Ramadan is all about spreading goodness and supporting your community, so I figured I would do my bit by sharing some extremely talented Muslim artists that everyone needs on their radar! Read on to find your new go-to Instagram accounts for all your art needs.
- Noor Qwfan
-
Noor is a Yemeni-American from California, and the creator of Noors Nook! While Noor indulged in painting and drawing as a child, she only got into digital art when she got her hands on her very first iPad. Noor creates greeting cards and stickers that she says are inspired by her background and upbringing. She recognized a gap in the industry when it came to providing products that Arabs and Muslims can relate to, and decided to fill it. Noor has also dabbled in photography and cinematography, with her latest hobbies–courtesy of quarantine–being doodling and embroidery!
- Qasim Arif
-
Qasim Arif, whose moniker is ILLM, which is “a blend of the word ‘ilm which is Arabic for knowledge, and the word ill which is used in the Hip Hop culture to define something as being cool,” as seen on his website. What started off as a personal project to allow him to indulge in his passion for Arabic calligraphy and typography soon turned into a platform that allowed him to collaborate with world renowned brands such as Nike, Google, Facebook, Instagram and more! Qasim’s love for Arabic calligraphy and typography was influenced by his fervor for Hip-Hop, which is widely reflected in the graffiti-like aspects of his work.
- Shahad Nazer
-
Shahad Nazer is a Saudi-Egyptian with Turkish origins, who has been into art ever since she was a mere 10 years old – though it’s no surprise, considering both her parents were artists, too! While her main medium of art for a long time was pencil sketching, in 2017 she began experimenting with digital art. More specifically, collage art. According to Shahad, it turned out to be the medium in which she was most comfortable expressing her opinions, feelings and thoughts. Shahad describes her art as dreamy, emotional and empowering. Much of her artwork has a story or message behind it, especially those that tackle societal issues or women empowerment.
- Nasiha Manekia
-
Nasiha Manekia is a Dubai-based graphic designer. Nasiha grew up with a passion for drawing and artistic pursuits of all kinds, and says she always knew she wanted to pursue a flexible and creative career path. Nasiha recently developed a liking towards illustrations, and enjoys using her Pakistani culture as inspiration for her work! Her goal is to fill the world with her creations and make people happy in the process. She dreams to one day illustrate children’s books, stationery and all sorts of things!
- Abdulaziz Alshukairi
-
Abdulaziz Alshukairi, whose passion for Pop Art has been apparent from a young age, says it’s the only thing he’s always been interested in. While he’s dedicated to photography and visual arts, he sees himself becoming successful in whatever he does regardless of all obstacles because he says he dreams big. Abdulaziz’s Instagram features digital art, photography and even video montages!
- Shayma Al Shiri
-
Shayma Al Shiri is a digital artist based in NYC. Shayma illustrates, produces short films and describes herself as a jack of all trades! According to Shayma, her art is her form of activism, and allows her to feel empowered when the world makes her feel small. Shayma says her art is an outlet to express herself when words fall short, but it’s also a form of worship for her, as it allows her to strengthen her faith. Shayma put it succintly as she said, “When you have a passion as strong as mine, it’s hard not to see God in it.”
- Hafsa Khizer
-
Hafsa Khizer is a Toronto Based multidisciplinary creative. She dabbles in different mediums of art, such as painting, photoshop, photography and illustration. Hafsa’s art mainly focuses on self portraits, and conceptual work that explore themes surrounding identity, sexuality, mental health, religion and patriarchy through a feminist lens.
While these are a few artists that are exceptionally gifted, there are countless more budding and exceptionally talented artists on the horizon (aka Instagram), and I’m proud to see the Muslim community so full of promise and power. Here’s hoping this Ramadan provides an abdundance of success to all of our creatives and brings their dreams to life.