Iranian-Canadian Artist Rah Eleh Tackles Alt-Right Internet Extremism at Venice Biennale

Eleh's new work "Celestial Throne" to debut April 23
at "Personal Structures" exhibit curated by the European Cultural Centre.

TORONTO, April 13, 2022 /PRNewswire/ - Rah Eleh, an Iranian-Canadian artist, will unveil her latest work, "Celestial Throne," at the upcoming Venice Biennale art exhibition "Personal Structures" hosted by the European Cultural Centre. The video installation spotlights the artist's firm stand on dismantling far-right internet extremism, and will be showcased at Palazzo Mora from April 23 – November 27.

Drawing on her lived experiences as a refugee, exilic and diasporic artist, Eleh has honed a practice merging performance, video and net art. Her work critiques the social factors and cultural expressions that shape national and ethnic identity.

"With the current rise of nationalism and growing racial tensions around the world, I create space for artists of colour whose insight reaches beyond a single narrative of victimization," Eleh said. "This new work highlights art's potential to foster transformative dialogue and contribute to greater social knowledge, awareness and discourse surrounding far right nationalism with the goal of unmasking it"

"Rah engages and disarms audiences through humour, all the while unfurling a critique of how racism and power operate," said distinguished curator Heather Anderson who has exhibited Eleh's work previously.

"Celestial Throne" features a series of carefully conceived personas that deconstruct racial stereotypes. While parodying the tropes endemic to a classic game show, the work is a pointed critique of power and race relations. Through the clues used in the game show, Eleh exposes the hidden internet vernacular used by hate groups to spread messages of animosity and lure recruits. This project was completed with support from the Canada Council for the Arts.

Personal Structures is a Venice Biennial contemporary art exhibition curated by the European Cultural Centre. In this year's edition, the exhibition will revolve around the theme Reflections.

Rah Eleh's work has been exhibited extensively both nationally and internationally at spaces including Images Festival, Museum London, Carleton University Art Gallery, Williams College Museum of Art, Miami Art Basel and many others. She has been the recipient of numerous awards including Chalmers Arts Fellowship, Ontario Arts Council grants, and SSHRC Canada Doctoral Scholarship. For more information about Eleh and her work, please visit https://www.rah-eleh.com/

SOURCE Rah Eleh