Maleki, Alireza

Iran, 2002

Alireza was born in 2002 in western Iran. His father is a simple laborer, and the family owns only one cow. The somewhat introverted, quiet Alireza began to take an interest in cows at an early age and immersed himself in the history of Spanish bullfighting. When all schools were closed due to the pandemic, he started working in a slaughterhouse and recording his observations in confrontational sketches. At high school, he studies architecture, though mostly just to earn a degree. His real ambition is to become an independent butcher, and he’s already looked for a butcher’s knife. He was recently attacked by a cow and is currently recovering at his parents’ house (2021).