Malala

 In 2018, The National Portrait Gallery, London, commissioned the acclaimed Iranian-born, American visual artist and filmmaker, Shirin Neshat, #BornOnThisDay, 26 March 1957, to create a new portrait of Pakistani female-education-activist and 2014 Nobel Peace Prize laureate, Malala Yousafzai, born in 1997.

This is the phototographic portrait, Malala Yousafzai (2018).

Archival ink on gelatin silver print on fibre-based paper, 152 x 102 cm, 60 x 40 in approx

Shirin Neshat is known primarily for her work in film, video and photography, whose work centres on the contrasts between Islam and the West, femininity and masculinity, public life and private life, antiquity and modernity, and bridging the spaces between these subjects.

Shirin Neshat began by taking a series of photographs of Malala Yousafzai and then, onto her chosen image, hand-inscribed in calligraphy a poem by the Pashto poet, Rahmat Shah Sayel from Peshawar, written in 2011 in praise of Malala. A full transcript of the poem is in the comments below.

The artist recalled: "I knew of Malala as an extraordinary young woman ... when I look back on our encounter, I am left with impressions of humility, wisdom and a rare sense of inner beauty."

Malala said, "I am honoured to have my portrait included in the National Portrait Gallery alongside some of Britain’s most influential writers, artists, and leaders. I hope it will remind visitors that girls everywhere are fighting for change in their communities and countries - their stories must also be heard."

MALALA II: (Malala Yousafzai)

By Rahmat Shah Sayel

Translated by Qasim Swati

O Malala I, Malala II is your reincarnation and the new Malala of the Pakhtoons.

You can listen to your own voice when Malala II is speaking after a long time, as Malala II is obsessed with what you believed in and acted upon.

As the flag made up of your red shawl is still flying over your grave in Maiwand as a symbol of your heroism for the sake of your Pashtoon Nation, Malala II is also following in your footsteps.

As you made your Pashtoon Nation undefeatable in the history of Maiwand by your own single tappa [a short folk song of northern Indian origin], Malala II is also determined,undefeated and strong enough in carrying out her mission.

No one could break your record of bravery for the last two generations, but she [Malala II] did so, because she does the same for her nation, as you did for yours.

If the people had valued you as equal to flowers [because of your bravery and achievements], so have the flowers themselves gifted Malala II to the people of Pakhtunkhwa.

You might have seen the wreckage of your country, but this Malala II is fit and proper enough to find a solution for compensating for that wreckage.

Whatever tappa you had sung in the battlefield of Maiwand; that tappa had been coined and invented by Malala II, as she is hugely inspiring.

As you encouraged the defeated and disheartened fighters of your nation to come back to the trenches and fight against the enemy, this is Malala II who is determined to accomplish your mission.

While you brought a huge honour to your nation by encouraging your countrymen to fight against the enemy, the same battle is fought by her [Malala II] with the help of a pen [education] to serve her nation.

You are the reflection of the poetry of Sa’eel, but she is a light born from your reflection.