Melody Melamed is a Brooklyn-based, Iranian-American photographer who explores themes of gender identity, sexuality, and the human experience through contemporary portraiture. She holds a BFA from UCLA and an MFA from the School of Visual Arts (SVA). Her powerful, often painterly-inspired images are recognized for their authenticity and provocative nature. Melamed's work has been featured in publications including Paper Magazine and The New Yorker, aiming to provoke thought and initiate dialogue on gender and self-discovery.  Over the past five years, Melamed has been working on her most personal project yet, The Book of Skin: Shangri-la, which focuses on ‘gender euphoria’, the feeling of joy that trans and other genderqueer people can experience when their gender expression aligns with their gender identity. Melamed has been working with trans bodies and trans identities for more than a decade, exploring the emotionality behind transitioning and stepping into one’s true self.

“…We expand and evolve into our own Shangri-la. Here, there are no mistakes. This is the kind of euphoria where no matter who we are or how we are, we are affirmed, we are valid and true.”
—Melody Melamed

Artist website: melodymelamed.com