Farshid Maleki is one of the second generation of modernist Iranian painters. Maleki's personal style in drawing and painting has made it impossible for him to belong to a particular current of modern Iranian art. A trait that has been the result of the painter's conscious efforts to achieve a distinctive approach: “My work is unlike any other among Iranian artists. They are absolutely mine." 
He was interested in painting as a child and began his art education at Kamal al-Molk Conservatory. After graduating with a bachelor's degree in graphics from the Faculty of Decorative Arts at Tehran University of Arts in 1969, and participating in a 3-month study opportunity provided by the Television Organization to get acquainted with British television, he remained in London and continued his art studies. Simultaneously with the Islamic Revolution, he completed his postgraduate studies in painting at the University of Reading in the United Kingdom and returned to Iran. Maleki has teaching experience at Farabi University, Al-Zahra University and Islamic Azad University and has been a member of the faculty of Tehran University of Arts. He has collaborated with Iranian galleries such as Golestan, Aria, Hoor, Emkan and Azad Designers and has exhibited his works many times outside of Iran.
Maleki joined the Iran Hall by the invitation of Ruyin Pakbaz and held his first solo exhibition in 1968 in the same hall. His second solo exhibition was held in 1973 at Ghandriz Hall. In an article for the Cosmos Art page, Alkhaz compared his work to African totems. In next periods, Maleki abandoned the totems and distanced himself from the currents of national art identity and "neo-traditionalism" which resulted in his works to lack the traditional features that his contemporaries borrowed from the Iranian artistic tradition. "After a while, I thought, what does it mean for us to try to be Iranian?" If we are Iranians, then our work is also Iranian. "There is no need to force anymore." said Maleki about his work. 
He pursued a personal language in the direction of designs that began in the mid-1990s. In these contour drawings, drawn with a rapidograph, with free and deliberately delineated lines, he expands the forms in the direction of the mental fluid flow, creating a world full of deformed people, strange animals and plants, celestial bodies, spheres, wheels, and other objects. In his speeches, Maleki expresses his interest in the works of Max Ernst and confirms the surrealist tendencies of his works in this period, and considers the origin of the narrative nature of these designs to be influenced by Gustave's illustrations of the period.
Iman Afsariyan considers Maleki to be one of the few Iranian painters who dare to change his style several times.
 Fereydoun Ghaffari says about the early and late periods of Maleki’s style: "Perhaps it can be said that the final designs of Maleki are more in line with his internal needs without thinking at all about the external needs. There are some who work according to their inner needs, regardless of the current trends of the day, and there are some who are more in tune with their external factors and conditions. "In the case of Maleki, it can be said that his early work is so different from his recent work, or there is a change of attitude."
Farshid Maleki's first appearance in the auctions dates back to December 2016 at the 6th Tehran auction. By August 2021, his works have appeared in domestic and foreign auctions 7 times, and 70% of his works have been sold in international auctions. His most expensive work until 2021 was hammered at the Sotheby's auction house for $ 14085 on May 25, 2016.