Lava Jafari

Lava Jafari was born in Tehran, Iran to a family with a strong commitment to the Bahá’í faith; it is this lifelong connection which constructs the fabric of her identity. Lava’s family was forced to flee Iran for fear of religious persecution during the Islamic Revolution of 1979. In her formative years, Lava’s family sought temporary asylum in Greece before being granted permanent asylum in Australia as religious and political refugees.

Lava reveals that her artistic pursuit falls in one of two passions; contemporary and abstraction. The former is fuelled with powerful energy, at times anger and outrage; other times with love and compassion. In this space, she explores social injustice, inequity, prejudice and delves into the common element that connects humanity and spirituality. Contemporary works usually manifest themselves in performance art and installations.

However, most recent works focus on her obsession with abstraction. Here we see Lava fall in love with the abstract; the elements which play on the aesthetic. The recent series ‘Tiles’, utilises an array of materials as a homage to traditional mosaic works of art influenced by her Middle Eastern roots, coupled with the inspiration of modernist colour field abstract...

2008 Bachelor of Fine Arts, UNSW/COFA

2002 Advanced Diploma in Fine Arts, Wollongong TAFE

2024: Group exhibition at Bad News Gallery, Wollongong

2020-current: Exhibiting at Bluethumb Gallery, Adelaide

2013: Me, the Road and I: Narratives of Refugee Passage and Identity, Wollongong Art Gallery

2012: International Women’s Day Exhibition, Gallery 5 Wollongong

2008: COFA ANNUAL 08, College of Fine Arts University of New South Wales

2004: LexArts HOP, Lexington, KY USA

2004, 2002: Art 4 Refugees, group exhibition supporting local refugees, Wollongong

2003: Fishers Ghost Art Award (Works on Paper), Campbelltown Arts Centre

2003: New Work at Clifton, Clifton School of Arts

2003-2000: Solo exhibitions at Black Rock Café, Kiama

2002: Glad Wrapp, Fine Arts Graduation Exhibition, Illawarra Institute of TAFE

2002-2001: Solo exhibitions at Sumdam Café, Wollongong

2002-2000: Various group exhibitions, Karoona Gallery, Illawarra Institute of TAFE

2001: Solo exhibition at the Old Fire Station, Kiama

1998: Group exhibition, Central Craft - Alice Springs, NT