Art student Malak Cherri wins Best of Show in national Greatest Student Exhibition

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Image of Malak Cherri's painting "Education" (Arabic man teaches son how to read)

On the heels of winning 2nd place in the 2-D art category for her artwork, “Sun Kissed Recitation,” at this year’s 38th annual LAND Conference, HFC art student Malak Cherri won the Best of Show for her entry in the 3rd annual Greatest Student Exhibition hosted by The In Art Gallery, an online art gallery based in Collinsville, IL.

Cherri’s winning entry is a painting called “Education.” In it, a man is educating a young boy with their backs against a shop labeled “weapons” in Arabic.

“The premise of the piece is that education is enlightenment for future generations, and that knowledge overrides violence,” explained Cherri, of Dearborn. “My work aims to achieve a warm, inviting aura through the use of subjects and atmosphere. Whether it be traditional décor or people around the world reenacting casual life, I try my best to translate still images with personality. My focus is always a welcoming scene.”

She continued: “I play with these portrayals using a variety of texture and style to bring the overall piece together – rough globs and smooth strokes, among others. Using all of these techniques, I hope to provide the viewer with – in a sense – nostalgia, and to showcase open-ended moments that leave them with lingering musings of the scenes and their aftermaths.”

“A phenomenal achievement”

“Education” can be seen in the glass display case across the hall from the Painting Studio (Room F-162) in the MacKenzie Fine Arts Building (Bldg. F) on the main campus.

HFC fine arts instructor Nemanja Rosic said the In Art Gallery is proposing a potential solo exhibition of Cherri’s work.

“The show’s title, ‘The Greatest Student,’ seemed a suitable theme, so with my encouragement, she took a photograph of her newest piece and entered it. The result: She won the Best of Show! A phenomenal achievement!” said Rosic. “This just goes to show that anything can happen if one is creating the opportunities for oneself with hard work and dedication. I hope other great HFC students will take this as inspiration for their future endeavors. When students materialize their concepts and fulfill their ambitions, we, the instructors, are fulfilling our own potential too.”