SUMMARY
Elsa is a visual artist whose main focus is Photography and Calligraphy-Painting, currently working as an artwork/mural-documentation photographer in the city of Toronto, and a freelance Calligrapher. She also teaches visual arts to kids. Her artistic practice mainly involves in conceptual art, portraying the concepts she has always concerned like Migration, Being a Woman, Immigration, and Quarantine in the past years.
Through her images and her calligraphy-painting art, she always tells stories of people, believing that realities in life mostly get too complicated that we could form them through stories.
She is also a professional photographer combining deep theoretical/technical knowledge with experience documenting artworks, creating portfolios and photo books for the artists, designing brochures, and promoting products and artworks via social networks and with various advertising materials. Stands out in photographing events including Arts and cultural ones, meetings and gatherings; and outdoor festivals and events. Excels at teaching visual arts, creating inspiring photography collections and organizing exhibitions, managing archives and events.
AWARDS
- Recipient of Space Award with Toronto Art Council, and Akin, Toronto, ON, July 2022
- Recipient of RBC Mentorship Award with Neighbourhood Arts Network, Toronto, ON, December 2018
- Recipient of RBC Access Funds with Neighbourhood Arts Networks, Toronto, ON, October 2017
- Solo Shows:
- "Unbound", At Origin Coffee, Toronto, ON, Nov 1st - Dec 3rd, 2023
- "The White Cave", Remote Gallery, Toronto, ON. July 21st - July 27th, 2023
- "I Am An Artist", North York Public Library, Toronto, ON. February 1st - 28th, 2023
- "The Gazers", Queen Gallery, Toronto, ON, August 11 - September 14, 2022
- “I, In Wonderland”, Art Square Gallery Hub, Toronto, ON, July 2017
Group Exhibitions
- Performance Art, in partnership with RichmondHills Library and Azadeh Pirazimian, March 22nd, 2024
- Viva Alliance Annual group Exhibition, Roundhouse Center, March 22nd-34th, 2024, Vancouver, BC
- TOAF, (Toronto Outdoor Art Fair) in collaboration with Start-StreetART Toronto, July 7th-9th, 2023
- Social Media Exhibit by ROM (Royal Ontario Museum); online exhibition of Iranian Women, Dec 2022
- Ten-year Anniversary by Street ART Toronto, at Only One Gallery, November 2022
- "Annual Juried Exhibition" of Visual Arts at Art Gallery of Mississauga, Sep 2022 - October 2022
- "On the Fence", In collaboration with Contact Photography Festival & Street ART Toronto, October 2022
- "Modern Women", A curated exhibit of Calligraphy and Painting Art at Arta Gallery, Toronto, March 2022
- A curated exhibit “Street Art Photography” by Street ART Toronto, Artusiasm Gallery, Toronto. Feb 2019
- “2018 RBC Newcomer Spotlight” show on behalf of Claire Hopkinson, Toronto Arts Foundation & Toronto
Arts Council, Stream Whistle Brewing, Toronto. Feb 2019
- “Click”, Arta Gallery, Scotia Bank Contact Photography Festival, Toronto, May 2018
- “Through My Lens”, Rosetta Gallery, Contact Photography Festival, Toronto, May 2018
- “A Portrait”, Propeller Gallery, Toronto, May 2018
- “Common Goods”, Forest City Gallery, London, ON. Dec 2017
- “I, In Wonderland”, selected by Daven Patel, the owner and director of Project Gallery, Project Gallery,
Toronto, ON. Oct 2017
- “Where Home Is”, Gallery 1313, Toronto, ON, August 2017
- “The Precious Land”, Gallery 1313, Toronto, ON, August 2017
- “The Art of Politics”, Propeller Gallery, Toronto, ON, July 2017
- “Artists’ Talk”, Propeller Gallery, Toronto, ON, July 2017
- Sales of artworks by Iranian artists, Saba Cultural and Artistic Institute, Tehran. Iran, July and September
2012
- Juried Group Photography Exhibition, Mahe-Mehr Gallery, Tehran. Iran, October and November 2011
- Photography Group Exhibition, Art University of Tehran, Tehran. Iran, February and March 2010
- Firouzeh Photography Festival, Tabriz. Iran, August 2010
Experiences
1. Instructor at Hansa Centre
2. Instructor of Science and Creative Classes, at Brick Labs Inc.
3. Visual Arts Instructor/ Photographer, at Rosetta School of Visual Arts
4. Photographer and Art Coordinator, at Arta Gallery
5. Event Photography Experience:
- "Sherlock Holmes Walk" Murals, with StreetART Toronto, Toronto Reference Library, TTC, Nov 2023
- "Cycling Path & Pedestrian Walk" with Transportation Department of City of Toronto, Oct 2023
- "Toronto Newcomers Day" at Nathan Phillips Sq, with City of Toronto, May 2023
- "Untold Stories" reception at La-Mashu Artscape by Elham Fatapour, Nov 2022
- "Basketball Court" mural and community event, by EnMass Project & StreetART Toronto, Nov 2022
- Nuit Blanche at Humber College, Satellite Project by Elham Fatapour, October 2022
- New Comer Day Event, Toronto Art Foundation & Neighbourhood Arts, City Hall, May 2022
-"Come As You Are" Mural Painting & Launch Day, Street ART Toronto, May 2022
- Farewell Party at Silverthorn Studios, Toronto, April 2022
- Mural Photography of "Western Beaches Containers", in Collaboration with StreetArt Toronto, Sep 2021
- Mural Photography of "Water Hoarding Site", in collaboration with StreetART Toronto and Wallnoize, Sep 2020
-"Curb TO Photography", by Transportation Department of the City of Toronto, during Covid-19, June 2020
- "Resilience; Redefined", Group Exhibition by Iranian-Canadian Artists at Artscape Yongeplace, March 2020
- "Alan Powell" event photography and mural photography, with Street Art Toronto, Oct 2019
-"My Story", Solo exhibition by Elham Fatapour, Sep 2019
-"Euclid Laneway" event photography and mural photography, with KjBIT and Street Art Toronto, Sep 2019
- “Incubator Program 2019” with Magenta Foundation at Stephen Bugler Gallery, June 2019
- “Art-focused meeting” and Opening Reception with Art Starts at Les Chester Community Center, June 2019
- “Jane’s Walks” Festival, May 3-5th 2019, Toronto.
- “Turbulence” Event Opening Reception at Scarborough Art Gallery, with Art Stars, May 2019
- “Consultation meeting” at Parkway Forest Community Center, in collaboration with Nicole Marcano, the
program manager of Art Starts TO, March 2019
- "Felstead Laneway" Murals photography, in collaboration with StreetART Toronto - November 2018
- "Women Paint Laneway" Murals photography, in collaboration with StreetART Toronto - October 2018
- "Feel Good Laneway" Event and Murals photography, with StreetART Toronto - October 2018
- “Euclid Laneway Murals” photography (of more than 25 murals and the celebration event), in collaboration
with StreetART Toronto - September 2018
- In collaboration with “Art Starts”, Kids’ programs at Le Chester Community Center – Aug 2018
- “Zion School House” event, in collaboration with Art Starts - May 2018
- “Trust: An Artist journey” presentation and workshop by Azadeh Pirazimian with Markham Group of Artists
at Markham Public Library – April 2018
- Panel Discussion by Airsa Art & Thought Association at Art Start Studio – March 2018
- March Art Camp photography at Rosetta School of Visual Art – March 2018
- “Stumble on A Secret Pool”, The Genius of Aron Tager at Silverthorn Studios – June 2017
- Opening Party of Silverthorn Studios at Silverthorn Studios – November 2016
- “A Golden Glow to Light the Day & Beyond Times” opening Reception at Arta Gallery – November 2016
- Aron & Ann’s Ultimate Sale Event at Cherry Nook Gardens – November 2016
- Presentation & Book Lunch, “Adams’ Darkroom” by Fereshteh Molavi at Arta Gallery – May 2016
- “Streets of Colors”, a photography exhibition by Peter Jolicoeur at Arta Gallery – July 2016
- “Land & City” Opening Reception, a group painting exhibition at Arta Gallery – July 2016
- “There Is No There There” Opening Reception, Contact Show Festival at Arta Gallery – May 2016
- “Every Rose Has Its Thorn”, a Painting exhibition by Khosrow Abtahi at Arta Gallery, June 2016
- “Her Story” Opening Reception, a painting exhibition by Alexis Fraser at Arta Gallery – June 2016
6. Photographer of Artworks
- Photography for Portfolios: Taking pictures of well-known artists’ works of Art
- Editing and retouching pictures
- Designing photo books including artists' works' pictures with information like the sizes of the
- works, titles and media
- Designing portfolios and websites, and photo books for artists
EDUCATION
- Master of Arts in Photography
Art University of Tehran, Iran 2011
- Bachelor of Arts in English
Azad University of Tehran, Iran 2006
Certificate:
- TESL Ontario, Toronto, 2020
- Photography for Ads & Magazines, Ryerson University (TMU), 2017
Contact
Email: elhashemi82@gmail.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elsa.hashemi/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/elsaphotographyy/