
Leila Refahi is a Toronto-based visual artist, researcher, and educator whose work explores the evolving relationship between humans and nature through painting, installation, and digital media. Originally from Iran, her practice is deeply rooted in her indigenous Lur heritage and personal experiences with ecological challenges in her homeland. By intertwining Iranian mythology, postcolonial environmentalism, and contemporary artistic practices, Leila investigates themes of destruction, renewal, and resilience, connecting cultural narratives with global environmental concerns.
Her work bridges the Chthulucene theory and nature-centered Iranian mythology to question the Anthropocene’s impact on ecosystems. In her current project, she uses trees as symbols of memory and resilience to examine cycles of life and renewal. Her recent focus on wildfires emphasizes nature’s ability to endure and recover.
Leila holds a master’s degree in Art Education from Concordia University and a master’s and bachelor’s in Painting from the Azad Art University of Tehran. She has exhibited internationally across Canada, Iran, Germany, Finland, and the United States. Her innovative practice has earned her awards such as the Exhibition Assistance Grant, Newcomer Arts Award, Newcomer Mentorship Award, and Space Award. She has also contributed to environmental awareness through published research, including Art as a Vector for Environmental Awareness and Re-imagine Connections with the Natural Environment through Socially Engaged Art.
Leila’s work encourages critical reflection on humanity’s impact on nature, blending mythology, science, and cultural narratives to inspire a deeper understanding of the environment and our place within it.
Education
2021 MA. Art Education, Concordia University, Montreal, Canada
Thesis: Curriculum for Climate Justice: Transforming Environmental Knowledge
through Socially Engaged Art Practices
2010 MA. Painting, Azad Art University, Tehran, Iran
2007 BA. Painting, Azad Art University, Tehran, Iran
Awards and Honors
2024 Exhibition Assistance, Ontario Arts Council
2023 New Comer Arts Award, Toronto Arts Foundation
2022 Akin Space Award, Toronto Arts Foundation
Newcomer Mentorship Award, Toronto Arts Council, Mentor: Ghazaleh Avarzamani,
Artvolt Mentorship Award, Concordia University. Mentor: Marc Seguin
2021 Newcomer Arts Award, Toronto Arts Foundation, Toronto
Bourse Concordia-CCGV, Concordia University, Montreal
2019 Graduate Students Entrance Award, Concordia University, Montreal
2018-19 Artist of the Day, Artists for Conservation Group, Vancouver
2017 Art Factory Malakta Artist Residency, Malax, Finland
2015 Finalist of Pars Online festival and selected artist by the public, Tehran, Iran
Solo Exhibitions
2024 Floating Garden, Mitfar Art Gallery, Toronto
2023 Roots, Mitfar Art Gallery, Toronto
2021 The Resilient Gaze, Georges-Vanier Gallery, Montreal
2017 The Messenger, Malakta Art Factory, Malax, Finland
2015 Suspend Life, Anahita Gallery, Tehran, Iran
2013 View Less, Vali Gallery, Tehran, Iran
2012 Afternoon Tea with Madame De Beauvoir, Vali Gallery, Tehran, Iran
2011 Walking on Uphill, Vali Gallery, Tehran, Iran
Installation and Participatory Projects
2023 A nest for Nature, Orchard Pavilion, Toronto
2020 There is something to be seen, Montreal
2019 The Messenger, Montreal
Birds’ Farm project, conducted at:
2019 Mahdoone Art Institute, Yazd, Iran
2018 Damoun nature school, Tehran, Iran
2017 Abenteuerspielplatz Donaustrand, Ingolstadt, Germany
Merenkurkku School, Vaasa, Finland
Selected Group Exhibitions
2024 Vanishing Beauties (Curator), Cedar Ridge Studio Gallery, Toronto
2023 Cedar Ridge Instructors Exhibition, Cedar Ridge Studio Gallery, Toronto
2022 Akin group exhibition, Clarks Arts centre, Toronto
2021 What is Art For? Curated by Kathleen Vaughan, Montreal
Walk bye, Outdoor public exhibition, Jersey, USA
The Sketch of Survival, OXO Gallery, London, England
2020 Re- an exhibition by ArtEGs Art Collective, HPG Gallery, Montreal
International Exhibit of Nature Art, Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, USA
2019 International Postcard Exhibition, INSEA World Congress, Vancouver
Silent Skies tour exhibition, Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, USA
The Sketch of Survival, touring exhibition, London, Norwich, Yorkshire, New York
Artists for Conservation, Van Dusen Botanical Garden, Vancouver
Lanwan Art festival, Lanwan Art Museum, Qingdao, China
2018 Luka, Ass Art Gallery, Tehran, Iran
Boom- Vista Art Gallery, Tehran, Iran
6th International Art for Peace Exhibition, Pardis Cinema Complex, Tehran, Iran
Silent Skies, Vancouver Convention Centre, Vancouver
2017 Soul of the Desert, Art Center Gallery, Tehran, Iran
Artists for Conservation, Van Dusen Botanical Garden, Vancouver,
Burning art, Art Factory Malakta, Malax, Finland
Golden Turtle- Expo center on Krasnaya Presnya, Moscow, Russia
2016 5th Iran International Green Film Biennale- Saba Cultural Institute, Iran
This House, Iranshahr Gallery, Tehran, Iran
2015 Standing in nothingness, Anahita Gallery, Tehran, Iran
Pars Online, Ass Gallery, Tehran, Iran
2014 Eco.ho.sis, Shirin Art Gallery, Tehran, Iran
You Are Grown-up Now, Hoor Art Gallery, Tehran, Iran
2013 Tehran, Seyhoun Art Gallery, Los Angeles, USA
2012 Young Persian Artists, Paul Richard Cultural Building, Lyon, France
2011 Four Generations of Iranian Artist, Iranica Encyclopedia, New York, USA
2004-10 Date with the Subject, Sazmanab Gallery, Tehran, Iran
Sixteen Contemporary Women Artist of Iran, Mekic Art Gallery, Montreal, Canada
8th and 7th Annual Drawing exhibition, Atashzad Gallery, Tehran, Iran
100 Artists 100 Artworks, Golestan Gallery, Tehran,Iran
Affiliations and Associations
2020 Faculty of Fine Arts Council, Graduate students Representative, Concordia
University, Montreal
2019-21 Art Education Students Art Collective, Executive Member, Concordia University,
Montreal
2019-21 Student Sustainability Ambassador, Concordia University, Montreal
2017-20 Artists for Conservation (AFC), Vancouver
Since2015 Association of Iranian Painters, Iran
Talks and Lectures
2021-24 Cedar Ridge Creative Centre, Art Teacher, Toronto
Toronto School of Art, Art Teacher, Toronto
Artbarn School, Art Teacher, Toronto
2024 George Brown College, Drawing Instructor, Toronto
2022 Toronto public libraries, Art for youth workshops, Toronto, Canada
Artists for Ecocide Law, online round table, Finland
Wee Festival, Early Childhood Educator Professional Development Workshop, Toronto
2021 Graduate Symposium in the Department of Education (GSDE), Concordia University,
2020 International Symposium of Artful Inquiry Research Group (AIRG), McGill University,
2019-21 Concordia University, Faculty of Fine Arts, Teaching assistant, Montreal
2017 Merenkurkun School, Artist Talk, Vaasa, Finland
Malakta Art Factory, Artist Talk, Malax, Finland
Roodehen University of Art, Lecturer, Faculty of Fine Arts, Lecturer, Tehran, Iran
2016 Photocopy Artists Collective, Artist Talk, Tehran, Iran
2011-17 Art and Architecture University, Lecturer, Faculty of Fine Arts, Lecturer, Tehran, Iran
Published Works
2022 Re-imagine Connections with Natural Environment Through Socially Engaged Art. Chapter 10, Making Connections in and Through Arts-based Educational Research, SpringerBriefs, Canada
Art as a Vector for Environmental Awareness, Three Artists Activating Art in the Fight against Climate Change, Smart Magazine, Volume 10, Toronto
2021 Resilient Gaze, Æ Graduate Journal of Art Education, Volume1. Concordia University, Montreal


