SEPIDEH RAHAA
VISUAL ARTIST
CV
Sepideh Rahaa
Visual Artist
Iranian based in Helsinki
Curator & Collective member at Third Space gallery, Helsinki
sepidehrahaa(at)gmail.com
Sepideh Rahaa (1981, Iran) is a multidisciplinary artist, researcher and educator based in Helsinki. Through her practice she actively investigates and questions the prevailing power structures, social norms and conventions while focusing on womanhood, storytelling and everyday life and resistances. And at best to initiate methods within contemporary art to create space for dialogue. Currently she is pursuing her doctoral studies in Contemporary Art at Aalto University. Her research interests include matter of representation, collaboration as practice, decolonisation and feminist politics.
Rahaa's artistic practice combines different disciplines including film and video, installation, performance art, painting, poetry and photography. Her work has been exhibited and screened in Europe, East Asia and West Asia (politically and colonially known as the Middle East): Iran, Taiwan, the United Kingdom, Spain, France, Norway, Sweden, Estonia, Germany (Berlin), Latvia, Lithuania, Netherlands and Finland. Rahaa’s work has been distributed by AV-arkki the Centre for Finnish Media Art and supported by Finnish Cultural Foundation (Suomen Kulttuurirahasto), Taike (Arts Promotion Center Finland), Frame Contemporary Art Finland, AVEK (The Promotion Center for Audiovisual Culture), Nylands Svenska Kulturfonds and Visek Kuvasto (copyright society for visual artists).
Since 2015, Rahaa has been actively participating actively regarding role of art institutions and collectives in Finnish art scene. She has been a member and co-founder at Third Space Collective (2015-), board member of Globe Art Point (2016-2021) as well as Culture for All (2017-2021), and Nordic Network for Norm Critical Leadership (2018-), among other collaborative and collective works.
EDUCATION
2017- Doctoral studies in Contemporary Art, Aalto University, School of Art, Design and Architecture, Helsinki, Finland
2016 Master's degree in Fine Art, Aalto University, Helsinki, Finland
2009-2012 Doctoral studies of Comparative Analytical Art History, Shahed University of Tehran, Iran
2008 Master's degree in Art & Research, Shahed University, Tehran, Iran
2005 Bachelor degree in Painting and Visual Arts, Shahid Bahonar University of Kerman, Iran
UPCOMING
2024 Määränpää/Destination, Lahti Museum of Visual Arts Malva, curated by Veikko Halmetoja, FI
2024 Soil Festival on ecologies and grief curated by Khanyisile Mbongwa, South Africa
2024 Intersectional Selves, Duo with Elham Rahmati, Kriittinen Galleria/Critical Gallery, Taiteen Talo (House of Art), Turku, FI
SELECTED SOLO EXHIBITION
2022 Coming together, A duo exhibition together with Elham Rahmati, Stoa, FI
2019 In Transition, Pori Art Museum, FI
2017 A Dream, Solo exhibition, Galleria Espoonsilta, Espoo,FI
2017 Marriage & Pleasure, Kraam, Tallinn, EE
2016 A Dream That Came True? Part I & II, Myymälä 2, Helsinki, FI
2015 Matter of land, Third space, Helsinki, FI
2014 The Passage, Babel Gallery, Lademoen Kunstnerverksteder, Trondheim, NO
2013 Fire Trial, Powen Gallery, Taipei, TW
2013 Fire Trial, Moons art gallery, Taipei, TW
2005 Botiya Gallery of Art, Kerman, IR.
SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITION
2024 Feels like Home, Kiasma Art Museum, FI
2024 Perustuu tositapahtumiin – Based on a True Story, Gallery Stoa, FI
2023 Open Up art festival: Today IS Our Tomorrow, NIMAC in collaboration with Publics, Nicosia, Cyprus
2023 Helsinki Biennial, New Directions May Emerge curated by Joasia Kryse, FI
2023 12th Liverpool Biennial, The Sacred Return of Lost Things curated by Khanyisile Mbongwa Liverpool, UK
2022 Fragmented Fronts, curated by Elham Rahmati, Technical Museum, FI
2022 Imagine! Mitä Jos!, Rauma Triennale curated by Teemu Mäki and Heta Kaisto, Rauma Art Museum, FI.
2021 A Cube Inside A Cube: Not Too Far, Not Too Close Somewhere Between Resistance & Departure, Secured - Politics of Bodies and Spaces, Frame Contemporary Art Finland, Artsi Art Museum, FI
2021 Mirror, To Err is Human, Mänttä XXV Art Festival, MOC collective, FI
2021 A Cube Inside a Cube: Nowhere Better Than This Place,, Reciprocities, Artsi Art Museum, Vantaa, FI
2020 The Distance at This Is How We Walk on the Moon curated by Elina Suoyrjö, Titanik Gallery, Turku, FI
2019 Today Is Our Tomorrow festival, Publics, FI
2019 Ecologies of Darkness: Building Ground on Shifting Sands, The passage, In collaboration with Colonial neighbours,
Savvy Contemporary, Berlin, DE
2018 Entangled-Me & Hair II, Objekti Festival, Espoon keskus, Espoo, FI
2018 A Dream That Came True? Part II, NSU symposium & mini festival, Fårö, SE
2017-18 Silta/Bridge, curated by Veikko Halmetoja, Virka Galleria, Helsinki, FI
2017 Group exhibition, Sarvestan Gallery, Kerman, IR
2017 A Dream That Came True? II & III - Marriage & Pleasure II, Distribution of Crisis, Mältinranta gallery, Tampere, FI
2017 Movement, FemF (annual feminist forum) Art Exhibition, Valssaamo, Helsinki, FI
2017 Konstrundan Open Studio, Cable Factory, Helsinki, FI
2016 Engendered, Studio 44, Stockholm, SE
2016 Engendered, Götheborg festival, SE
2016 Visitor ed.3, curated by Marek Pluciennik, Kattilahalli, Suvilahti, Helsinki, FI
2016 Distribution of crisis, Valssaamo, Cable Factory, Helsinki, FI
2016 Multiplicities / Multiple cities, Curated by Anna Ruth, Äkkigalleria, Jyväskylä, FI
2015 Open studio, Camac Art Centre, FR
2015 Objekti exhibition, Installation at Enteresse, Espoonkeskus, FI
2015 Masculinisation, Studio 44, Stockholm, SE
2015 New Present, Mänttä Art Festival, curated by Kalle Hamm and Dzamil Kamanger, Mänttä, FI
2015 Current state, Cable Factory, Helsinki, FI
2015 Paljastus (exposure), Galleria Värinä, Rovaniemi, FI
2015 Women Communicating Across and Through Art, Cultural centre Caisa, Helsinki, FI
2014 Taipei International Art Fair, Taipei, TW
2014 Exhibition Kubri Alhamir, Kallio Kunsthalle, Helsinki, FI
2014 Art Exhibition, Powen Gallery, Taipei, TW
2013 Antidote7, Group painting exhibition, Gallery Jongva, Helsinki, FI
2013 Erotus (difference) exhibition, Glue factory,15th February, Glascow, UK
2013 Antidote 6: Taking time Exhibition, Curated by Teemu Mäki & Nora Sternfeld, galleria Agusta, Helsinki, FI
2012 Painting exhibition 100 artists 100 works, Golestan Gallery, Tehran, IR
2007 Photography exhibition Our Society, University of Mazandaran, Babolsar, IR
2004 Group Painting exhibition, Shahid Bahonar University, Art Department
2002 Photography Exhibition in Sana’ti Contemporary Art Museum of Kerman, IR
PERFORMANCE
2023. A Song, the Grain & Me, as part of Museum of Impossible Forms for Helsinki Biennial: Polyphonic Entanglements – Discursive Programme,
curated by Giovanna Esposito Yussif, Artistic Director of Museum of Impossible Forms, FI
2022. Seven of Seven, performance and live art festival, Club Solo, Netherlands
2021 Performance A Cube Inside A Cube: Not too Far Not Too Close, Somewhere Between Resistance & Departure, Artsi Art Museum, FI
2020 Performance Limbo/Barzakh, Rex Fest Feminism, Gender & Real Action curated by Tytti Rantanen (Av-arkki), Amos Rex Museum, FI.
2019 Performance at Riga Performance Festival, LV
2017 Performing at Porin Juhlaviikot (Pori Performance Festival), Gallery 3h+k, Pori, FI
2016 Performance Consensual Body in Motion, With Egle Oddo, FEMF (feminist forum), Helsinki, FI
2016 Performance Other, The Image, The Visitors ed.3, Kattilahalli Suvilahti, Helsinki, FI
2016 Performance Distance between Me & You, Valssaamo, Cable Factory, Helsinki, FI
2016 Performance Austerity Politics and social interrelation, with Egle Oddo, Vantaa Art museum Artsi, FI
2015 Performance Meet the Other Catalysti, international week against racism, Lavaklubi, Helsinki, FI
2015 Performance Matter of Land, Matkalla Pohojolaan, Lavaklubi, Helsinki, FI
2014 Performance Different Faces of Us, together with Anna Knappe, "Object" festival, Espoo, FI
2014 Performance Different Faces of Us, Gallery Augusta, Suomenlina, Helsinki, FI
2013 Performance Different Faces of Us, Sepideh Rahaa & Anna Knappe, Kampi, Helsinki, FI
2013 Performance Dialogue Off, Persepolis, Shiraz, IR
2013 Performance Minority , at Tehran metro station, IR
2013 Performance based on story of Zahhak from Shahnameh Fredowsi, part of the project “Taking Time”,
Gallery Augusta, Helsinki, FI
VIDEO & FILM SCREENING
2021 Screening In Transition, Tampere Film Festival, FI
2020 Screening In Transition at Today Is Our Tomorrow online, film program, Publics, FI
2019 Screening Entangled:ME & HAIR , Mechanics of Conformity, Äkkigalleria, Jyväskylä, FI
2019 Screening Entangled:ME & HAIR at Puhutaan hiuksista - Let's talk about hair-Mechanics of Conformity, Vuotalo, FI
2019 Screening In Transition – Elokuvanäytös | Satakielikuukausi, Stoa, FI
2018 Screening In Transition, Pori Film Festival, FI
2018 Screening A Dream That Came True?, Mini festival NSU symposium, Fårö, SE
2018 Screening video series A Dream That Came True?, Researching Migration Through Art & Media, University of Tampere, FI
2018 Screening video series A Dream That Came True?, Radical Relevances Conference, Aalto University, Espoo, FI
2018 Screening In Transition and intervention at 5th Conference on Artistic Research, Tate Liverpool, UK
2017 Screening A Dream That Came True? II, Gallery 3h+k, Pori, FI
2017 Screening The Distance, FEMF Art, Third Space Gallery, Helsinki, FI
2017 Screening Entangled-ME & HAIR, Mechanics of Conformity, Third Space, Helsinki, FI
2016 Screening One Ocean Is The Distance at MUU Gala, Helsinki, FI
2016 Screening Austerity Politics and social interaction, with Egle Oddo, Third Space, Helsinki, FI
2015 Screening The Distance at the 7th edition of International Festival of Creativity & Digital Culture, Spain & Japan
2015 Screening Matter of Land, OFF Triennial event of the 6th Triennial of Pirkanmaa, FI
2015 Screening Matter of Land at Objekti Festival at Enteresse, Espoonkeskus, FI
MEMBERSHIP & POSITION OF TRUST
2019- Member of Network for Norm-Critical Leadership in Arts and Cultures of Nordic region, Culture for All, FI, SE, DK
2019- Member of International Society for Education through Art: InSEA
2019- Member of AV-arkki the Centre for Finnish Media Art, FI
2018-19 Board member of SKY (Finnish Curators Union), FI
2018 Member of Jury for HICP (Helsinki International Curatorial Programme) for the year 2019, Frame & HIAP, FI
2016- Board member of Globe Art Point association (G.A.P) vice chair (2019-2021), FI
2015- Collective member at Third Space, Helsinki, FI
2014- Member of Artist association MUU, FI
2013- Member of Catalysti the Transcultural artist association, FI
2009-12 Head of Painting program at the Art Department, Marlik University, IR
WORKS IN COLLECTION
Helsinki Art Museum, Finland
Kiasma Museum of Contemporary Art, National Collection of Finland
Mänttä-Vilppula Collection, Finland
Painting “ Suffocation I”, Private collection, Taiwan
Private collections Iran
ARTIST IN RESIDENCY PROGRAMME
2023 Saari Residency, FI
2019 MOC residency, Riihimäki, FI
2015 Artist in residence at Camac, Centre d'Art Marnay Art Centre, France, 1stNovember-30thDecember
2014 Artist in residence at Lademoen Kunstnerverksteder(LKV), Trondheim, Norway, May-June
GRANT AND SCHOLARSHIP
2024 Taike, Arts Promotion Center Finland, Project grant
2024 Koneen Säätiö, 2 years working grant
2023 Taike, Arts Promotion Center Finland, 1 year artist grant
2022 Suomen Kulttuurirahasto, working & project grant
2020 Suomen Kulttuurirahasto, Project grant (MOC collective)
2019 DoD Grant, Travel grant, Aalto University
2019 Taike, Arts Promotion Center Finland, Project grant (MOC collective)
2017 Koneen Säätiö, Working grant, Doctoral dissertation (4 years)
2018 Taike, Arts Promotion Center Finland, Project grant (MOC collective)
2018 DoD Grant, Travel grant, Aalto University
2018 Frame Contemporary Finland, Travel Grant
2017 Nylands Svenska Kulturfonds, group Exhibition
2017 Koneen Säätiö, 1 year working grant
2017 Taike, Arts Promotion Centre Finland, Project grant
2016 Frame, Travel grant, Gothenburg Festival
2016 Taike, Project Grant.
2016 Suomen kulttuurirahasto, 5 month Working grant
2015 Frame, Travel grant, France
2015 Camac Art Centre, France, Residency grant
2015 Kuvasto, Visek, Post-production grant
2015 Taike, Arts Promotion Center Finland, Project grant
2015 Taike, Arts Promotion Center Finland, Exhibition grant
2015 Taike, Arts Promotion Center Finland, 2 month residency in France
2014 Koneen Sääitiö, working grant for the production of a video, XX Mänttä Festival, FI
2014 Aalto arts grant for the exhibition “Current State”, FI
2014 Aalto University, Exhibition “The Passage”, NO
2014 IF Plus Cultural LAB, Funding for The Passage exhibition, NO
CURATORIAL EXPERIENCES
2021 Curator at Colonial/Racial Histories, National Narratives and Transnational Migration: Art as a way of decolonizing knowledge
2020 Guest curator and jury member for the HAM gallery's 2021 art exhibition program, Helsinki Art Museum, FI
2019 Curator, Third Space Video and Short Film Screening program, Theme Control together with Elina Nissinen, Stoa Music Hall, FI
2019 Encouraging Participatory Activities by Artistic & Innovative Public Practices, with Urban Institute Latvia, Third Space Gallery, FI.
2019 Organiser Representation l Narration l Diversity: A seminar for museums in Uusimaa region together with Keme Pellicer,
Venu Dhupa, HAM Museum & G.A.P. FI
2019 Curator, Exhibition Square, Stoa, Helsinki, FI
2017 Curator, Exhibition Mommy When Will I get Married, Artist Ahmet Kavas, Third Space, Helsinki, FI
2017 Curator, The two-days artistic intervention and event (Non)Institutions & Their Role In The Art World
in collaboration between Third Space and Estonian Museum of Contemporary Art (EKKM), Tallinn, EE
2017 Curator, Catalysti's INCLUSIVE event for the week against racism, Lavaklubi, Helsinki, FI
2016 Curator, Video art festival with the theme Borders, Videokanava, Tampere, FI
2015 Curator, Exhibition Raw Material, Norwegian artists Lena Katrine & Heidi Anett at Third Space, Helsinki, FI
2015 Curator, Exhibition Brain and Memory, Artist Kristina Karlsen at Third Space, Helsinki, FI
2015 Curator, Exhibition One Day Evening, Photographs by Iranian artist Ali Kiany at Third Space, Helsinki, FI
2015- Artist-curator at Third Space Gallery, Helsinki, FI
PUBLICATIONS
2023 Rethinking Integration: Challenging Oppressive Practices and Pointing to Ways Forward, Co-editor of the book, ETMU Publication
2022 (Co)Existing in the Finnish Landscape, Borderless: Global Narratives in Art Education, editors Ryan Shin & Karen Hutzel, e-book, INSEA
publication, USA
2020 Poem One Ocean published for issue "Migration" at Astra: Society, Culture and Feminism magazine, FI.
2019 (Co)Existing in the Finnish Landscape, Special Issue: Borderless: Global Narratives in Art Education, Research in Arts and Education Journal.
2017 Article My Feminism: In Transition, Between Now & Then, Published by Pro Artibus for the exhibition at Gallery Elverket
2016 Master’s degree thesis: Nationalism, Exile and Agony on Contemporary Art, Aalto University Art Department, FI
investigation representation of Middle Eastern Art in the Western contemporary art scene
2015 New Present, Exhibition Catalogue, XX Mänttä art Festival, Mänttä, FI
2015 Aalto Festival’s booklet, Current State exhibition, Cable Factory, Helsinki, FI
2008 Article role of mysticism in forming Persian painting (9-10th centuries), Faculty of art, Shahed university
Analytical Research Journal, 2008 -NO 7.
2007 Semiotics of colours in Sohrab Sepehri’s paintings and poetry, Tehran Contemporary of Art booklet, Tehran, IR
ARTIST TALKS / CONFERENCES / LECTURES
2023 In discussion with Akwugo Emejulu, Curated by Giovanna Esposito Yussif for Helsinki Biennial, Caisa, FI
2023 Co-organizer & speaker at the Norm Critical Leadership: Challenging Norms and Nordic Exceptionalism conference, FI
2022 Guest lecturer at Sibelius Academy, FI
2022 Guest lecturer at Art Department, Visual Literacy course, Aalto University, FI
2022 Decolonializing Artistic Research and Art Education in Finland, Presenting National Art Education Association (NAEA) Conference, NY, USA.
2021 Colonial/Racial Histories, National Narratives and Transnational Migration:Curator and chair of panel discussion Art as a way of decolonizing
knowledge, in discussion with Marja Helander, Mira Kallio-Tavin & Abdullah Qureshi, Nordic Migration Research Conference, Helsinki University, FI
2019 Gathering for Rehearsing Hospitalities, In conversation with Martta Tuomaala, Frame, FI
2019 Presenter at the NORA Conference –Border Regimes, Territorial Discourses & Feminist Politics, Institute for Gender, Equality and Difference
(RIKK), University of Iceland, IS
2019 Gathering for Rehearsing Hospitalities, In conversation with Razan Abou Askar, Frame, FI
2019 Speaker at ARKADIA SEURA’S seminar: IS THE FINNISH ART FIELD DIVERSE, OPEN AND EQUAL?, Parliament, FI
2018 Guest artist and talk for the course Cultural Diversity & Multi Literacy, Aalto University, FI
2018 Speaker at Representing Migration, presenting works and participating in mini festival, NSU symposium, Fårö, SE
2018 Speaker at MAECP Open Lecture Day, On role of art institutions, Theatre Academy, University of Art Helsinki, FI
2018 Speaker at festival on art/research methods, Researching Migration Through Art & Media, University of Tampere, FI
2018 Presenter at Radical Relevances Conference, Aalto University, Espoo, FI
2018 Presenter at Provoking Research and Social Intervention, 5th Conference on Artistic Research, Tate Liverpool, UK
2018 Presenter at Political arts and aesthetics in the everyday, Appearances of the political, University of Copenhagen, DK
2018 Teacher the course Artistic Practice and Funding Process, VICCA program, Aalto University, Art department
2017 Panel Discusser: Violence against women, Cinemaissí film festival, Luckan, Helsinki
2017 Teacher course Artistic Practice and Funding Process, VICCA program, Aalto University, Art department
2017 Grant Clinic workshop for artists, Globe Art Point, Helsinki
2017 Community art project with youth: Ole Hyvä Helsinki in collaboration with Helsinki City Youth Department, Leading 10 young
people to produce artworks and exhibit at Itäkeskus Metro station.
2017 Grant Clinic workshop for artists, Globe Art Point, Helsinki, FI
2017 Speaker for Seminar at Åbo Academy Gender Department in collaboration with Salla Tuori, Turku, FI
2017 Guest artist for the course Artist in Society, VICCA program, Aalto University, FI
2016 Panelist for the discussion Reshaping the possible Finland, Invited by Taike; The Arts Promotion Centre, FI
2016 Panelist for the discussion Displaced Artists and Art as a Way of Inclusion, Taike, The Arts Promotion Centre, FI
2016 Teacher course Identity in collaboration with artist Lora Dimova, , Taidekoulu MAA, Helsinki, FI
2016 Teacher course Identity in collaboration with artist Lora Dimova, Nordiska Konstkolan, Kokkola, FI
2015 Guest lecturer at Aalto University for the course Cultural Diversity & Multi Literacy, Helsinki, FI
2015 Teacher the course Identity in collaboration with artist Lora Dimova, Taidekoulu MAA, Helsinki, FI
2015 Guest lecturer at Taidekoulu MAA, Suomenlinna, Helsinki, FI
2014 Guest Lecturer at Kuvataideakatemia for the course Norm Critical Art Circle, Helsinki, FI
2014-16 Teaching Fine Arts courses at Ressu School, Helsinki, FI
2013-2015 Fine Arts teacher at Annantalo art and cultural centre, Helsinki, FI
2008 Instructor in Azad university of Tehran, sculpting course, IR
2008- 2012 Head of Department at Marlik Higher Education, Nowshahr, IR
2008 Instructor in Shariati university of Tehran , drawing II, IR
2008 -2012 Instructor of Marlik Higher Education , Painting and drawing, visual art fundamentals courses