Elyas Alavi is an Afghanistan-born Australian artist and poet whose multidisciplinary practice spans painting, sculpture, moving image, poetry and performance. His work draws on personal and collective histories of migration, exile and belonging, engaging with the political and cultural legacies of the South West Asia and North Africa (SWANA) region. His recent paintings and drawings chart a subtle, queer history rooted in memory, while sculptural and photographic projects have explored the legacies of South Asian cameleers in Australia.

Alavi holds a Master of Visual Arts from the University of South Australia (2016) and a Master of Fine Arts from Chelsea College of Arts, University of London (2020).

He has been commissioned by a number of galleries, artist-run initiatives, and biennales, including the 24th Sydney Biennale, 3rd Lahore Biennale, 3rd Diriyah Bienanle, TarraWarra Biennale, Griffith University, West Space, 3rd Hyphenated Biennale, TarraWara Bienale, ACE Gallery, Granville Arts Centre, Next Wave, Nexus, POP, and UTS.

Alavi has published three poetry collections, earning critical acclaim and winning several prestigious literary awards, including the International Peace Poetry Prize in Tajikistan (2012), the Annual Reporters Poetry Prize in Tehran (2009), the Young Poets Book of the Year in Iran (2008), and the Afghan Young Poets Prize (2007). His poetry has been translated into English, Greek, Urdu, Kurdish, and Spanish, and has appeared in prominent publications such as World Literature Today (University of Oklahoma) and the PARSE Journal (University of Gothenburg).

CV

   

Education

  • 2020    Master of Fine Arts, Chelsea College of Arts, London

  • 2016   Masters of Visual Arts, University of South Australia

  • 2012    Bachelor of Visual Arts (Honours), University of South Australia

Book Publications

  • 2015      Hodood, Poetry and drawing book, Nimaj publisher, Tehran

  • 2011      Bazi Zakhmha(Some Wounds), Drawing & poetry book, Kabul

  • 2012      I’m a Day-dreamer wolf, 2007, (5th edition in 2016), Tehran      

Select Solo Exhibitions

  • 2026 Face To Face/روبه رو, Futures Gallery, Melbourne

  • 2024 علمALAM, 4A Centre for Contemporary Asian Art, Sydney

  • 2024 Sound of Silence (#1), 24th Sydney Biennale, UNSW Galleries, Sydney

  • 2024 That I Could Fear a Door: storie di case e di vento, MUSMA, Matera, Italy, Museum of Contemporary Sculpture in Matera (curated by Exo Arts Lab and Simona Spinella)

  • 2024 3rd Lahore Biennale, Lahore Fort, Lahore, Pakistan

  • 2023 دیگرگونه , Another Kind, Gertrude Glasshouse, Melbourne

  • 2022   Not Just a Shadow (stage 2), POP Gallery, Adelaide

  • 2021    Beyond the Mountains and the Sea, Sauerbier House, Adelaide

  • 2019    A Desolate Voice, M. Contemporary, Sydney

  • 2019    Daydreamer Wolf (stage 3) ACE Open, Adelaide

  • 2018    Daydreamer Wolf (stage 2), Firstdraft Gallery, Sydney

  • 2017    Rag/Vein, Mohsen Gallery, Tehran

  • 2017    We Die So That, Nexus Arts Gallery, Adelaide

  • 2016    HALAL, Fontanelle Gallery, Adelaide

  • 2015    Ordugah/Detention Camp, Mashad, Iran

                                              

Select Group Exhibitions

  • 2024 Reesha, Blindside Ari, Melbourne

  • 2024 The 68th Blake Art Prize, Casula Powerhouse Arts Centre

  • 2024 Incinerator Art Award: Art for Social Change, Incinerator Gallery, Melbourne

  •  2023    Let the bād speak, Fonazione 107, Turin, Italy (curated by Exo Arts Lab)

  • 2023         TarraWarra Biennial, TarraWarra Museum, VIC

  • 2023        Destiny Disrupted, Griffith University Museum of Art, QLD

  • 2022   Not Just a Shadow(stage 1), Hyphenated Biennale, Substation, Melbourne

  • 2022         20Years, Blacktown Arts Centre, NSW

  • 2022         Destiny Disrupted, (Eleven Collective), Granville Centre Art Gallery, NSW

  • 2022         67th Blake Prize finalist exhibition, Casula Powerhouse ArtsCentre, NSW

  • 2022         An Obstinate Prophet, Performance at Neoteric exhibition, SA

  • 2021         group exhibition at Constance ARI as part of Mona Foma Festival, Hobart

  • 2021         Cameleers, (as part of Hyphenated Biennale), Footscray Arts Centre, VIC

  • 2020        FIELD NOTES, Sauerbier House Gallery, SA

  • 2019    Tele-Tales, Robert Kananaj Gallery, Toronto

  • 2019    Pretty Ugly, Cookhouse gallery, London

  • 2018    Daneha/Seeds, Blacktown Arts Centre, Sydney

  • 2017     The Invisible, UTS Gallery, Sydney

  • 2017     Nimrouz, Niyavaran Art Gallery, Tehran

  • 2017    Home thoughts from abroad, Praxis gallery

               

Residencies & prize

  • 2026 Debora Porch Award: Visual Arts Residency in Thailand, supported by SAC gallery and Creative Australia

  • 2023 Gertrude Contemporary studio residency, Melbourne

  • 2022 Hyphenated Projects, Melbourne

  • 2023 Jersey Arts Residency, Jersey, UK

  • 2022 Sauerbier House studio residency, Adelaide

  • 2020 ED Tweddell Studio Residency, Central Studio, Adelaide

Curating

  • 2026 CHOGH, Bundoora Homestead Art Centre, Naarm/Melbourne

  • 2023    VASL, Kerry Packer Civic Gallery, Uni SA, Adelaide

  • 2022  TIMELESS,  VASL, Kerry Packer Civic Gallery, Uni SA, Adelaide

  • 2021    CONTACT, Kerry Packer Civic Gallery, This exhibition won the Bank (Best Visual Art & Design Adelaide Fringe Award)

  • 2019     Cultivate, Kerry Packer Civic Gallery, Adelaide

  • 2017    Fly Away, Kerry Packer gallery & Nexus Arts

  • 2014    Marzaha/Borders, Nexus gallery, Adelaide

 

Teaching Experience

  • 2017-22  Art facilitator, Neami National, Adelaide

  • 2017      DreamBig Children Festival, Artist in school residency

  • 2017       Pom Pom (Carclew in Elizabeth)

  • 2017      Artist in school residency program at Darlington school                                                            

  • 2016 Art & poetry workshops at STTARS