Graduate Associate
lalehsf[at]yorku.ca
MFA Candidate
Graduate Program in Visual Arts, York University
Research Keywords:
Water scarcity; water policies; rain-summoning rituals; cultural heritage; social justice; ecological justice
Research Region(s):
West Asia
Laleh Saramiforoshani is an Iranian multidisciplinary artist based in Toronto. Her practice explores the intersections of art, activism and cultural memory, with a particular focus on environmental and social justice issues. Born and raised in Iran, her experiences of war and socio-political movements have profoundly shaped her artistic perspective. As a graduate student at York University, Laleh is pursuing research, investigating ancient Iranian culture and symbolism, including rain-summoning rituals, to examine the historical and contemporary relationship between humans and their environment. Her work centres on the ongoing water crisis in Iran, connecting this urgent issue to broader themes of ecological justice, community resilience and cultural heritage in the face of environmental degradation. She employs diverse media, including painting, sculpture, performance and installation, to create a visual language that bridges past and present.