by Yvette Depaepe
Published the 22^nd of December 2025


Hadi Malenjani is the person behind the professional name Hadi Malijani Photography. If this fine artist were to define his photographic vision, he would say that he doesn’t just see photography as a means of documenting reality. He sees it as a powerful tool for creating his own inner worlds. His approach is conceptual and surreal, expressing deep emotions, universal concerns, and stories that take shape in his mind.
Join me as I explore the images that make up his inner world, which he aims to transform into a 'completely different universe'.

‘Inner World’ 

Dear Hadi, could you briefly tell us about yourself, your hobbies, and any other jobs you have had?
I am an artist with 20 years' experience in the field of photography. I am passionate about connecting art, literature, technology and peace, and sharing this vision with future generations. I devote all my time to my art and artistic endeavors, seeking to promote and connect diverse cultures and peoples through the universal language of art. My artistic activities include graphic design, drawing, photography across diverse genres, installation art, ideation, directing and color theory, all of which I approach with passion. Each of my images reflects a mind that is always seeking to translate abstract concepts into tangible art.



In what ways have your life experiences and personal history influenced your photography?
I have always been deeply involved in the creative process. My long-standing presence in the artistic community and years of collaborating with artists from various disciplines have given me unique, cumulative experience. This constant engagement ensures that my artistic perspective is perpetually evolving, focusing on how art can be utilised in daily life and how this knowledge can be transmitted to the next generation of artists. My extensive studies have helped me to understand the complex spectrum of human emotions, as well as the intricate relationships between the individual, society and existence. This enables me to transform these insights into powerful visual subjects.

Which experiences have influenced your art the most?
The most significant experiences of my career have been collaborating with major artists from diverse cultures and countries. These experiences have greatly enhanced my understanding of art and its power as a universal language that connects people around the world. This realization reinforces my belief that, from childhood through to adulthood, humans require education, an openness to different perspectives and respect for all cultures.



Describe your overall photographic vision.

WHERE REALITY AND IMAGINATION MEET

If I were to define my photographic vision, I would say that I don't just see photography as a way of documenting reality. I see it as a powerful tool for creating my own inner worlds.
My approach is conceptual and surreal. It is a means of expressing deep emotions, universal concerns and the myriad stories that take shape in my mind. These images often reflect my inner world, which I aim to transform into a 'completely different universe'.

* Surreal Expression: My goal is to make the audience feel something beyond what they can simply see. My aim is to create dreamlike spaces, often inspired by the works of renowned poets from around the world, psychological concepts or philosophical ideas, in order to build a bridge between the visible and invisible worlds.

 * Aspiration for Peace and Freedom: A constant yearning for a world full of love, peace and freedom underlies all my work. This aspiration informs the essence and atmosphere of my conceptual pieces.

METHOD OF CREATION

My work relies on creative yet precise editing. For me, the image creation process is akin to painting: I juxtapose different fragments of reality, meticulously constructing light, shadow, horizon and color. Rather than relying on pre-made presets, I prefer to build the colors by hand to accurately convey the exact mood I have in mind. This requires great patience and precision, but the result is the painterly depth and quality evident in my work, ensuring that every element is unique and original. Essentially, I take photographs to bring my mental worlds to life.



What is it about creatively edited photography and conceptual photography that draws you in?
My strong attraction to creative editing in photography is simple. The real world is insufficient for fully expressing my ideas.
For me, photography is not just about taking a picture; it's about creating a world. I harbor complex narratives, emotions and concepts, which are often rooted in philosophy, world literature or my personal concerns for peace and freedom. These concepts are abstract and surreal and cannot be fully depicted in a single unaltered shot.

FULL CONTROL OVER EXPRESSION

Creative editing grants me the power to:

 * Transcend Reality: If my idea requires a particular sky, horizon or impossible element, editing is an essential tool for me. I meticulously build up the light and shadow, layer by layer, to bring my mental space to life.

 * Achieve a Hand-Crafted Aesthetic: Editing enables me to create my own colors, rather than using generic filters. This gives the final image the depth and texture of a hand-crafted artwork. My goal is for the photograph to be 'presented', not just 'seen'.

* Amplify Emotions: In order to successfully convey a sense of melancholy or yearning for tranquility, absolute control over the light and mood of the image is essential. Precise editing can greatly enhance the emotional impact of a piece of work.

Put simply, I am drawn to creative editing because it is the only way I can bridge the gap between my inner world, which is impossible to capture, and the realm of the visually possible. Editing is the soul of my work, and indeed the completion of the raw photography.



Which is more important to you: the mood or story behind your images, or technical perfection?
In my photography, one element does not prevail over the other. In fact, a story and mood are incomplete without technical perfection, and technical perfection is soulless without a story. I view these two elements as the two fundamental pillars of my work.

Story and mood are at the heart of my work. They are the primary reason for creating the image, determining whether the photograph should be taken at all. If an image fails to convey a sense of melancholy or a philosophical concept, it is meaningless. Therefore, I first conceptualize my vision and then dedicate all my technical efforts to serving that core idea. However, a strong story alone is insufficient. Technical perfection is the body of the work.

In my photography, no single element prevails over the others. In fact, a story and mood are incomplete without technical perfection, and technical perfection lacks soul without a story. I view these two elements as the two fundamental pillars of my work.

Story and mood lie at the heart of my work. They determine whether a photograph should be taken at all and are the primary reason for creating the image. If an image fails to convey a sense of melancholy or a philosophical concept, it is meaningless.

Therefore, I first conceptualize my vision and then dedicate all my technical efforts to serving that core idea.

* Emotional Transfer is Disrupted: Technical flaws distract viewers, preventing them from fully immersing themselves in the surreal world depicted in the image.

* Plausibility is Lost: In order for a non-realistic (surreal) image to be powerful, it must appear believable. This is only achieved through the creative and meticulous editing of light, shadow and color, all of which demand technical excellence in post-processing.

I consider technical perfection to be the ladder that will take me to the pinnacle of storytelling. Without it, I cannot climb up. Therefore, both are vital to me. The story determines the destination, while the technique ensures that our journey there is of the highest quality.



What is your relationship with your subject matter beyond merely observing it?
Do you carefully prepare the locations where you intend to take photographs?
My relationship with the subject is not that of an observer, but of a creator and director. I am the creator and director of the mental universe in which the subject resides.

Whether human, object or manipulated natural element, my subjects are usually a symbol or physical embodiment of an idea, emotion or philosophical concept.

* When working with a human model, I request a specific pose and also ask them to internalize the emotional atmosphere, such as melancholy or peace, so that they can convey it authentically to the viewer.

* The main subject is often myself, although not necessarily in the form of a self-portrait. The subject is a reflection of my personal inner life and experiences.

For me, preparing locations is a complex and precise process, often involving a combination of fieldwork and digital construction.

 * I searched for nature and urban environments for 'textures' and 'raw elements'. These elements form the physical basis of my work, such as a particular sky, a specific ground texture or an old wall.

 * Ultimately, the places I photograph are often man-made, not just found.

Do you have any specific plans for your photography in the future, or any goals you wish to achieve?
In the future, I intend to explore broader, macro-level themes.

 * Time and Identity: I create works that explore how time affects our perception of the self and of identity.

 * Collective Unconscious: The exploration of symbols and archetypes that are shared across cultures, and their translation into surreal visual language. This process requires a deeper engagement with philosophy, psychoanalysis and semiotics.

 * Creating New Light Textures: I am experimenting with light, textures and materials in my editing to create atmospheres that have never been seen in my work before.

On a global scale, my aim is to create more opportunities to promote art and its application in daily life, and to collaborate more extensively with artists from other disciplines, as well as with renowned global brands and galleries.



Is there anything else you wish to add and what do you think about 1X as a home base for your work?
What I always wish to emphasize is the power of imagination and dreams. I believe the human mind can create infinite worlds, and as an artist, it is my duty to encourage these imaginations and make them visible. Surreal photography is the bridge between fantasy and reality. For me, this work is not just an art form; it is also a way of inspiring others to explore their inner worlds.

1x.com is both an artistic home and a specialized university for me.

 * High and Curated Standards: Thanks to its rigorous curatorial process, 1x is recognised as a top-tier online gallery. Having my work accepted by this platform's expert jurors serves as an endorsement of the technical standards and conceptual power of my pieces. This motivates me to consistently maintain the highest quality.

 * International Artist Community: The platform brings together a global community of talented photographers, each with their own unique vision. Being part of this community provides valuable opportunities for exchange and exposure to different perspectives, which are essential for any artist.

 * Launchpad for Globalization: My presence on 1x as an artist has exposed my work to audiences, collectors and art critics from around the world. This platform has played a key role in raising the international profile of my artistic voice.

In summary, 1x.com is an artistic home and a university where I can simultaneously exhibit my conceptual art to the highest standard and gain credibility.

‘Threshold’

‘The edge of existence’

‘Endless beginning’

‘Boundless’

‘City’

‘Alone on the line’

‘My Ocean’

‘line’

‘It is not too late IIII’

‘Touch’

‘You are not alone’

‘Anchor’

‘melancholy’

‘Dream vacation’