Elahe Rahroniya

Elahe Rahroniya is an Iranian writer, performance- and visual artist and filmmaker. Her texts, films and art projects are severely critical towards the regime in her home country. In 2010, following surveillance, threats and harsh interrogations, Elahe fled to Malaysia in fear of reprisals.

Rahroniya has published two collections of poetry, a novel and a number of critical essays in Iran, as well as numerous other works that were not accepted for publication in Iran. Her first collection of poems Leilaobali was published in 2001 in Teheran by Paya Publishers, followed by her first novel The King of Yellow Rose, published in 2007 by the Markaz Publishing House. Her second collection of poems The Sale Advertisement of Turkmen Horse was published in 2010. She has continued to write poetry, novels, short stories and children’s books since she left Iran, and has translated a number of works, all of which have been censored by the authorities.

Rahroniya has a BA in English Translation from the Azad Islamic University of Teheran and a degree in interior design from Teheran University's faculty of beautiful arts. Apart from her prolific literary production, she has been working with conceptual art projects and films. A fusion of documentary and artistic films filled with symbolic references. Her last project, Synthesis of a Trash Bin got her into trouble with the government, and she arrived in Stavanger City of Refuge as guest writer in 2013.