wong, Surrey Art Gallery, Surrey, BC.
2011  Evolution|Revolution, Buffalo Arts Studio, Buffalo, NY. (catalogue)
2011  Cafka. 11. Survive. Resist. (Contemporary Art Forum Kitchener & Area), Kitchener, ON.
2011  50 Years of Art: Looking Back at the Future, curated by Jennifer Rudder, First Canadian Place Gallery, Toronto, ON
2011  Organic Poetry, two person exhibition, The Communitech Hub, Kitchener & The Accelerator Centre, Waterloo, ON.

2010  Art at Work: Corporate Collecting Practices Today, Part 2, curated by Geraldine Davis, Art Gallery of Mississauga, Mississauga, ON. (catalogue)

2009  DIASPORArt, Group exhibition of works from the collection of the Canada Council Art Bank, Rideau Hall, Ottawa, ON.
2009  Production Still, Art Lab, University of Western Ontario, London, ON.

2008  Material Girl, Harbinger Gallery, Waterloo, ON.

2007  Crossing Borders, Kenan Center, Rockport, NY.
2007  Metaphor, Meditation and the Age of Anger, Gallery 96, Stratford, ON.

2006  Studio Alert: Illuminating the Source, Kitchener-Waterloo Art Gallery, Kitchener, ON.
2006  Rebirth, Harbourfront Centre, Toronto, ON.

2005  Poem as Image, The Studio, Armonk, NY.
2005  Showcase 05, Cambridge Galleries, Cambridge, ON.

2004  RBC Investments’ Cross-country Canadian Painting Competition Tour: Edmonton Art Gallery, Edmonton, AB; Brunswick Museum, Saint John, NB; McMaster Museum of Art, Hamilton, ON; Museum of Contemporary Canadian Art, Toronto, ON. (catalogue)
2004  Worship: Ontario Society of artists’ 130th Open Juried Exhibition, J. B. Aird Gallery, Toronto, ON.

2003  11 Pieces: Juried exhibition, Propeller Centre for the Visual Arts, Toronto, ON.
2003  Cambridge Galleries Open Juried Exhibition, Cambridge Galleries, Cambridge, ON.

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AWARDS & GRANTS

2020  Ontario Arts Council Production Grant: Mid career Artist

2018  Women Who Inspire Awards, Coalition of Muslim Women, Kitchener, ON

2017  Canada Council for the Arts: Production Grant
2017 
Ontario Arts Council Production Grant: Mid career Artist

2016  Waterloo Region Arts Awards (Visual Arts category), Waterloo, ON
2016|12|08|06|04  Ontario Arts Council Exhibition Assistance Grant

2015  Jameel Prize nominee, Victoria & Albert Museum, London, UK
2015  Ontario Arts Council Production Grant: Mid career Artist

2011-14  Research/Creation Grant in Fine Arts, Social Sciences & Humanities Research Council of Canada, co-applicant in multi-disciplinary project with Patrick Mahon (Western University, principal applicant) & Gu Xiong (University of Biritish Columbia)

2013  Ontario Arts Council Production Grant: Mid career Artist

2012  Region of Waterloo Arts Fund Production Grant, Waterloo, ON.

2011|08|05  Ontario Arts Council Production Grant: Emerging Artist

2010  University of Western Ontario Graduate Thesis Research Award
2010|09|08 University of Western Ontario Graduate Research Scholarship

2008  University of Western Ontario Graduate travel Grant

2004  Central Canada Semi-finalist: RBS Investments’ Canadian Painting Competition, Toronto, ON.

2003  Canadian Clay and Glass Gallery Volunteer Award, Waterloo, ON.
2003  Liz Edwards Memorial Award, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON.

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SELECTED REVIEWS

2024  Stacey, Megan. Professor and artist Soheila Esfahani designs coin for Royal Canadian Mint: Silver and gold coins celebrate culture and history of Iranian Canadians. Western News, February 22.

2023  Erdogan-O’Connor, S., Ferrucci, G., MacDiarmid, R., Piccolo, J., Priewe, S., & Smith, S.E.K. 2023. “Between There and Here”: Surveying the Global Work of Diaspora, Migration, and Mobility- Engaged Museums. Western University
2023 Alvarenga, Carlos. Reflections on the In Between.” Critic at Large,  July 18.
2023 
Stacey, Megan. “Art show addresses issues of race, gender, sexuality, and diaspora.” Western News,  May 19.
2023  “Waterloo artist to explore exhibition with public at Preston Gallery in Cambridge.” Cambridge Times, January 18.

2022  Lion,Valérie. “L’immigration, tout un art au Canada.” Attache ta tuque,  May 16.
2022  Chaizemartin, Julie. “Des vies entre deux mondes.” Transfuge Magazine,  May 23.
2022  Celeux-Lanval, Maïlys. “L’expérience de l’immigration questionnée par trois artistes femmes.” BeauxArts,  May 25.
2022  Ambler, Annabelle. “ “L’art de Vivre”, l’art de la migration des symboles: une poétique de l’exil au Centre Culturel Canadien.” Toute La Culture,  May 30.
2022  Pasiechnik, Jenelle M. An Account of Practice for the exhibition Translations, featuring the artwork of Jamelie Hassan and Soheila Esfahani (Campbell River Art Gallery, July 9 to September 2, 2020).” ARTiculate: Journal of Contemporary Art History,  V4, 2022

2020  Pasiechnik, Jenelle M. Embodied Engagements: The Artwork of Jamelie Hassan & Soheila Esfahani in Translations.  Rungh Magazine, V7, NO.4

2019  RomboutMelissa & Tara Maacarenhas. “From Ship to Shore.” Above & Beyond: Canada’s Arctic Journal, October 31.
2019  Aritcheta, Allyson. “[Review] Pattern (dis)Placement by Soheila Esfahani.” Looseleaf (Project 40 Collective), July 16.
2019  Kurd, Nadia. “Profiles on Practice: Soheila K. Esfahani.” Femme Art Review, June 2019.

2018  Bronstein, Noa. “Cultured Pallets: Translating the Global.” Rungh Magazine, V6, NO.1
2018 
Beheiry, Valerie. “Portable Culture: Soheila Esfahani.” Visual Arts News, September 6.
2018 
Desveaux, Heather. “Considering ‘In-between’ Culture at Ross Creek Centre for the Arts.” The Chronicle Herald, April 23.

2017  Cappuccitti, Jessica. The Art of Urban Renewal in Windsor-Detroit. Canadian Art, November 28.
2017  Gazzola, Bart. “Owning Space: Material Girls.” The Sound STC.

2017 
Kim, Ju Hyun. “Power and Globalization.” Imprint, November 15.
2017  Interstice by Soheila Esfahani.” The Islamic Arts Magazine, October 15.
2017  Ip, Malgosia. “Patterns in Art and Mathematics.” Fields Notes, Vol 17:2, p.19.
2017
 
McKay, Staphanie. “Material Girls: All-Female Art Show Avoids Austere Gallery Tradition.” Saskatoon StarPhoenix, February 2.
2017
 
“Women Get Spotlight in Art Exhibit at U of S.” CBC news, February 5.

2016  In-Between by Soheila Esfahani.” The Islamic Arts Magazine, October 1.
2016  Mason, Hailey.Inspiration from Antiquity.The Medium, September 12.
2016 
Griffin, Kevin. “Art Seen: Works by Artists of Iranian Heritage Explore What It Means to be Caught Between.Vancouver Sun, July 8.
2016
 
Dick, Terence. “Material Girls and Feminism.” Akimbo TV, season 1, episode 10.
2016
 
Samuel, Daniel. “Living in a Material World.The Varsity, February 7.

2015  Griffin, Kevin. “Atoms and Artists: The Spookiness of Being in Two Places at Once.Vancouver Sun, December 31.
2015 
Red Head Gallery 25th anniversary exhibition,  Artoronto.ca, December 2015.
2015 
“The Couplets from Reed to Paper.” Skylife magazine, Turkish Airlines, October 2015.
2015  Fournier, Lauren. “Material Girls” Takes Up Space at the Dunlop.Canadian Art, April 2.
2015  Fraser, D. “Move Over, Madonna.” The Leader-Post, January 31.
2015  Beatty, Gregory. “The Women Show.” Prairie Dog Magazine, February 19.

2014  Neudorf, Kim. “The Source at Rodman Hall in St. Catharines.” Akimblog, September 23.
2014  Cluett, Emily. “Tracking Culture.Art & Science Journal.

2013  Snyder, Leah. “Written on the Body/ Politics of Poetry: Iranian Artists & the Power of the Script. Mixed Bag Mag, July 17, 2013
2013 
Manao, Anna. “The Third Space.” Frank, July 25, 2013
2013 Reid, Robert. “Two Artists Cross Ornamental Cultural Boundaries.” The Record, January 15, 2013, C1
2013Neudorf, Kim. “Brandon Tang & Soheila Esfahani at Kitchener Waterloo Art Gallery.” Akimblog, February 5, 2013.

2012  Behiery, Valerie. “Working Across Cultures: An Interview with Soheila Esfahani.” The Islamic Arts Magazine, July 6, 2012.
2012  Reid, Robert. “Exploring Multiculturalism.” The Record, March 29, 2012, B6.

2011  Dabkowski, Colin. “Cultural Infusion.” The Buffalo News, January 14.
2011  Ross, Veronica. “Cultural Connections.” Grand Magazine (Jan., Feb. 2011): 112-117.
2011  Reid, Robert. “Here’s Art You Just Can’t Miss.” The Record, September 17, 2011, D1-2.
2011  Cafka TV. Cafka 11. Survive. Resist. Interview, Sept. 2011.
2011  Reid, Robert. “Inspiration in the Workplace.” The Record, September 12, 2011, D1.
2011  Zerehi, Sima Sahar. “Reading Tehranto in Buffalo.” Shahrvand Publications, Toronto, ON, January 20.

2010  Matheiu, Emily. “Corporate Art: Not Just Pretty Pictures.” The Toronto Star, Sept. 7.
2010  Adzic, Jelena. Outsider Art. CBC: The National, Interview, January 31.

2009  Fraser, J Lynn. “The Tactile Abstractions of Soheila Esfahani.” Letter Arts Review 23 (2009): 29-41.

2008  Reid, Robert. “Let Life Surround You.” The Record, February 16, 2008, C1.

2007  Dale, Alison. “Works by Iranian-Canadians at Gallery 96.” The Beacon Herald, May 16, 2007, p.3.

2006  Reid, Robert. “Diversity of Show Illuminates.” The Record, October 18, 2006, B4.

2005  Genocchio, Benjamin. “Art Review: Some Rich Pickings for the Art Lover.” The New York Times, November 2.
2005  Ariaratnam, Daniel. Rogers Cable News: Today’s Waterloo Region, Kitchener, ON, Interview, September 23.
2005  Reid, Robert. “Artist Profile: Blending East & West.” The Record, May 14, 2005, C1.

2004  “Geographical Expressions.” Visual magazine 1 (2004), Art Review.
2004  Nestruck, J. Kelly and Julia Dault. “Brush Strokes of What’s to Come.” National Post, November 18, 2004, AL 6-7, picture.
2004  Gordon, Leslie. CKCO TV News, Kitchener, ON, Interview, July 16.

2003  Howe, Linda. “Stage & Studio.” University of Waterloo Gazette, April 2.

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PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES|ARTIST TALKS

2023  Curatorial talk with Mélika Hashemi in conjuction with In Search of a Loss of Self, Kitchener-Waterloo Art Gallery, Kitchener, ON.
2023
Panel discussion in conjunction with Node,
Red Head Gallery exhibition exchange with plan.d. produzentengalerie collective, Goethe Institute, Toronto, ON.
2023 
 Panel discussion in conjunction with Cultured Pallets: Aga Khan Museum,
Global Conversations: Cultured Pallets, Aga Khan Museum, Toronto, ON.
2023
  Artist talk in conjunction with Drafts 4, Atanas Bozdarov & Soheila Esfahani, Art Gallery of Mississauga, Mississauga, ON.

2022  Panel discussion in conjunction with The Art of Living: On Community, Immigration, and the Migration of Symbols, Jude Abu Zeineh, Soheila Esfahani, Xiaojing Yan, curated by Catherine Bédard, Canadian Cultural Centre, Paris, France.

2021  Soheila Esfahani: Third Space, Profiles on Practice Podcast by Nadia Kurd, Femme Art Review.

2020  Panel discussion in conjunction with Resistance & Resilience, Warren G Flowers Gallery, Dawson College, Montreal, QC.
2020  Artist Talk in conjunction with Translations, Jamelie Hassan & Soheila Esfahani, Campbell River Art Gallery, Campbell River, BC.

2019  Artist Talk in conjunction with Pattern (dis)Placement exhibition, Redeemer University College Gallery, Ancaster, ON.

2018  panel member, Rethinking Water Through Contemporary Art, Museum London, London, ON.
2018 
Artist Talk in conjunction with Interstice exhibition at Ross Creek Centre for the Arts, Canning Library, Canning, NS.

2017  Artist Talk, Art in the Public Sphere, The Returners: Seven Conversations, Department of Visual Arts, Western University, London, ON.
2017 
Artist Talk, University of Waterloo Fine Arts Department, Waterloo, ON.
2017 
Presenter & panel member, Universities Art Association of Canada Conference, The Banff Centre for the Arts, Banff, AB.
2017  Artist talk, University of Lethbridge ART NOW Visiting Artist Lecture series, in conjunction with where/between exhibition at Southern Alberta Art Gallery, Lethbridge, AB
2017  Artist talk, Canada: Day 1, Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21, Halifax, NS

2016  Lecturer, Pattern Finding: Popular Expression of Transcendent Ideas, Bridges Lecture series, St. Jerome’s University, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON.
2016  Artist talk, KW Society of Artists, Kitchener, ON.
2016  Juror, Max Awards, Toronto, ON.

2015  Artist Talk, Conrad Grebel University College, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON.
2015  Presenter & panel member, The Varley Art Gallery, Markham, ON.
2015  Presenter & panel member, Multiple Li(v)es of Art/ists & … Conference, OCAD University, Toronto, ON.
2015  Artist talk, Knowledge Integration Seminar Series, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON.

2014  Artist talk, Third Age Learning lecture series, Guelph, ON.
2014  Artist talk, The Source: Reconsidering Water Through Contemporary Art, Rodman Hall Art Centre (Brock University), St. Catharine’s, ON.
2014  Juror, Artist in Education Grant, Ontario Arts Council, Toronto, ON.
2014  Panel member, The Source: Reconsidering Water Through Contemporary ArtRodman Hall Art Centre (Brock University), St. Catharines, ON.

2013  Artist talk, Third Age Learning lecture series: Canada Land of Immigrants,  Waterloo, ON.
2013  Panel member, Muslim Women: Now & Then, Kitchener City Hall, Kitchener, ON.
2013  Artist talk, Curator’s Circle, Kitchener Waterloo Art Gallery, Kitchener, ON.
2013  Artist talk, Off Topic, Kitchener Waterloo Art Gallery, Kitchener, ON.

2012  Panel member, “Past Forward | Present Tense” Exhibition Panel Discussion, Hamilton Artist Inc., Hamilton, ON.
2012  Juror, Box 12 Art Exhibition, Cambridge, ON.

2011  Artist talk/panelist, “Cultural Translation,” Shift Symposium: Dialogues of Migration in Contemporary Art, MacKenzie Art Gallery, Regina, SK.
2011  Presenter/exhibitor, “Here, There, and Beyond” conference, Studies in Islam, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON.
2011  Artist talk, Women’s Studies, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON.
2011  Artist talk, Conrad Grebel University College, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON.

2009  Artist talk, Wilfrid Laurier University, Waterloo, ON.

2007  Panel member, “Images of Faith,” Kitchener Public Library, Kitchener, ON.

2006  Panel member, “Sources & Inspirations,” Kitchener-Waterloo Art Gallery, Kitchener.

2005  Artist talk, Canadian Heritage Head Office, Toronto, ON.

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RESIDENCIES

2023  Hafnarborg Artist Residency, The Hafnarfjörður Centre of Culture and Fine Art, Hafnarfjörður, Iceland

2022    Artist in residency, FluxKit for Energy Transition as part of Speculative Energy Futures project, SQUARE- University of St. Gallen, St. Gallen, Switzerland.

2018  Ross Creek Centre for the Arts, Canning, NS.

2017  Canada C3 expedition, Leg 4 (Charlottetown-St. John’s)

2015  Frans Masereel Centrum, Kasterlee, Belgium

2013  Immersion Emergencies and Possible Worlds: Engaging Water as Culture and Resource through Contemporary Art, SSHRC, The Banff Centre, Banff, AB.
2013 Kitchener-Waterloo Art Gallery’s In|sight residencySt. Mary’s Catholic Secondary School & Kitchener Waterloo Art Gallery, Kitchener, ON.

2012  Immersion Emergencies and Possible Worlds: Engaging Water as Culture and Resource through Contemporary Art, SSHRC, Niagara Fall, ON.

2003-5  Homer Watson House and Gallery, Kitchener, ON.

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COLLECTIONS

Coin design for Celebrating Canada’s Diversity Collection, Royal Canadian Mint, Ottawa, ON.
McIntosh Gallery,  Western University, London, ON.
Art Bank, Canada Council for the Arts, Ottawa, ON.
Surrey Art Gallery, Surrey, BC.
Global Affairs Canada, Ottawa, ON.
Glenhyrst Art Gallery of Brant, Branford, ON.
The Accelerator Centre, Waterloo, ON.
Brock Solutions, Kitchener, ON.
Private Collections: Canada, USA, Germany, Iran, Egypt.

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EXHIBITION PUBLICATIONS

2024  Saleem, Faseeh & Matilda Forssblad, DRAFTS 4: Body and Space Relations, Exhibition Catalogue, Body & Space Research Lab,  Swedish School of Textiles, University of Borås and Art Address Canada.

2023  Mobeen, Ashar, of many worlds in this world, Soheila Esfahani, Jessica Karuhanga, Sheri Nault, Exhibition Catalogue, Artlab Gallery, Western University, London, ON.

2022  Boileau, Karly. Being Here, There, and In-between, Exhibition brochure, Cambridge Art Galleries (Idea|Exchange), Cambridge, ON.

2020  Pasiechnik, Jenelle M. Embodied Engagements: The Artwork of Jamelie Hassan & Soheila Esfahani in Translations, Exhibition catalogue, Campbell River Art Gallery, Campbell River, BC.

2019  The Living River Project: Art, water and Possible Worlds exhibition catalogue, Art Gallery of Windsor, Windsor, ON.

2017  The Source: Rethinking Water Through Contemporary Art exhibition catalogue, Rodman Hall Art Centre, Brock University, St. Catharines, ON.
2017 Embracing Place exhibition catalogue, Homer Watson House & Gallery, Kitchener, ON.

2015  The Red Head Gallery at 25 exhibition catalogue, The Red Head Gallery, Toronto, ON.
2015 
Matotek, Jennifer ed. Material Girls. London, UK: Black Dog Publishing Ltd, 2015.

2012  Linsley, Robert. “Iran in the Mirror.” Past Forward \ Present TENSE exhibition catalogue. Hamilton: Hamilton Artist Inc., 2012.

2011  Luke, Suzanne. Convergence Exhibition Catalogue, The Communitech Hub, Kitchener, ON.
2011  Evolution|Revolution Exhibition Catalogue, Buffalo Arts Studio, Buffalo, NY.
2011  Davis, Geraldine. Art At Work: Corporate Collecting Practices Today. Mississauga: Art Gallery of Mississauga, 2011.

2010  Orpana, Jennifer. “Somewhere In Between: Trans- (across, over, beyond).” Intersections exhibition catalogue.

2008  RBC Canadian Painting Competition 10 years, exhibition catalogue.

2004  RBC Canadian Painting Competition, exhibition catalogue.

2003  Reid, Robert. “From Rathke’s Pouch.” University of Waterloo Graduating Class Exhibition Catalogue.

 

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CURATORIAL PROJECTS

2024  Drafts 5: Diasporic Bodies, curated by Soheila Esfahani & Faseeh Saleem, Cohen Commons Gallery, John Labatt Visual Arts Centre, Western University, London, ON.

2023  In Search of a Loss of Self, curated by Soheila Esfahani & Mélika Hashemi, Kitchener-Waterloo Art Gallery, Kitchener, ON.

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WRITING|OTHER CONTRIBUTIONS BY THE ARTIST

2023  contributor, Nine Commentaries on Artists to Watch, Art Canada Institute, July 14.

2022  Esfahani, Soheila, Contemporary Muslim Artists Continue to Adapt Islamic Patterns to Challenge Ideas about fixed Culture, The Conversation, April 2.

2019  Esfahani, Soheila, Illumination to Installation Art, catalogue essay for Tapestry of Spirit: The Torah Stitch by Stitch Project, Textile Museum of Canada, Toronto, ON.

2014  Esfahani, Soheila, “Photo Essay.” Lalit Kala Contemporary. New Delhi: Lalit Kala Akademi, 2014.
2014  Nokyoung Xayasane, Soheila Esfahani. Encountering Difference. Kitchener: Stonegarden Studios.

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EDUCATION

2010  Master of Fine Arts, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario.
Dissertation: Trans-(across, over, beyond); Investigations of Cultural Translation in Visual Arts.

2003  Honours Bachelor of Arts, Fine Arts, Studio Specialization, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario.

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TEACHING EXPERIENCE

2020-   Assistant Professor, Western University, London, ON.

2012-2020  Lecturer, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON.

2012-2020  Education Officer, Art Gallery of Ontario, Toronto, ON.

2003-2019  Art instructor, Homer Watson House and Gallery, Kitchener, ON.

2012-13  Lecturer, University of Western Ontario, London, ON. (Foundation Studio)

2009-10  Co-Instructor, University of Western Ontario, London, ON. (Foundation Studio)

2008-09  Teaching Assistant, University of Western Ontario, London, ON.

2002-2008  Educator, Canadian Clay and Glass Gallery, Waterloo, ON.

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AFFILIATIONS

The Red Head Gallery, Toronto, ON. 2007-2009, 2012-ongoing.
• SAVAC: South Asian Visual Arts Collective, Toronto, ON.
• Propeller Center for the Visual Arts, Toronto, ON. 2003-2007.
• City of Kitchener’s Public Art Working Group, Kitchener, ON. 2006-2008.

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detail of painting by Soheila Esfahani