RAJNI PERERA

Born in Sri Lanka, Rajni Perera lives and works in Toronto and has become one of the country's most compelling contemporary artists, using imagination to challenge assumptions about identity, migration and belonging. 

She explores issues of hybridity, futurity, ancestorship, migrant and marginalized identities/cultures, monsters and dream worlds. These themes come together to fuel explorations within a multimedia practice that includes drawing and painting, clay, wood, lanterns, new media sculpture, textile, and most recently, synthetic taxidermy.

Perera seeks to open and reveal the dynamism of the icons, beings and objects she creates by means of a subversive aesthetic that counteracts antiquated, oppressive discourse, and acts as a restorative force.

The OCAD University graduate’s work has been exhibited at major institutions across Canada and internationally, earning widespread recognition for its originality and social relevance. In 2021, she was awarded the prestigious Sobey Art Award, Canada's leading prize for emerging contemporary artists. The 2024 Toronto Biennial of Art commissioned a sculptural installation from Perera, which resulted in the sculpture, Vimana (N1 Starfighter).

Her work is found in numerous collections, including the Art Gallery of Ontario, National Gallery of Canada, the Musée des Beaux-Arts, the McMichael Gallery and the Sobey Foundation.

Learn more about Rajni Perera.

Artist interview with Rajni Perera, Onsite Gallery’s power exhibition.

Image credit: Artwork installation by Rajni Perera.