Amir Hariri was born in Tehran, Iran, and immigrated to the U.S. to attend college in the early 1990s. His broad academic and professional experiences and interests, which include professional degrees in design and management from Cornell and Harvard Universities, form an integral part of his highly analytical and disciplined art practice and vision. Amir spent over 10 years working on design projects ranging from airports, stadiums, concert halls and museums to award-winning glass designs, such as stairs for various Apple stores. In addition, Amir spent 5 years studying painting and printmaking at the Art Students League of New York, during which time he also served as a teaching assistant and as a member of the board of directors. His work incorporates this extensive professional background in design and engineering, together with rigorous studies of anatomy, into an organic, "bio-mechanical" unity. Amir has exhibited widely, both nationally and internationally, with pieces included in various public and private collections in the U.S, as well as Italy, Spain, Hong Kong and Japan. Recent awards include selection as one of Smack Mellon 'Hot Picks' and the 2017 NYSCA/NYFA Artist Fellowship in Drawing from the New York Foundation for the Arts.