I am an Urban Artist specialized in Arabic calligraphy. Over the years I have developed a personal style that incorporates three different languages that make up my identity: English since I live in the USA, the Bangla, language of my fatherland, and Arabic which is the language of the religion I belong to.
From Ancient to Modern Calligraphy
My Story
Since childhood, I was always fascinated by languages, lettering and calligraphy of different parts of the world. Now, as a Muslim in the USA, I see a lot of negativity towards our tradition but I always look for ways to give some positive message to people through my art.
I was influenced by the artist Elseed and his idea to create unity for people from different background, ethnicity, and religion. My aim is to inspire people to share the same place and learn from each other in harmony and mutual understanding.
Although my works contain words in three different languages, there is always at least one recognizable word. This makes the audience curious to ask and decode the message, and this led them to a deep connection with my art.
Even if I use ancient techniques and universal messages of peace, I keep going trying new shapes and colors to present my art to the world with a modern look. My paintings are mostly acrylic on canvas or wood, but I’m always experimenting with materials and textures.
I came to the USA when I was eleven years old. I went to the Islamic school and there I learn the Arabic language. I was fascinated by the elegance of the written Arabic. It wasn’t easy for me to integrate myself, I was a shy kid and paper and pen was my way to escape from solitude and a chance to create my own world.
My family and I were living on the east side of Buffalo, and in that period it was a difficult neighborhood. there were train carts and I looked up to the graffiti as the unique color in the area. very soon the graffiti began to be a source of inspiration for me, even if I never did an illegal graffiti, I have to say they inspired me so much, they were not only beautiful but a bright sign in a very gray situation.
As I grew up I understood the reasons behind graffiti so I thought to try with Islamic calligraphy. At the time the media were spreading a not good image of Muslims and this pushes me to try to do something good to give back to my community and to show to the rest of the world the positive side of a misunderstood culture.
At the beginning Hassan Masudi was my inspiration, then with the internet, I had the chance to explore this world of art and culture I was so interested in. In this way, I found so many artists around the globe who were doing artworks similar to the concepts I had in mind.
This is how I began to do calligraphy, then paintings. I started sharing with the people I love and my community and being part of Buffalo art community. I’m thankful and almost surprised when I achieve something in the art world because I still am that shy weird kid with a pen and a notebook.
In the year 2012, I decided to do calligraphy at a professional level and pursue it as a career. I later started www.zamanarts.com I am also part of commongroundsrtists.com which is an interfaith organization that promotes peace and allows diverse groups of people from all spectrums to come together for the arts.
I have Joined Buffalo Arts Studios as a Resident Artist on from July 2016. I am also part of commongroundsrtists.com which is an interfaith organization that promotes peace and allows diverse groups of people from all spectrums to come together for the arts. I am fortunate to have my arts in different private collections in Paris, Lisbon, NYC and Buffalo.
Exhibitions and Public Art
September 2021 – Public Art Mural Unity in Diversity at Artpark, Lewiston, NY
September 2021- Art on Paper, Azart Gallery, Pier 36 NYC
September 2021 – Fragile Warriors, Solo Show at Tower Gallery, Amherst, NY.
July 2021- A Mid Summer Night’s Draw, Hallwalls Contemporary Arts Centre, Buffalo, NY
May 2021- Pride In Place, Public Art Installation, Buffalo, NY
May 2021- Published on Artfolio 2021
April 2021- Live on Five 2021, Buffalo Art Studio, Buffalo, NY
November 2020 – Group Show Buffalo Art Studios Resident Artist Show 2020, Buffalo, NY.
July 2020 – Carnegie Art Festival: Virtual Art Experience, Lockport, NY
June 2020- Bibilio Spectaculum at Main St. Art Gallery, Finger Lakes, NY.
January 2020 – Group Show, Hope You Give, Inner Space Gallery, Los Angeles, CA.
December 2019 – Solo Exhibition Repetitive Resilience, UUU Art Gallery, Rochester, NY.
October 2019 – Anima Mundi, Macro Museum, Rome, Italy.
September 2019 – Solo Exhibition Readability Vs Illegibility, Nichols School, Buffalo, NY.
August 2019 – Public Art Installation (Mural) in collaboration with Under Ground Rail Road Heritage center, Niagara Falls, NY.
July 2019 – Live Painting and Public Art installation, Castellani Art Museum of Niagara Falls, NY.
May 2019 – I was awarded artist of the year 2019 award by Arts Service Initiative of Western New York.
April 2019 – Group Exhibition Decorators Show house by Junior League of Buffalo, Buffalo, NY.
March 2019 – Group Exhibition Buffalo Arts Studios Invitational, Historic Kenan Center Lockport, NY.
January 2019 – Solo Exhibition, Roz Steiner Gallery GCC, Batavia, NY
December 2018 – Solo Exhibition, Argus Galley Buffalo, NY
September 2018 – Public Art in collaboration with Buffalo State College and Bacon Grant 2018, Buffalo, NY
August 2018 – Public Art Mural for Albright Knox Art Gallery, Buffalo, NY
July 2018 – Public Art Mural in collaboration with BAS, People’s Park and Art initiative Service of Western New York (ASIWNY), Buffalo, NY
July 2018 – Solo Exhibition LUX, Buffalo Arts Studios Buffalo, NY
June 2018 – Digital Solo Exhibition Wisdom, Artness System Dubai, UAE.
March 2018 – Group Show Mosaic, Burchfield Penney Art Center Buffalo, NY
March 2018 – Group Show Writing On The Wall, Castellani Art Museum, Niagara Falls, NY
March 2018 – Group Show Artbox Project New York, Armory Art Weeks, New York, NY
February 2018 – Group Show This Is My Era, Donut Hole Gallery, Tokyo, Japan.
January 2018 – Group Show Can You Keep A Secret, El Museo Francisco Oller Y Diego Rivera, Buffalo, NY.
December 2017 – Site Specific Installation Nothing Gold Can Stay, Burchfield Art Center for Stay Golden Group Show, Burchfield Art Center Buffalo, NY.
November 2017- Group Show Buffalo Art Studios Resident Artist Show 2017, Buffalo, NY.
November 2017- Group Show Sugatory: Sweetening Our Existence, Art Reach WNY, Buffalo, NY
September 2017- Luxembourg Art Prize Finalist Show, Galerie Harvé Lancelin, Luxembourg
September 2017 – Group Show Culture Shock, Target Gallery at Torpedo Art Factory in Alexandria, VA
August 2017 – Group Show Calligraphy Exhibit, Castellani Art Museum, Niagara Falls, NY
April 2017- Group Show Decorators Show House, Junior League of Buffalo and Buffalo News, Buffalo NY
March 2017 – Group Show CollectX25 Buffalo Art Studios, Buffalo, NY
February 2017- Group Show Borderless, Jersey City Center, Jersey City, NJ.
January 2017 – Group Show, Hilbert College McGrath Library Hamburg/Buffalo, NY
December 2016 – Group Show Holy Molly, Niza Knoll Gallery Denver, CO
December 2016 – Group Show Code Of Faith, Laura I. Gallery, London, UK
December 2016 – Group Show Dorian Grey Projects with Dorian Grey Gallery, Art Basel Week, Red Dot Art Fair, Miami, FL
November 2016- Group Show GatherX25, Buffalo Arts Studio, Buffalo, NY
November 2016 – Art Showing, Communal Art project and public discussion at Castellani Art Museum, Niagara Falls, NY
April 2016 – Charity Art Auction, Rotary Club of Buffalo, NY
February 2016 – Solo Show at commongroundartist.com, Buffalo, NY