+ CV

Education

2019 Master of Fine Arts, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR
2013 Bachelor of Art, Painting Major, Soore University of Art, Tehran, Iran
2008 Associate Degree in Graphic Design, Karaj Institute of Higher Education, Karaj, Iran
2006 Diploma in Graphic Design, Golshan High School, Tehran, Iran

Solo and Two-Person Exhibition

2024 That Lost Folio Vol. II, Pond Gallery, Fayetteville, AR
Recite a Poem When Feeling Hopeless, Conkling Gallery, Minnesota State University-Mankato, MN
That Lost Folio, Morrison Galler, University of Minnesota, Morris, MN
2023 The Beloved One Who Left, MCAD MFA Gallery, Minneapolis College of Art and Design, MN
2022 With Tear, Sequoyah Hall in Mount Sequoyah Center for Arts, Fayetteville, AR 
2021 The Glitched Home, Site-Specific Installation for the Crystal Bridges Museum, Bentonville, AR 
Caged Bird and the Blue Room, Presented by Art Venture at Faulkner Performing Art Center, Fayetteville, AR
2020 The Thing with Feathers, Invernadero Artist-run Gallery, CA
Hope the Wind Rises – A Part of Imaginative Gardens, The II Platform, Fayetteville, AR & London, UK
Bleeding Into Space, Tops Gallery, Memphis, TN
Poetics of Places, Two-Person exhibition with Suzannah Schreckhise, 211 South Gallery, Bentonville, AR
2019 When They Sing a Song of Joy with Sorrow, MFA Thesis Show, Fine Art Center Gallery, Fayetteville, AR

Group Exhibition

2025 Jerome Fellowship Exhibition, Minneapolis College of Art & Design, Minneapolis, MN
2024 So Far, So Close, Q.Underground Gallery, Minneapolis, MN
2023 Soft Power, Curated by Danielle Hutch, Springdale, AR
2022 Faculty Biennial Exhibition and Forum, MCAD Main Gallery, Minneapolis, MN
A Room of One's Own, Curated by Shahrzad Jahan, Soo Contemporary Gallery, Tehran, Iran
Group Exhibition, Holsum Gallery, Independence, MO
2021 The Joy of Painting, Curated by Kiarash Alimi, Dastan Basement Gallery, Tehran, Iran
Elevate Series, 21C Museum, Curated by Danny Baskin, Bentonville, AR
Embellishment as Endurance – Part of From Bread to Cake, Curated by The II Platform, IR, and the UK
In Search of Ourselves, We Find Each Other, Curated by Kalyn Barnoski, Bentonville, AR
2020 Mapping Out A Field, Curated by Maryam Ghoreishi, Zanbeel Art
A Common Thread: Textiles Past and Present, Curated by Jennifer Smith, The Arts Center of Greenwood, SC
Color in the Round, Mount Sequoyah Center, Curated by Jessica Debari, Fayetteville, AR
Resemblance, Soo Contemporary Gallery, Curated by Fatemeh Kazemi, Tehran, Iran
House Party, Bonder Project, Online Show, Memphis, TN
Executive Orders, Online collaboration with The II Platform, London, UK
Amorphous Objects, Ghost Art Project, Online Exhibition
Sewn In: a Look at Contemporary Fiber Arts, Fenix Gallery, Fayetteville, AR
Pensacola Museum of Art Members Show, Pensacola Museum, Pensacola, FL
The 57th Annual Juried Competition, Masur Museum, Monroe, LA
Portrait: Identity and Expression, Site:Brooklyn Gallery, New York, NY
Typos + Spills + Broken Glass, Amos Eno Gallery, New York, NY
2019 Cross-Sections: MFA Online Exhibition
No Center Line, Curated by Josh Loeser, SequoyahHall, Fayetteville, AR
Night Garden, yngspc-nightgarden.com, Online Exhibition
Feel The Burn, Mim Gallery, LA
Year Two: Green, Bentonville, AR
Pensacola Museum of Art Members Show, Pensacola Museum, Pensacola, FL
Hands-On: A Collective Haptic Perspective, Pancake House, Minneapolis, MN
Interconnected, Walker Stone House, Fayetteville, AR
Bloom, Sykes Gallery, Millersville University, PA
2018  Artists and Locations, CICA Museum, South Korea
Nefelibata, Indiana University Kokomo Downtown Gallery, Kokomo, IN
2017 Float to the bottom, Sink to the top, sUgAR Art Gallery, Fayetteville, AR
Absolute Zero, Lalaland Gallery, Fayetteville, AR
Four AM, Lalaland Gallery, Fayetteville, AR 
2016 Running Toward Dreams, sUgAR Art Gallery, Fayetteville, AR
(A touring exhibition participating Iranian and American young artists)
Running Toward Dreams, Negar Art Gallery, Tehran, Iran
(A touring exhibition participating Iranian and American young artists)
Persian Gardens, Aaran Projects, Tehran, Iran
2015 Small Pictures, Aria Gallery, Tehran, Iran
2014 The Rabbit Hole, Mehrva Gallery, Tehran, Iran
2013 Revolver, Raf Gallery, Tehran, Iran

Awards

2025 DAG Prize in Visual Art, DAG Foundation
2024 Project Grant for a Curatorial Project, The Twin Cities Iranian Culture Collective
2023 Jerome Foundation Fellowship for Early Career Artists
2019 Artist 360, Student Artist Grant, Mid-America Arts Alliance
Summer Research Grant, The University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR 
Project Grant, The University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR 
Vermont Studio Center Residency Award, The University of Arkansas School of Art, Fayetteville, AR
Graduate Assistantship, The University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR
Graduate Fellowship, The University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR
2018    New Outstanding ICT Member Scholarship, The University of Arkansas, International School, Fayetteville, AR
Anderson Ranch Residency Award, The University of Arkansas School of Art, Fayetteville, AR
Graduate Fellowship, The University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR
Graduate Assistantship, The University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR
2017    Graduate Fellowship, The University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR
Graduate Assistantship, The University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR

Residency

2025 Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture, Madison, ME
2023 Terrain Residency, Springfield, IL
2019 Vermont Studio Center, Johnson, VT
2018 Anderson Ranch Art Center, Aspen, CO

Public Art

2023 The Longing, Terrain Public Art Biennial, IL & MN
2022 Birds and Dogwoods: a Fiber Installation, Mount Sequoyah Center for Arts, Fayetteville, AR 
2021 This Is Your Public Library, a public art piece for the Bentonville Public Library

Curatorial Projects, Juror, Panelist

2024 Curated: So Far, So Close, Q.Underground Gallery, Minneapolis, MN
Panel Reviewer for the Catalyze Grant sponsored by Mid-America Arts Alliance and the Windgate Foundation
Juror for In. Art Show, Hallberg Center for the Arts, Wyoming, MN
2023 Panel Reviewer for the Catalyze Grant sponsored by Mid-America Arts Alliance and the Windgate Foundation
2021 Juror for Thomas Hart Benton Art Competition, Neosho, MO 
2020 Juror for Plein Air Painting Competition, The Heart of American Artists’ Association, Siloam Springs, OK
2019 Curated: UTK @ UARK, Exchange Exhibition, SCUL Gallery, Fayetteville, AR 
Curated: SEEING THROUGH, Juried and Co-curated with Minah Kim, Sugar Gallery, Fayetteville, AR 
2018 Curated: Alter-Sphere, sUgAR Gallery, Fayetteville, AR
2016 Co-Curated: Running Toward Dreams, Co-curated with Maryam Amirvaghefi, sUgAR Gallery, Fayetteville, AR
Co-Curated: Running Toward Dreams, Co-curated with Maryam Amirvaghefi, Negar Gallery, Tehran, Iran 
2014 The Rabbit Hole Project, Mehrva Gallery, Tehran, Iran
2013 Co-founder of Rabbit Hole Group, Tehran, Iran

Artist Talk and Workshops

2025 VISCERA::POETICS, in collaboration with THE::SENSE::ARCHIVE, Princeton University, NJ
Artist Talk, St. Olaf College, Northfield, MN
Artist Panel, MCAD Gallery, Panelist: Juleana Enright
2024 Artist Talk at Minnesota State University, Mankato, MN
Q.Underground Gallery, Panelist: Aida Shahghasemi
2022 Professional Practices Series, Sponsored by MCAD MFA Program, Minneapolis, MN
Pecha Kucha, Modus Studio, Fayetteville, AR
2021 Guide Program Series, Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, Bentonville, AR
Adult Workshop: Photo Transfer Printing, Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, Bentonville, AR
Art Night Out, Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, Bentonville, AR
Spring Arts and Cultural Festival, Northwest Arkansas Community College
2020 Mapping Out A Field, Zanbeel Art
Virtual Art By Glass, Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, Bentonville, AR

Selected Press and Publication

2024 MN Artist, Ziba Rajabi: Poetry and Home, Spring 2024
Iranian artist Ziba Rajabi stitches her native tongue, MSU Reporter, Spring 2024
National cigarettes, banned pop songs and memory oceans, MPR News, Fall 2024
2023 MN Artist, Identity, Art, and Responsibility: An Artist’s Journey in Diaspora, Fall 2023
2022 Creative Independent, On Making Sense of Yourself Through Your Work, Fall 2022
Darz Online Magazine, Ziba Rajabi in Conversation with Shahrzad Jahan, Aug. 2022
2021 Brink No.2, Fall 2021
The Number.Inc Magazine, Under the Rug: an interview with Ziba Rajabi by Nuveen Barwari
21C Museum Hotel, Artist Check-in: Ziba Rajabi
NWA Democrat-Gazette, Four Minutes Four Questions: Artist Ziba Rajabi
2020 The Idle Class: Winter 2020 - The Makers Issue, Sewn Together
Under The Bridge, Issue 5, Concentric Series
NWA Democrat-Gazette, In Stitches: Artists sew their souls into Fenix exhibition
NWA Democrat-Gazette, Makers' Round-Up: Kellie Lehr, Ziba Rajabi both create in paint
Interview with Studio Break Podcast
Under The Bridge, Winter 2020, Painting
Post-Script Magazine
2019 NWA Democrat-Gazette, Iranian student artist builds cultural bridges through art,
UARK Newswire, SoArt Presents M.F.A Thesis Exhibition, Ziba Rajabi: 'When they sing a song of joy with sorrow
Young Space, Interview with Ziba Rajabi
MilK Publication, First Edition
2017 Claudius Speaks
2016 Running Toward Dreams underway in Tehran
Iran Daily, 23rd May
2014 Rabbit Hole Project Review at Mehrva Gallery,
Tandis Magazine, Aug, N0.280, p.5
2013 8 Peers Revolver, Weekly Review on Galleries,
Tandis Magazine, May, No.248, p.6

Service and Community Engagement

2022 Guest Critic for MFA Critiques, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN
2021 CB2YOU, A Public Outreach Program by Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, Northwest Arkansas, AR
Member of Art Committee in Mount Sequoyah Center for Arts
MFA Candidacy Committee Member, School of Art, University of Arkansas
Guest Reviewer for the Undergraduate level in Fay Jones School of Architecture and Design, UARK
Guest Critic for BFA Critiques, School of Art, University of Arkansas
Guest Critic for MFA Critiques, School of Art, University of Arkansas
2020 Art Facilitator at the Yvonne Richardson Community Center, Fayetteville, AR
2019 Member of International Cultural Team, The University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR
Guest Critic for BFA Critiques, School of Art, University of Arkansas
Member of Iranian Student Association, The University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR
Drawing and Painting Association, DAPA, The University of Arkansas, AR
2018 Core Member of International Cultural Team, The University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR
Guest Critic for BFA Critiques, School of Art, University of Arkansas
Member of Iranian Student Association, The University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR
2017 Member of International Cultural Team, The University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR
Guest Critic for BFA Critiques, School of Art, University of Arkansas
Member of Iranian Student Association, The University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR

Related Work Experience

2018. Co-director of Sugar Gallery, The Student-Run Gallery, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville
2012-16    Advertisement Manager, Adonis Kish, Tehran, Iran
2008-12   Graphic Designer, Adonis Kish, Tehran, Iran

Teaching Appointments

2024 Color and Mixed Media, Minneapolis College of Art and Design, Minneapolis, MN
Graduate Preparation II, Minneapolis College of Art and Design, Minneapolis, MN
2023 Graduate Critique Seminar I, Minneapolis College of Art and Design, Minneapolis, MN
Graduate Preparation I, Minneapolis College of Art and Design, Minneapolis, MN
Graduate Preparation II, Minneapolis College of Art and Design, Minneapolis, MN
Foundation Drawing II (Figure), Minneapolis College of Art and Design, Minneapolis, MN
2022 Graduate Critique Seminar I, Minneapolis College of Art and Design, Minneapolis, MN
Graduate Preparation I, Minneapolis College of Art and Design, Minneapolis, MN
Instructor/ARCH 1015 Fundamental Design Skills/ FJAD, UARK, Fayetteville, AR
Instructor/ARTS 6033/Drawing Graduate Seminar/ UARK, Fayetteville, AR
2021 Instructor/ARTS 3053/Drawing in the Expanded Field/ UARK, Fayetteville, AR
Instructor/ARTS 1929C Art Studio Foundations I: Form and Surface/ UARK, Fayetteville, AR
Instructor/ARTS 1919C Art Studio Foundations II: Extended Perception/ UARK, Fayetteville, AR
2020 Adjunct Instructor/ARCH 1015 Fundamental Design Skills/ FJAD, UARK, Fayetteville, AR
Adjunct Instructor/ART1113 Fundamental Drawing/ University of Arkansas, Fort Smith, AR 
2020 Adjunct Instructor/ART1143 3D Design/ University of Arkansas, Fort Smith, AR
2019 Graduate Instructor/ARTS 1929C Art Studio Foundations II: Extended Perception/ UARK, Fayetteville, AR
Graduate Instructor/ARTS 1919C Art Studio Foundations I: Form and Surface/ UARK, Fayetteville, AR
2019 Graduate Instructor/ARTS 1929C Art Studio Foundations II: Extended Perception/ UARK, Fayetteville, AR
Graduate Instructor/ARTS 1919C Art Studio Foundations I: Form and Surface/ UARK, Fayetteville, AR
2018 Teaching Assistant/ARTS 1929C Art Studio Foundations II: Form and Surface/ UARK, Fayetteville, AR
Teaching Assistant/ARTS 1919C Art Studio Foundations II: Observation & Visualization/ UARK, Fayetteville, AR
2018 Teaching Assistant/ARTS 1929C Art Studio Foundations I: Form and Surface/ UARK, Fayetteville, AR
Teaching Assistant/ARTS 1919C Art Studio Foundations I: Image Making/ UARK, Fayetteville, AR
2017 Teaching Assistant/ARTS 1929C Art Studio Foundations I: Form and Surface/ UARK, Fayetteville, AR
Teaching Assistant/ARTS 1919C Art Studio Foundations II: Observation & Visualization/ UARK, Fayetteville, AR
2017 Teaching Assistant/ARTS 4883 Book Making/ UARK, Fayetteville, AR
2017 Teaching Assistant/ARTS 1929C Art Studio Foundations II: Time & Motion/ UARK, Fayetteville, AR
Teaching Assistant/ARTS 1919C Art Studio Foundations II: Extended Perception/ UARK, Fayetteville, AR