by Editor Jane Lyons
Edited and published by Yvette Depaepe, the 28^th of August 2026 

“Park”

As we all know, art is subjective. If ten people were asked to select their twenty favorite photographs from Hadi Malijani’s extensive portfolio, the results would undoubtedly be very different. This edit is not meant to be definitive. It is simply a reading of Hadi’s body of work through one set of eyes.

Hadi is truly amazing. At a time when millions of photographs are uploaded to the internet every day, it is almost impossible to find a distinct, individual and recognizable style. But Hadi has managed to do just that. His work is often minimalist, but always original, whimsical and charismatic. Creating a signature that is unmistakably his own takes enormous talent and imagination.

Hadi talks about watching his mother and grandmother weave intricate carpets when he was young. He would dream about the motifs in those carpets, such as plants, animals, classic geometric shapes, and ancient symbols, which seemed to come alive for him.

Today, he is breathing new life into those same symbols, plants, animals and geometric motifs in his own minimal, whimsical and almost childlike graphic style. He is retelling the stories he first discovered in his family’s carpets in a modern, original and beautiful way.

There is something wonderfully personal about Hadi’s work. Looking at it, you can't help but imagine that the person who created it has a beautiful voice and soul.

“Simplicity is the Narrative”

“Dream Vacation”

“Moonlit Solitude”

“Freedom”

“You are not Alone”

“Line”

“Mass and Man”

“Bay”

“From the distant seas”

In Color

“Infinite Horizon”

“Horizon’s Edge”

“Red”

“Colors”

“The Realm of Possible Impossibilities”

“It is Not Too Late”

This is how Hadi defines his work: "The less I show, the more a viewer can feel. By utilising intentional negative space and a restrained colour palette, I strive to create imagery that functions like a visual poem, where every shadow and line is a deliberate choice. My process is one of subtraction: I remove the superfluous until only the ‘visual essence’ remains, inviting the observer to look beyond the surface and find a reflection of their own internal landscape”. He has also said that simplicity is his narrative, and so it is.

Hadi’s work has been recognized by the international photography community, having received awards from Sony World Photography, Siena and Lens Culture, among others.

Eclectic Hadi

“Night dream”

“Depressed”

“women”

“The Silent Call”

“melancholy”

Hadi speaking from Shiraz, Iran

“I shoot in one of the most stressful places on earth, and this has put many limitations on me and my work. I wish that one day the whole world will be filled with love, peace and freedom.”

We wish that for you and for all of us Hadi. We are fortunate that you share your work on 1x and are a treasured part of this community.  May you create and thrive in peace and safety.