Ghazaleh Rastgar aka Ghazaraza is an award winning multidisciplinary artist from Shiraz, Iran, now based in Toronto, Canada. Graduating from OCADU with a Bachelor of Design, she initially pursued a corporate career before rekindling her passion for visual arts.

Ghazaleh draws inspiration from nature, the human body, sensuality, and contemplating life as an Iranian woman. She invites viewers to examine the profound depths of love, identity, and community through illustrations, paintings, murals and short animations.

Ghazaleh’s work has achieved international recognition and been exhibited globally. Notably, her animated GIFs were featured on CBC’s Exhibitionists, and she redesigned the CBC Arts logo for October 2021.

Exhibitions

2024 Being Scene 2024 by Workman Arts

2023 Art Toronto with “The New Other“

2023 “Femme Vie Liberte” at Paris Museum of Modern Art

2023 Collective Arts Brew Series 24 Exhibition 

2022 Being Scene 2022 by Workman Arts – In person and Online

2021 The Artist Project – Online Exhibition

2020 Feminist Art Festival at OCADU – Toronto

2018 Venus Rising at Hashtag Gallery – Toronto

2018 You Should Come at Darling Mansion (Sponsored event) – Toronto

2016 Society of Illustrators – New York; Comic and Cartoon Annual

2015 Spring Equinox Festival at CSI Annex – Toronto

Clients

• Luminato Festival

• Giphy

• TIFF

• Lavazzo

• StreetARToronto – City of Toronto

• Historica Canada

• EastEnd Arts

• Mount Pleasant BIA

• The Junction Bia

• Bell Canada

• Fast Company

• Lenny Letter

• Hemisphere Magazine

• HotDocs

• Resist! Publication Vol. 1 & 2

Publications

2023 Euronews
2021 CBC Arts
2019 CBC Arts
2018 She Does The City
2018 Streeter
2018 Paper Darts
2017 Haaretz
2017 HuffPost
2016 The Cut

Awards

2021 American Illustration 40

2018 American Illustration 37 (Online)

2016 Society of Illustrators