Vahid Valikhani is a photographer and documentary filmmaker and serves as Director of the Beatrice M. Haggerty Gallery at the University of Dallas.

His creative practice examines environmental and social conditions across both familiar and unfamiliar landscapes. Through the integration of landscape and portraiture, he explores how representations of place and people collectively construct meaning, illuminating the cultural and political forces that shape one another. He is the author of the monograph Nebraska, Tampa: The Return to the Streets (Tavaali Publication, 2025). His work has been exhibited internationally in Germany, Italy, Iran, and the United States.

vahid.valikhani@gmail.com

Education

2024 Master of Arts, Film Studies,
Department of Humanities and Cultural Studies, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida

2021 Master of Fine Arts, Creative Photography,
School of Art and Art History, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida

2016 Bachelor of Fine Arts, Photography,
Faculty of Visual Arts, Art University of Isfahan, Iran

Solo Exhibitions

2026

  • A Photographic Journey Across Borders,
    CICA Museum, Gimpo-si, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea

2025

  • Nebraska, Tampa: The Return to the Streets, Exhibition and Monograph Launch
    Didar Art Gallery, Tehran, Iran

2023

  • Seen, Unseen,
    Reitz Union Gallery, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida

2020

  • Elegies,
    4Most Gallery, Gainesville, Florida

2019

  • Landscape and Faces,
    Reitz Union Gallery, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida

2012

  • Elghâ,
    Blue-Room Gallery, Isfahan, Iran

Selected Group Exhibitions and Photo Festivals

2026

  • Deflate: Failures, Flops & Silver Linings,
    The Studio + Design Center, School of Art, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, Arkansas

  • TCF Winter 2026 Show, Special Collaborative Show with Behind VA Shadows
    Behind VA Shadows, Cambridge, Massachusetts

  • The Blue of Distance,
    Kingston Gallery, Boston, Massachusetts

  • TPS33 The International Exhibition, Juried by Barbara Bosworth and Emily Sheffer,
    Center for Contemporary Art in Abilene, Abilene, Texas

2025

  • Fall of Freedom,
    Nationwide collective film project, the Film-Makers’ Cooperative and Canyon Cinema

  • City Manager's Office Annual Exhibition,
    City of Dallas Office of Arts and Culture, Dallas, Texas

  • reFramed,
    Greater Denton Arts Council (GDAC), Patterson-Appleton Arts Center, Denton, Texas

  • 2025 SPE South Central Members Exhibition,
    Tarleton State University, Fort Worth, Texas

  • Shared Thoughts,
    NOVA24 | Photo + Film Festival, Hazel Park, Michigan

  • Archive the West,
    Midwest Nice Art, Online

  • The Eclectika Gallery Assistant Exhibition,
    The Eclectika at 711, Irving, Texas

  • 19th Biennial Joyce Elaine Grant Exhibition, Juried by Mazie M. Harris,

    Texas Woman’s University, Denton, Texas

2024

  • Current Works 2024,
    Kansas City Society for Contemporary Photography, Kansas City, Missouri

  • 2024 SPE South Central Members Exhibition,
    National Park College, Hot Springs, Arkansas

  • Tasvir Archive – A Research Exhibition on Contemporary Iranian Image-Based Art,
    Northlight Gallery, Arizona State University, Phoenix, Arizona

  • New Topographics: Contemporary Landscapes,
    Katzman Contemporary Projects, Dover, New Hampshire

  • Variations 2024,
    Marblehead Arts Association, Marblehead, Massachusetts

  • The Four Elements – Earth, Air, Fire, Water, 
    MVA Art Gallery, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania

2022

  • Into the Woods, Out of the Woods, An Unconventional Encounter with Landscape,
    Historic Thomas Center, Gainesville, Florida

  • A Position in Nature, A Position in Power,
    Good News Arts, High Springs, Florida

  • Framed: Trees and Water,
    Black Box Gallery, Portland, Oregon

2021

  • Waterloo Photography Invitational 2021,

    PHOTOCENTRIC Contemporary Photography Gallery, Cleveland, Ohio

  • Post-Industrialism,
    International Group Exhibition, LoosenArt, Rome, Italy

  • The Act of Silence,
    University Gallery, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida

  • Emulsion Chapter II, Photography Exhibition,
    The Holy Art Gallery, London, United Kingdom

  • The Shape of Things,
    Praxis Gallery, Minneapolis, Minnesota

  • DocuFlorida,
    Pensacola Museum of Art, University of West Florida, Pensacola, Florida

2018

  • Photography Student Exhibition,
    Gary R. Libby Gallery, School of Art and Art History, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida

  • Guitar Art: Historic Innovation of an American Icon through Industrial Design, Art & Music,
    University Gallery, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida

2016

  • Art University of Isfahan: Student Juried Exhibition,
    University of Education, Freiburg, Germany

2014

  • Photography Students Exhibition,
    Creative Photography, Central Library of Isfahan, Iran

2013

  • Art University of Isfahan: Annual Exhibition,
    Museum of Contemporary Art, Isfahan, Iran

2012

  • Art University of Isfahan: Annual Exhibition,
    Museum of Contemporary Art, Isfahan, Iran 

Selected Film Festival Awards and Nominations

2025

  • The Burning Land
    Official Selection, Canberra Short Film Festival

2024

  • Echoes of Strength
    Semifinalist, Rhode Island International Film Festival
    Finalist, The Bay International Film Festival
    Nominee, Toronto International Women Film Festival
    Award Winner, MegaFlix Film Awards
    Best Short Documentary Award Winner, Hercules Independent Film Festival
    Outstanding Social Impact Film Official Selection, Symbiotic Film Festival
    Official Selection, Montecito Student Film Festival

Artist Talks, Lectures, and Workshops

2026

  • Presenter, The Art of Wet Scanning: A Complete Film-to-Digital Workshop,
    SPE's 63rd Annual Conference, Catalyst for Exchange, Atlanta, Georgia

  • Speaker, Evolving Realities: From Documentary Photography and Filmmaking to the Age of AI,
    CoLaborator Program, MSU Museum, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan

  • Co-presenter, Political Approaches within Music and Sound in Iranian War Films after 1979 (with Dr. Ali Montazeri),
    Sounding Iran: Musical Pasts, Presents and Futures
    , University of California, Irvine, California

  • Artist Talk, Moving Between Landscapes

    The PETAL Project and the Greater Denton Arts Council, Denton, Texas

2025

  • Speaker, A Photographic Journey Across Borders,
    SPE South Central and Tarrant County College South Campus, Fort Worth, Texas

  • Reviewer, Portfolio Throwdown- South Central '25,
    SPE South Central and Tarrant County College South Campus, Fort Worth, Texas

2024

  • Lecturer, The Cultural Lens: Understanding the Dynamic Meanings of Photographic Imagery,
    My Favorite Lecture Series, Society for Photographic Education (SPE), Online

  • Guest Speaker, AI and Photography Today,
    Department of Art and Art History, University of Texas, Austin, Texas

  • Guest Speaker, Landscape and the State of Power,
    Department of Art and Art History, University of Alabama, Birmingham, Alabama

  • Instructor, Cyanotype T-shirt Design Workshop,
    Iranian Student Association, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida

2023

  • Guest Speaker, Narrative Photography,
    School of Art + Art History, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida

2021

  • Instructor, Studio Lighting Techniques Workshop,
    Santa Fe College, Gainesville, Florida

2020

  • Artist Talk, Landscape and Environmental Photography,
    4Most Gallery, Gainesville, Florida

Publications

2026

  • Candelar 2026 (Limited Edition)
    Candela Books + Gallery, Richmond, Virginia

2025

  • The Othered Eye,
    Suboart Magazine, no. 52

  • Nebraska, Tampa; The Return to the Streets, Monograph by Vahid Valikhani,
    Tavaali Publication, Tehran, Iran

2024

  • Unveiling Estrangement: The Ambivalence of Iranian Cultural Identity in Documentary Films,
    University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida,  ProQuest

  • New Topographics: Contemporary Landscapes,
    Exhibition Catalog, Katzman Contemporary Projects, Dover, New Hampshire

  • Phantom Windows,
    Imperfect Poetry, Float Photo Magazine

2023

  • It Changes Everything, Vahid Valikhani’s essay on the photographs of R. Maleki,
    Tavaali Publication, Tehran, Iran

2021

  • Photographs That Reflect,
    Dinner + No Show, School of Art + Art History, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida

  • Elegies,
    Talon Review, Second Volume, Dept. of English, University of North Florida, Jacksonville, Florida

2020

  • Through a Photographic Lens: Uncovering Florida’s Manufactured Landscapes,
    Dinner + No Show, School of Art + Art History, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida

Teaching Experience

2026

  • Instructor, University of Dallas, Irving, Texas
    Senior Seminar/Gallery Art Practicum/ART 4151

2025

  • Lecturer (online), Khanesh Institute, Tehran, Iran
    Reading and Criticizing Photographs

2022–2024

  • Graduate Teaching Assistant, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida
    Introduction to Humanities/HUM 1020

2021–2022

  • Adjunct Assistant Professor of Photography, Santa Fe College, Gainesville, Florida
    Black and White Film Photography/PGY 1401C
    Digital Photography/PGY 1800C
    Typography/GRA 2208

2018–2021

  • Instructor of Record, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida
    Figure-Ground/PGY 2441C
    Digital Imaging/DIG 2131C
    Visual Literacy/PGY 2101C
    Advanced Photography/PGY 4420C

Curatorial Experience

2026

  • Gallery Director,
    Beatrice M. Haggerty Gallery, University of Dallas, Irving, Texas

2025

  • Juror, Texas Landscape Photography Show: Natural, Human-Made, and Everything In Between,
    The Eclectika at 711, Irving, Texas

2019

  • Curatorial Intern, Photography Department,
    Samuel P. Harn Museum of Art, Gainesville, Florida

20182019

  • Curatorial Assistant, University Galleries,
    University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida

  • Curator, Pop Microscopy,
    Gary R. Libby Gallery, University of Florida

  • Curator, Photography Student exhibition,
    Gary R. Libby Gallery, University of Florida

2018

  • Juror, Global Culture Photo Competition,
    International Center, University of Florida

Academic Support and Technical Appointments
2026–Present

  • Administrative Assistant,
    Department of Art, University of Dallas, Irving, Texas

2021–2022

  • Teaching Lab Specialist, Photography, Drawing & Painting,
    School of Art and Art History, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida