A true passion for art is being able to capture the eye of any unique individual. Shokoufeh Malekkiani, a young passionate Iranian artist, lawyer and philanthropist does just that with her talent in art and photography. She can truly capture what hardship looks like to the natural eye, in a way that moves the world toward change.
Her art and photography illustrates the pain and desperation of the poor as an issue of vital concern, which deserves more and more attention of the world community. Her work has won numerous international awards since 2006, including the 2nd rank in the Canadian Association for Photographic Art and the 2006 Annual Digital Competition. Shokoufeh has also contributed to her community by running training classes for women breadwinners to give them skills for living.
Relating back to her roots, Shokoufeh has been working at WFP in Iran for three years as an Artistic Consultant of The United Nation World Food Programme, which is the world’s largest humanitarian agency fighting hunger. The proceeds of her sole exhibition went into building a school for the homeless and educating underprivileged children. However difficult the task may be, Shokoufeh is determined to fight hunger and poverty.
Shokoufeh has gained first-hand experience of the pain and suffering Iranian nomads have gone through. Her fame and name did not stop her from risking her life by living with Iranian nomads, which was an experience of great value that helped her take better and more realistic photos. Her photos are now raising a deeper awareness about social issues among famous and influential people who can significantly alleviate these problems.
Shokoufeh is a woman of many talents. Her outstanding philanthropic work and attitude has led to her art being released and sold to raise money for charity organizations.
Shokoufeh Malekkiani will be displaying her “Altered States of Reality” art and photography at the Agora Gallery April 24-May 15, 2012, with an opening reception April 26, from 6-8 pm. This exhibition of analog and digital photography will depict the pain and desperation of the world, which is easily ignored or distorted in reality.
“We have a long way to go and I hope one day we can remove the ugly words of poverty and starvation from the human vocabulary” – Shokoufeh Malekkiani
