Fareh malik • Spoken word artist, poet
“I finished my masters degree right before the pandemic hit. On my regular career path, I would probably be elsewhere in an office doing some work related to healthcare. However, the pandemic brought me some necessary challenges that allowed me to evolve into the artist I now am (not being able to find a job was the first one). Maintaining my artistry and producing new content however has been a challenging feat. Losing family members and not being able to be with them is extremely hard. Finding the light in seemingly dark situations has become a crucial skill. I want the world to know that, no matter where I am or what situation I am facing, my artistry is incredibly important to me- I want them to know that #IAmStillAnArtist.”
Fareh Malik is a BIPOC man from Hamilton, Ontario, as well as a seasoned spoken word artist and emerging written poet. The winner of Hamilton Art’s Shirley Elford Prize and Muslim Hands Canada's 2020 Poetry Contest, Fareh's debut book, 'Streams That Lead Somewhere,' is forthcoming in 2022. Fareh was also a 2021 Best of the Net nominee, as well as a 2021 Garden Project recipient. His individual works have been published by literary presses such as Waccamaw Journal, 86 Logic, Lucky Jefferson, Chitro, Twyckenham Notes and many others. Some of his work in 2020 was also on exhibit in the McNay Art Museum in San Antonio. Fareh’s work has been described as critical, yet sanguine; poetry that often explores the intersection of racialization and mental illness, while maintaining a silver lining on its horizon. He loves to tell the story of his struggle, and of his community around him, in the hope that others can find inspiration and companionship in it. Fareh is currently a freelance poet and author, working on his collection.