Born and raised in Iran, Toronto artist Sheida Shekarian is drawn to our shared experiences and what it means to be human. While she has worked on photo shoots, in graphic design, and admires a variety of creative fields, Sheida always returns to illustration. His story-driven visuals incorporate a sense of humor and a deep appreciation for the complexity of our lives as social creatures yearning to be understood by one another. His book opens with a quote from Dr. Gabor Maté – “There is no closeness that can surpass the feeling of feeling known and always being loved, accepted, welcomed, invited into existence” – a statement that encompasses the intention behind its images:
“Each piece is an invitation to remember moments spent in the presence of others. Most of my fondest memories have in them, both foreground and background, the presence of friends, classmates, family and even strangers. This warm feeling of being surrounded by others, sometimes loved and at best seen, is the place from which each image is created.
“A Few Views” has been selected as one of the winners of our 2022 Art & Photo Book Award. With the support of Artmobile, we helped Sheida turn a selection of her work into a book! If you would like the opportunity to publish your own book, today is the last day to apply for the 2023 Art and Photo Book Prize! More images from “Some Views” below.
