Raha Rastifard is an Iranian-German artist residing and working in Stockholm. Through a wide range of media, such as photography, sculpture, painting, video, and installation, she explores themes of identity and cultural heritage. Her work often incorporates references to literature, philosophy, and art history. In her highly lyrical art, she creates works that are full of (trans)cultural, poetic, and historical references.
Her work as an artist is based on narrating a story. Her art has no nationality; she believes that art does not recognize borders or nations, it can travel freely. She strongly believes in interculturalism, and her message of art is universal.
Rastifard holds a BFA from the National University of Art in Tehran and an MA in European and Islamic Art from Freie Universität in Berlin. She has also attended a couple of post-master courses at the Royal Institute of Art in Stockholm (2015 - 2018). Recent solo and group exhibition venues include Ebelingmuseet, Eskilstuna (2023), Borås Bright Art, Borås Konstmuseum (2023), Liljevalchs Konsthall, Stockholm (2022), Berg Gallery, Stockholm (2021), and Östergötlands Museum, Linköping (2019). Additionally, her work has been shown in a large number of exhibitions throughout Europe, Asia, and North America, including venues such as the Pergamon Museum, Berlin, the Victoria and Albert Museum, London, Kunstquartier Bethanien, Berlin, Museo Ex-Teresa Arte Actual, Mexico City, Malmö Konsthall, and Tokyo Gallery + BTAP, Tokyo.
Rastifard was awarded the 2021 IASPIS residency scholarship and received the Swedish Arts Grants Committee's two-year working grant the following year. Her works are represented in the collections of the Pergamon Museum, Berlin, Borås Konstmuseum, Östergötlands Museum, Stockholm Konst, and Region Stockholm (Stockholm County Council), among others.