Jamal Rasla
Malaysia
Jamal Rasla
Malaysia
A trilingual Malaysian who can’t seem to make up his mind between Bahasa Melayu & English as his main language, Jamal Raslan is a poet who is a great example of the conundrum that is the current Malaysian youth – modern, exposed, liberal but yet struggling to find a sense of belonging in the identity crisis that rocks every English-speaking Malay Muslim. Equally at home conversing & thinking in Bahasa Melayu & English, he used to write poetry exclusively in Bahasa Melayu as he didn’t think he has an English writing “voice”, until YouTube introduced him to spoken word.
Heavily inspired by spoken word poets around the world, from slam poets to Def Poetry to the articulate & emotive African poets at Poet’s Passport, he writes about the the challenges that the country & it’s people face in its pursuit for progress & Wawasan 2020 in a way that he hopes will one day help form a unique “voice” that is Malaysian spoken word.
Since winning his debut slam in 2010, Jamal has gone on to perform locally and internationally with distinction. His burgeoning CV includes appearances at TEDxKL 2011 and 2012, closing the Impact Forum 2012 at Singapore to representing Malaysia in a distinguished list of artists in MOCAfest 2013 at the World Islamic Economic Forum 2013, London. In between performing appearances, Jamal organizes poetry gigs and workshops around KL, teaches poetry and English to school children.
Jamal is also a freelance copywriter. With copywriting in Bahasa Melayu being his forte, Jamal has worked with established agencies like TBWA, Saatchi & Saatchi, Ogilvy & Mather for campaigns and projects for high-profile clients such as DiGi, Hotlink & Astro, doing everything between creative direction to copywriting to translations. His most recent campaign was for MILO Malaysia’s latest product Nutri-G (the world’s first MILO energy drink) where he wrote both the Bahasa Melayu & English thematic spoken words ads. He is currently on board for Astro OASIS’s campaign “25”, where he is the spoken word consultant and talent in a large rebranding campaign.
DJ Lethal Skillz
Turntablist
Lebanon
DJ Lethal Skillz
Turntablist
Lebanon
DJ Lethal Skillz is the oldest and most established turntablist in the Arab hip-hop movement. Besides being a world-class DJ he has also distinguished himself as a prolific producer and long-running ambassador for the Arab hip-hop massive.
He has two seminal Arab hip-hop albums to his credit: New World Disorder (2008) and Karmageddon (2012), which features nearly everyone in the Lebanese hip-hop scene past and present and many of Arab hip-hop stalwarts from the region and Diaspora!
Throughout his journey he’s collaborated and performed with major historical figures in hip-hop lore – including opening up for the likes of Pharoahe Monch and M-1 of Dead Prez at The Forum, Kentish Town, in London, England; as well as playing with the likes of DJ Jazzy Jeff, De La Soul, Dj Q-bert, Rob Swift, Dj Akakabe, Co-ma, DJ Tony Touch, DJ Vinroc (5th Platoon / Triple Threat), DJ Shortkut and DJ Apollo (ISP / Triple Threat) World DMC Champions as well as mainstream acts like Timbaland, 50 cents, Whokid, Big Ali, Missy Eliot, Sean Paul, MIMS, Coolio to mention a few.
Ahmed Peerbux
filmmaker
United Kingdom
Ahmed Peerbux
filmmaker
United Kingdom
Ahmed Peerbux is a London-based filmmaker. He studied Government & History at the London School of Economics & Political Science, where he was awarded the James Joll Prize for his work on conversion to Islam in Britain. More recently Ahmed has travelled to Gaza with the renowned German journalist Jürgen Todenhöfer to shoot a short film, and worked closely with BAFTA-winning writer/director Peter Kosminsky on an ambitious upcoming drama about British Muslims signing up to fight for Islamic State (IS). Blessed are the Strangers is his first feature-length documentary.
Saba Rifat
Fine Artist
United Kingdom
Saba Rifat
Fine Artist
United Kingdom
British-born and based in West Yorkshire, UK, Saba Rifat is a self-taught artist inspired by meditative and contemplative beauty resonating from principles of Islamic art. Based on merit of portfolio and passion, Saba completed her M.A. in Visual Islamic and Traditional Art (VITA) at The Prince’s School of Traditional Arts, London.
She draws inspiration from colours, shapes, light, the mundane in daily life and surrounding nature, assimilating conceptual reality of ‘pattern is life and life is pattern’.
Her work is influenced by artists including Wassily Kandinsky, Paul Klee, and Bridgette
Riley. Saba paints on gesso boards, wood, and paper, and values the process of making and using natural pigments to harness vibrant colours.
Currently her practice occupies working with geometric forms experimenting in screen-print, photography and 3D polyhedrons installations to produce urban ‘visual dialogues’, to express balance, harmony, and proportion.
Through the multitude of expressive possibilities crystalline patterns lend themselves to, she aims to create engaging, innovative, contemporary and unchartered work strongly
rooted in tradition and spirituality.
Pamela Nicole Mejia
Fashion Designer
Philippines
Pamela Nicole Mejia
Fashion Designer
Philippines
Born and raised in the capital city of the Philippines, the 25 year old “Shoeperstar”, Pamela Nicole Mejia gets her title from the success of her footwear brand. She has been a fashion entrepreneur since the age of 17, and has since launched a T-Shirt business, an online clothing store, a handmade accessories business, and a footwear brand. She believes strongly in making a positive difference in the world, and achieves this through generating profits from her love for fashion and art. Pamela has always been a spirit of the arts, dancing from the age of six, taking on the lead role in school productions, writing poetry and designing and sewing her own clothes in her spare time.
Leila Younes El-Amaire
Spoken Word Artist
Germany
Leila Younes El-Amaire
Spoken Word Artist
Germany
Leila Younes El-Amaire is a slam poetess, spoken word artist and activist. She is an organizer at i,Slam e.V. since it was founded in autumn 2011. i,Slam aspires to empower young Muslims in Germany to use poetry as a powerful platform to express themselves in a beautiful and artistic way. There, she is one of the leading coordinators, head of public relations and also responsible for legal matters. Apart from that she gives workshops about creative writing and performance in schools, youth centres and other institutions. In another project called “Juma” (‘young, active, Muslim’), she takes part as an active member in various campaigns and events. As a representative of “Juma” she is also part of a leading committee, which aims to combine a bigger part of the German organisations with a ‘migration background’, called “the New Germans”.
Luqman Sheikh Ghazali
Filmmaker
Malaysia
Luqman Sheikh Ghazali
Filmmaker
Malaysia
Twenty-one year old Luqman Sheikh Ghazali is a student of the Cinematic Arts Programme at the Multimedia University (MMU) in Malaysia. Passionate about the humanitarian and social issues of the Muslim people, Luqman has done media coverage for NGO’s such as Carefugees, Muslim Professionals Forum and Peace Meal. As director of his production group, he studied under South East Asia’s international professionals of the film industry at the Next New Wave filmmaking workshop where he was chosen by FINAS (the National Film Development Corporation Malaysia) as a participator.
Nedda Kubba
Arts Entrepreneur and Designer
Germany
Nedda Kubba
Arts Entrepreneur and Designer
Germany
A graduate of Communication and Design from Darmstadt University in Germany, Nedda Kubba of Iraqi origin has a wealth of experience in Project Management, IT Consulting and Business Design, working with the likes of BMW, MINI and Oglivy to name a few. Her motivation to work with Arabic calligraphy originally sparked after meeting Eduard Dimasov, a Russain Calligraphy artist, after which she discovered the works of elSeed and Vincent Abadie Hafez, inspiring Nedda to indulge in a combination of calligraphy and graffiti – Calligraffiti. She is currently the CEO and Founder of FENCIL Design Agency, as well as the CEO and Founder of Design Thinking Coaching (DTC).
Muhammad Hafizan Bin Abdul Halim
Calligrapher
Malaysia
Muhammad Hafizan Bin Abdul Halim
Calligrapher
Malaysia
Muhammad Hafizan Bin Abdul Halim is a full time artist, working from his parents’ home in Kampung Tualang, Pokok Sena, Kedah. Focusing on traditional art like calligraphy, illumination and ornaments, his current attention is occupied by illumination work from the Malay traditional manuscript. His passion for history serves as a significant influence on his artwork and is the fuel behind his current and future projects, including the full list of royal portraits and a book centering on the history of the royal family.
Edwige-Renée DRO
Writer
Côte d'Ivoire
Edwige-Renée DRO
Writer
Côte d'Ivoire
Living in Abidjan, the Ivorian writer Edwige- Renée DRO is a laurette of the Africa39 project and the judge for the 2015 PEN International New Voices Award. Edwige is also a short-listed writer for the 2014 Morland Writing Scholarship prize. Her passion lies in bridging gaps through literature, specifically between Anglophone, Lusophone, Francophone and Spanish-speaking Africa. In the hopes of reaching as many people as possible, Edwige is also an advocate for exploring other forms of arts to bring life to literature. Her short stories have been published in the Africa39 anthology published by Bloomsbury, Prufrock magazine, the Valentine’s Day anthology published by Ankara Press among others.
Hamida Novakovich
Curator
Australia
Hamida Novakovich
Curator
Australia
Hamida Novakovich is a Curator, writer, anthropologist, mentor and community arts facilitator. A published Masters student from the University of Western Australia, Hamida’s passion for social development through community arts has lead her to travel from Rome to New York pursuing an emergent field of contemporary arts by Muslim artists from predominantly Western countries.
Hamida’s passion is rooted in grassroots development which stem from her experiences as a second generation Indonesian-Montengrean, Australian Muslim woman. She has over 10 years experience working with disadvantaged communities in Western Australia, especially young people and woman. Noted as a community leader in Perth, Hamida is the founder and Director of Alif Arts Hub and has expanded her projects to New York, where she currently resides. She has a BA in Anthropology and Indonesian with Honors from the University of Western Australia and a Diploma of Secondary Education from Curtin University. In 2014 she undertook a Summer course in Curating in Sotheby’s, New York.
Hamza El Fasiki
Researcher, Social Entrepreneur & Artist
Morocco
Hamza El Fasiki
Researcher, Social Entrepreneur & Artist
Morocco
Founded by Hamza El Fasiki, Craft Draft is a social business in Fez, Morocco, which aims at preserving the Moroccan craft by bringing it to the forefront. Hamza is an artist, social entrepreneur and author from Fez and an apprentice artisan etcher in the coppersmith craft since 2013. Apart from that, his music career began in 2004, playing the classical guitar, Andalusian Oud, Harmonica and Ukelele. Hamza is now an independent professional consultant, trainer and facilitator in the field of social entrepreneurship, traditional crafts and reflexive music after gaining international experience on Social Entrepreneurship and Creativity in Morocco, United States, Algeria, Turkey, Japan, Greece and United Arab Emirates.
Adnan Razvi
Fine Artist
USA
Adnan Razvi
Fine Artist
USA
Born in Chicago to parents from different continents, Adnan Razvi moved his way south through the United States. Visual art in his life has been a longstanding key to relating and communicating with others.
He prepares to create with a meditative analysis of the diverse American, and globalized experience. He is a painter, sculptor and new media artist. The result is a mashup: modern edge exploration of tenacious forms while continuing centuries old appreciation for aesthetic expression. His collections’ themes have spanned from pop iconography to calligraphy and ‘graffiti’.
Adnan started to show his work in 2007 in Dallas, Texas. Within two years, he was a major developer of a local art collective Solvent in which he created visual and performance pieces. He curently works out of Texas and continues to create new artistic collections.
Shuhada Hasim
Photography
Malaysia
Shuhada Hasim
Photography
Malaysia
Shuhada Hassim is a founder of TAPWomen (The Art of Photography for Women Entrepreneurs); a photography educational program to educate and to inspire groups of women entrepreneurs in Malaysia to cultivate the appreciation of art in photography. Shuhada is currently juggling her versatile roles as a portrait photographer; a trainer at Canon EOS Academy; a part-time lecturer; and a writer/columnist.
While pursuing her career as an external auditor, Shuhada successfully completed an Executive Diploma in Creative Photography & Digital Imaging at Universiti Teknologi Malaysia. She discovered her passion for portrait photography, strongly believing that a portrait of a person will feature the best and the unseen connection between his/her physical attributes and inner-self.
After learning of her mother’s cancer diagnosis, with strong determination and compassion, Shuhada reached out to as many breast cancer patients as possible through her portraits hoping to provide emotional support and motivation. In line with her aspirations, Shuhada launched her inaugural solo exhibition, ‘The Beautiful Truth’ in 2013, to express her utmost appreciation and admiration for the strength of the women.
Shuhada’s work on women portraits continues as she continues searching for the beauty and strength in everyday women within their elements.
Kelly Crosby
Fine Artist
USA
Kelly Crosby
Fine Artist
USA
Graduate of fine arts and arts administration, Kelly Izdihar Crosby obtained her bachelor and master degrees from the University of New Orleans. She is an American mixed media artist from the United States. Kelly paints in a variety of styles and subject matters, creating colourful Islamic artwork with a modern art sensibility. Her artwork has been displayed in various art shows and conferences throughout New Orleans, and at venues and galleries in Texas, Georgia, California, Ohio and Canada. As an expatriate living in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, she displayed her work in art shows in conjunction with DUCTAC (Dubai Community Theatre and Arts Centre) and the Bastakiya Arts Festival. Kelly’s work is featured in private collections in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. She is a member of the International Muslima Artist Network (IMAN), African Americans for the Arts (AAFTA) and C4 Atlanta.
Ezrena Marwan
Founder of Malaysia Design Archive
Malaysia
Ezrena Marwan
Founder of Malaysia Design Archive
Malaysia
Graphic designer, Ezrena Marwan is passionate about women’s rights, history and design. She is a firm upholder of the 1964 Design Manifesto that calls for “a reversal of consumerism and profit-driven priorities in favor of more useful, lasting and democratic forms of communication”. She is the founder of Malaysia Design Archive and co-founder of SejarahWanita.
Fairuz Sulaimai
Visual & Multimedia Artist
Malaysia
Fairuz Sulaimai
Visual & Multimedia Artist
Malaysia
Fairuz currently creates visual and motion graphics for some of Malaysia’s best known artists such as Liyana Fizi, Bernice Chaly, Deepset and Bittersweet, to name a few.
After studying film and animation at Multimedia University, Fairuz ventured to Paris for six months, undertaking a fully funded internship. During this time he created “Dear Stella”, a video inspired by his own journal entries; using the element of text appearing throughout his video, a melancholic tone, and masking techniques to fully expose the depth and personality of his personal writing.
Fairuz began working on his first art piece, using only a Nokia phone. He captured a karaoke video clip of “This Sweet Refrain”, a story about a man who fell in love with a fish. Recorded at the KLCC Park, Fairuz managed to capture the reminiscent essence of the song, encapsulating the past, the time during which the artist was in love with the fish.
Alex Subryn
Musician
Malaysia
Alex Subryn
Musician
Malaysia
A rocker at heart, Alex Subryn has always known that music would be the pulse of his life. Born and bred in Klang to a home and an environment echoing with music, he was inspired to play the guitar when he was in primary school, making his solo public debut at the tender age of 12.
Between graduating and becoming a familiar name among music enthusiasts, Alex found himself in the desert of Australia. Immersing himself into the lives of the Aboriginal people, this spiritual journey formed an integral part of his life which he attributes to the heartfelt soul rock that he prides his composures on.
Armed with a passion for music, it was finally in 2013 that Alex’s lifelong dream as an artist was set in motion when he released his debut album SUBRYN after three years of working on it. SUBRYN broke into the scene to the successful reception of several awards and nominations, and marked a milestone for Alex’s career in music. And he’s just getting warmed up.
Eddin Khoo
Founder of PUSAKA
Malaysia
Eddin Khoo
Founder of PUSAKA
Malaysia
Dividing his time between KL, London and Kelantan, the graduate of Politics and Southeast Asian Art and Archaeology, Eddin Khoo was selected as one of Digi Telecommunications Amazing Malaysians in 2006 and as one of the Asians of the Year 2006 by the Channel News Asia, Singapore.
Following tenure as an arts and culture journalist, he founded the cultural centre Pusaka and the publishing house, Kala, which devotes itself to publishing literary translations from the world’s languages into Malay. Eddin has worked intimately with some of Malaysia’s leading traditional artists including shadow puppeteers, musicians, dramatists and dancers. He has also authored several books and is a regular contributor of comment and opinion to various international newspapers, journals and magazines and is the Southeast Asia correspondent for the Australian Broadcasting Corporation’s Late Night Live Program.
Zohab Khan
Spoken word poet
Australia
Zohab Khan
Spoken word poet
Australia
Zohab Zee Khan is a spoken word poet, didgeridoo player, harmonica beat-boxer and hip-hop artist. Zohab is a five-time Australian Poetry Slam finalist and State champion and has toured throughout Asia, Africa and Europe to sell out crowds. In 2014 Zohab was a finalist in the International Poetry Slam in Madrid, Spain, narrowly missing out on top spot. He is the founding director of Zee Poetics, an organisation that aims to inspire a new generation of poets through performance-based workshops in schools. He is regularly contracted to compile educational programs used extensively throughout Australia.
Zohab has been writing and performing poetry for over a decade and has successfully conducted writing workshops throughout the world. He has made countless media appearances and is the subject of an upcoming SBS TV documentary.
Zohab’s high energy and powerful words have left countless inspired.
Teakster
Digital Artist
United Kingdom
Teakster
Digital Artist
United Kingdom
Award winning artist and designer, Teakster believes that “a Muslim artist should be a mirror for our Islamic heritage”. The last decade has seen Teakster’s work feature in publications and exhibitions across the USA, UAE, Europe and the Far East. His art is an expression of his upbringing and cosmopolitan approach, an experimentation of different styles coming together to harness a bridge between different cultures. Teakster is an inspiration to new artists as an advisor and has been requested to comment on artistic news by various blogs. He has also been commissioned to complete a variety of design projects including illustrations for festivals, branding designs for new products and assisting large organizations in building a smoother user experience for their applications or websites. Teakster has enjoyed the pleasure of collaborating with other artists and feels privelaged to have worked with renowned artists Haji Noor Deen, El Seed, Peter Sanders and Ian Abdullateef Whiteman and a generation of emerging artists.
Professor Dr. Tatiana A. Denisova
scholar
Russia
Professor Dr. Tatiana A. Denisova
scholar
Russia
Professor Dr. Tatiana A. Denisova, is a scholar from Moscow, Russia. She obtained tertiary education at Saint Petersburg State University, and succeeded in obtaining PhD in history, leading to historiography and review of sources in the history of Islam. She was Division Head of Research into Sources in History of Islam at the Russian Academy of Sciences, Institute of Oriental Studies. She once served as a lecturer at Institute of Asian & African Studies, Moscow State University up till 2006. She also served in Malaysia as Visiting Researcher (till 2003) and Visiting Scholar and Visiting Laureate (till 2006) at Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka (DBP), Kuala Lumpur. Later, she served as Visiting Laureate (till 2008) at the National Library of Malaysia. Now she is a Visiting Associate Professor at the Department of Islamic History and Civilization, Academy of Islamic Studies, University of Malaya. She has produced many academic works. Her published materials cover more than 50 titles, about the history of propagation of Islam in the Malay world; Malay-Islamic historical sources and their research methodologies; Malay literary heritage and others.
Prof. Dr. Muhammad Zainiy
Director of Centre for Advanced Studies
Malaysia
Prof. Dr. Muhammad Zainiy
Director of Centre for Advanced Studies
Malaysia
Prof. Dr. Muhammad Zainiy Uthman
Director of Centre for Advanced Studies on Islam, Science and Civilisation
After pursuing a degree in Physics-Astronomy in the United States, Prof. Dr. Uthman attained a post graduate education in Islamic thought from the University of Chicago. He returned to Malaysia in 1990 where he served at the International Institute of Islamic Thought and Civilisation (ISTAC) as Research Fellow, progressed to Senior Research Fellow and left in 2003 as the Associate Professor of the institute. Following this, he took up the offer to pursue a research program at the Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies at Oxford University, as the British-Chevening Fellow.
Prof. Dr. Zainiy is now Professor at the Centre for Advanced Studies on Islam, Science and Civilization (CASIS), Universiti Teknologi Malaysia International Campus, Kuala Lumpur.
Tempatan Fest
Visual Arts
Malaysia
Tempatan Fest
Visual Arts
Malaysia
Suphala
Tabla Player
United States of America
Suphala
Tabla Player
United States of America
A protégé of the great tabla masters Ustad Allarakha and Ustad Zakir Hussain, Suphala is fluent in a diversity of musical traditions that inform her unique compositions and her highly improvisational performances. Influenced by Western classical, Indian classical, electronic, jazz, folk and soul, her albums break the boundaries of genre and style, while her live performance in Afghanistan broke social boundaries as she was the first musician to play in public since the fall of the Taliban. Suphala and her music have been celebrated in several publications and media outlets including, Vogue, Elle, and Drum!, CNN, NPR, and in the News, Style, and Magazine sections of The New York Times. Among other musicians, Suphala has recorded with Norah Jones, Timbaland, Sean Lennon, Yoko Ono, and Joan Osbourne.
Suphala’s evolving music is bound to continue a trajectory rooted in a deep understanding of the proud legacy of the table.
Maryam Golubeva
Fine Artist
Russian
Maryam Golubeva
Fine Artist
Russian
Russian born Maryam Golubeva is a Qualified English-Russian translator, teacher, and founder of Lancaster Centre of Russian studies and professional artist.
Her life as an artist began in her early childhood, learning traditional Russian art from the age of 12 and later furthering her studies in drawing. Maryam then graduated from the University of Latvia in 2006 with a degree in Teaching Fine Art and Art History. In the same year she moved to Britain.
Following her spiritual revelation she became inspired by Islamic art. After attending 3 month course in Islamic calligraphy in 2010 she was able to combine her already existing art skills with new insights to create an intricate world of her papercuts.
Of recent, Maryam has been working as a designer, developing bespoke Islamic custom emblems for jewellery companies as well as designing unique Islamic patterns for the Islamic Bank of England. In 2015 Maryam was shortlisted for the annual UK Muslim News Award for achievements in the Islamic art field and started delivering her own workshop programme, teaching Islamic arts in the North West of England.
Najwa Mahiaddin
Singer & Songwriter
Malaysia
Najwa Mahiaddin
Singer & Songwriter
Malaysia
Born in Malaysia, Najwa Mahiaddin first discovered music at the tender age of 3, fascinated by seeing her sister playing the piano and soon thereafter, began taking piano and vocal lessons herself.
During her time as an engineering student in Melbourne, Najwa was approached to be a featured vocalist and encouraged to pursue a full-time music career. She enrolled at the Berklee Transfer Program in Malaysia, where she formed her first band. Najwa’s music career took off after performing at various events, including opening for Babyface, Ne-Yo and Micheal Bublé.
In 2011 she released her debut album, Innocent Soul, which bagged an award at the AIM and was also nominated for awards at the Shout! Awards.
Her most recent release, Aurora has already been enthusiastically received by the press and will mark a new milestone in Najwa’s career, who is now of celebrity status at the top of the music industry in Malaysia.
Q’Sound
Trombonist, Bandleader & Composer
United States of America
Q’Sound
Trombonist, Bandleader & Composer
United States of America
Marques Young
Trombonist
Since moving to Kuala Lumpur, in 2009, Marques has profoundly contributed to the development of the growing jazz culture in SE Asia. He is currently the Co-Principal Trombonist of the Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra (MPO) and has initiated several educational projects to mentor young jazz musicians.
Marques began his musical studies at 12 with the euphonium under the direction of Gordon Manley. At 16, he was playing trombone, and in 2001 was accepted into Arkansas Tech University School of Music, studying under Dr. Will Kimball, during which, he received numerous awards and honors.
In 2003, Marques began his studies at the Juilliard School, continuing to find success in solo competitions. Acceptance into the Jazz Studies Programme in 2008 allowed Marques to receive private instruction under Jazz Greats, Wycliffe Gordon and the like.
When he isn’t performing classic symphonic repertoire with the MPO, or leading his band, Q’Sound, Marques performs with the Patrick Terback Quintet, Elevan Fela Orchestra, Najwa, Ireson, and The Bassment Syndicate.
Maïmouna Guerresi
Fine Artist
Italy
Maïmouna Guerresi
Fine Artist
Italy
Maïmouna Guerresi is a photographer, sculptor, and video installation artist living between Italy and Senegal.
The universe of Maïmouna is as much the result of chemistry between cultural and religious influences, as the fusion of different artistic languages. Linked both to Italy and Senegal, to Western culture and Sufi philosophy, her works reflect a dual culture and a dual belonging, and above all, the search for equilibrium between these two worlds.
In 1991 Maïmouna travelled to various Muslim African countries and converted to Islam in Senegal. This marked her new identity and the direction of her work, the adoption of the name Maïmouna, and the recurrence of themes about multicultural symbolism and feminine spirituality.
Maïmouna’s extraordinary artwork has since been shown across the world in both solo and group shows, throughout Italy and Europe, Africa, the United States, Asia, and the Middle East.
Rav Singh
Artistic Director & Founder The Diplomats of Drums
Malaysia
Rav Singh
Artistic Director & Founder The Diplomats of Drums
Malaysia
Performer, producer, artistic director and community arts leader, Rav Singh is a unique personality regarded as one of the best loved percussionists and performers in Asia, instantly recognisable by his trademark turban, energetic performances and larger than life personality.
An award winning percussionist, Rav is the artistic director of Malaysia’s critically acclaimed world music super group, The Diplomats of Drum, and serves as the music director & producer for National Geographic Asia. When not touring the world with The Diplomats, Rav works with a multitude of artists across different genres from around the globe and has won an award from his collaboration with a filmmaker at the Cannes Film Festival!
He is also a propagator of community drumming & music education. Having trained with the legendary Arthur Hull, recognized as the father of the community drum circle movement worldwide, Rav brings his inspiration to diverse communities from corporate executives to kids at risk.
Matthew Tinari
Manager & Drummer Noura Mint Seymali
United States of America
Matthew Tinari
Manager & Drummer Noura Mint Seymali
United States of America
In his current capacity as manager and drummer of Noura Mint Seymali, Tinari has overseen substantive growth of the band’s international profile; securing key bookings at venues across Africa, Europe, and North America and garnering press coverage in global outlets such as The New York Times, BBC, NPR, The Guardian, The FADER and VICE. As a record producer, Tinari is responsible for the Noura Mint Seymali releases Azawan EP (2012), Azawan II (2013), and Tzenni (2014), successive recordings rendering Moorish griot repertoire from Mauritania through a kaleidoscopic lens of psych, blues and funk. Tzenni, released to wide critical acclaim via Glitterbeat Records in June 2014, reached #1 on World Music Charts Europe by September 2014 and garnered two nominations at the All Africa Music Awards.
“Tinari has harnessed the crackle of a marketplace cassette-stall sound system (on the album Tzenni), but framed it with some New York studio sheen. 5 stars.” – Songlines Magazine
Muhammad Syukri Rosli
Researcher-Entrepreneur & Founder Klasika Media
Malaysia
Muhammad Syukri Rosli
Researcher-Entrepreneur & Founder Klasika Media
Malaysia
Muhammad Syukri Rosli is an independent researcher-ent repreneur. He founded and directing Klasika Media, a Malaysian Jawi-related company since 2011 until now. Klasika Media is in the forefront in enhancing Jawi culture and heritage, through publications, trainings and consultations. Since the establishment of the company, he has led international and local projects, such as Majalah Qalam Romanization and Digital Archiving with Center for Integrated Area Studies, Kyoto Japan (2011-2015) and Digitization and Romanization of Jawi Texts under Ministry of Culture and Tourism’s Creative Grant (2012-2013).
He co-authored Pengantar Ilmu Jawi (Introduction to Jawiology) with Korean professor, Kang Kyoung Seok (published 2015, Klasika Media). Under his leadership, Klasika Media has produced 20 literate Jawi transliterators which are able to read and romanize old Jawi texts. Currently, he is pursuing Masters Degree in Philosophy at Center for Advanced Studies on Islam, Science and Civilisation (CASIS), UTM KL.
Rahman Roslan
Photographer
Malaysia
Rahman Roslan
Photographer
Malaysia
RAHMAN ROSLAN (b.1985 Malaysia)
Rahman is based in Kuala Lumpur and his major interests are social and humanity photography. His work possesses sensitive and cognitive styles. He is one of a few young and emerging Asian photographers who has been chosen to attend the prestigious workshops at the Angkor Photography Festival.
His work has been published extensively, including in Reuters, Agence France Press, European Pressphoto Agency, TIME magazine, New York Times, International Herald Tribune, Ojodepez, The National UAE, Sutra Magazine, The New Internationalist, Berita Harian Singapore and Strait Times Singapore. In his personal capacity, he is currently investigating the relationships between Islam and its impact on cultures around Southeast Asia.
Noura Hemed Vall
Vocalist & Master of the Ardine of Noura Mint Seymali
Mauritania
Noura Hemed Vall
Vocalist & Master of the Ardine of Noura Mint Seymali
Mauritania
Noura Mint Seymali is a nationally beloved star and one of Mauritania’s foremost musical emissaries. Born into a prominent line of Moorish griot, Noura began her career at age 13 as a supporting vocalist with her step-mother, the legendary Dimi Mint Abba. Trained in instrumental technique by her grandmother, Mounina, Noura mastered the ardine, a traditional harp reserved only for women.
Seymali Ould Ahmed Vall, Noura’s father and namesake, sparked her compositional instincts, himself a seminal scholar figure in Mauritanian music; studying Arab classical music in Iraq, devising the first system for Moorish melodic notation, adapting the national anthem, and composing many works popularised by his wife, Dimi. Reared in this transitive culture where sounds from across the Sahara, the Magreb, and West Africa coalesce, Noura Mint Seymali currently drives the legacy forward as one of Mauritania’s most adventurous young artists.
In 2014, Noura Mint Seymali was recognised by the African Union at the All Africa Music Awards as “Best Female Artist in North Africa.” As a contemporary pop artist, she currently tours extensively and has become an increasingly more familiar presence on the line ups of major world festivals such as Roskilde (Denmark), The Barbican (UK), The Kennedy Center (USA), SummerStage, Central Park, NYC (USA), Festival-au-Desert (Mali), Hayy Festival (Egypt), and WOMAD (UK).
“The arrival of Mauritanian vocalist Noura Mint Seymali in front of Western audiences feels like the start of a new era.” – NPR: National Public Radio (USA)
El Jeich Chighaly
Master of the Tidinit of Noura Mint Seymali
Mauritania
El Jeich Chighaly
Master of the Tidinit of Noura Mint Seymali
Mauritania
Jeiche Ould Chighaly, a master of the tidinit (aka. ngoni, xalam), is Noura Mint Seymali’s husband, founding member of the touring ensemble and leading creative visionary. Hailing from another important line of Moorish griot, Jeich has successfully translated the tidinit’s intricate phrasing to a modified electric guitar with heroic effect. His unique sound, mirroring vocal lines and then refracting their melodies, was born out of years presiding over wedding ceremonies, directing the dance often as the sole melodic instrument. In addition to his work with Noura, Jeiche remains one of Nouakchott’s most sought after guitarists for traditional ceremonies. His revelatory guitar sound has been lauded in The New York Times, The Guardian, BBC, VICE, The Chicago Tribune and The Washington Post.
“Seymali and Chighaly have a creative synchronicity that makes them stand out. Her assertive singing sometimes was matched by the guitar melodies, sometimes embellished, sometimes taken to unexpected places.” – The Philadelphia Inquirer
“nimble, phaser-heavy swords from guitarist Jeiche Ould Chighaly….some of the most life-affirming scenes to ever grace a festival of experimental music” – The Wire (UK)
Jeich Ould Chighaly solo profile on okayafrica
Zalfian Fuzi
Artistic Director & CEO Theatre Management Associates
Malaysia
Zalfian Fuzi
Artistic Director & CEO Theatre Management Associates
Malaysia
Director, actor, teacher, and dramaturge, Zalfian has worked in theatre and the creative industry for the past 15 years, having developed, and directed award-winning productions to public and critical acclaim. His specialisations include content creation, acquisition and distribution. He has also programmed art spaces for the convergence of multiple art forms. Zalfian is the Chief Executive Officer of Theatre Management Associates Sdn. Bhd., established to implement plans in arts infrastructure development, touring and coproduction, and training for arts managers. His company comprises a world-class team of practitioners, arts entrepreneurs, and creative people with vast experience in designing, developing, delivering and operating vibrant arts centres, theatres, galleries and music venues.
Tasneem Chopra
Writer & Cross-Cultural Consultant
Commonwealth of Australia
Tasneem Chopra
Writer & Cross-Cultural Consultant
Commonwealth of Australia
A recipient of “Woman of the Year” at the 2013 Australian Muslim Achievement Awards, Tasneem Chopra has also been listed in The Age Magazine’s Top 100 as one of Melbourne’s most influential ‘Movers and Shakers’ and one of The Australian Magazine’s ‘Top Ten Thinkers’.
She delivers tailored training on issues of diversity and cultural competence, to varied audiences across the spectrum from the welfare to corporate sector, both locally and internationally. Tasneem is also an Associate of Alexandria Agenda, a firm providing solutions to policy dilemmas and conflicts arising from competing economies and cultural attitudes.
She is Chairperson of the Australian Muslim Women’s Centre for Human Rights and a board member of Global Reconciliation. She is a familiar voice on both television and radio in Australia and overseas as a social commentator, including The Drum, Q&A, Sunrise, Insight, and The Project.
Tasneem’s career has traversed over two decades across community development and federal politics with an academic background in Psychology & Sociology and a Masters in International Development.
Caravan of Praise
Music Ensemble
Malaysia
Caravan of Praise
Music Ensemble
Malaysia
CARAVAN OF PRAISE (COP) is a collective of individual artists of varied background, musical influence and genre. These individuals are very experience in their field and area of work, music and artistry. They consist of eight members, Mahdar Tahir, Erwan Taib, Adib Mutalib, Andy Flop Poppy, Syech Razie, Hafiedz Udu, Emran Taib and Ashraf Selaman. Just like the caravan serai of old, CARAVAN OF PRAISE moves from places to places, city to city and from gatherings, festival to carnivals spreading love and praises through the sharing songs, music, art, ideas and thoughts. COP is all about the celebration of love and life.
Alia Khan
Founder, Islamic Fashion Design Council
United Arab Emirates
Alia Khan
Founder, Islamic Fashion Design Council
United Arab Emirates
Based in Dubai, UAE, Alia Khan is the Founder and Chairwoman of Islamic Fashion and Design Council (IFDC), an organization established for the development of the Islamic fashion and design industry worldwide. IFDC is the world’s leading fashion and design (art, architecture, interiors, etc.) council representing the Islamic economy and its stakeholders. IFDC aligns itself with established and budding mainstream as well as Islamic fashion and design brands, government organizations, institutions, corporations, global conferences, and publications.
Alia pursued Islamic studies in Jordan, following which, her philanthropic interest in the development of the underprivileged areas of the Muslim world became a priority. Alia’s charity commits to upgrade education systems, and eradicate malnutrition with an effective food program.
Alia along with her IFDC team, training programs, and commercial initiatives, is determined to fill the void that she’s identified in the Islamic fashion and arts industry. Alia is a globally recognized industry expert and speaker at top business forums, conferences, and events.
Ruh Al-Alam
Artist and Designer, Visual Dhikr
United Kingdom
Ruh Al-Alam
Artist and Designer, Visual Dhikr
United Kingdom
Ruh is a London-born British artist who has been continuously evolving his work across multiple disciplines for almost two decades. Although from a fine art background, Ruh studied Graphic Design at the prestigious Central St. Martins College of Art & Design, with a focus on illustration. His work has ranged from traditional painting to digital interactive animations and videos. In 2003, he pursued a lifelong dream of learning the traditional art of penmanship, Arabic calligraphy, in Egypt for several years. His study placed him with some of the leading teachers of this age and added a new dimension to his work. While not all of his work is calligraphic, it plays a significant role in the message he portrays. His passion for calligraphy stems from his love of typography and visual communication.
In 2003 he launched his own personal art project and brand called ‘Visual Dhikr’ through which he introduced art prints, clothing and home decor products.
In early 2000 he founded Make Me Believe, his own creative agency in London. It has had a successful track record in becoming one of the leading specialist creative studios dealing with Arabic, Middle Eastern and Global Halal markets in the West. Ruh has worked on large and high profile commissions from both local and international projects for Sony, Channel 4, BBC, National Portrait Gallery and luxury brands in the Middle East.
He has exhibited in local galleries in the UK and abroad. His most recent exhibition was in Dubai and Sharjah, UAE. Recent TV appearance has been for the BBCÕs documentary on ÔThe Hidden Art of IslamÕ and BBC RadioÕs Asia Network. Ruh also runs branding and design workshops and is actively involved in caused-based collaborative projects with other artists and designers.
Scott Liddle
Country Director of Turquoise Mountain
France
Scott Liddle
Country Director of Turquoise Mountain
France
Scott Liddle is Country Director of Turquoise Mountain in Afghanistan. Turquoise Mountain is a non-profit social enterprise, with the threefold aim of restoring and rejuvenating historic areas, preserving and transmitting traditional skills, and creating jobs, skills, and pride among communities. The organisation was founded in 2006 on the initiative of HRH The Prince of Wales. It now operates in Afghanistan, Myanmar and Saudi Arabia.
Scott has degrees from Oxford and Harvard universities. He has previously worked in the humanitarian sector as a delegate of the International Committee of the Red Cross, in Algeria, Iraq and Libya. He has also lived and worked in Syria, Egypt and Lebanon. He speaks Arabic, French, English, and some Dari. He lives in Kabul
eL Seed
Calligraffiti Artist
France
eL Seed
Calligraffiti Artist
France
eL Seed is a ‘calligraffiti’ artist, a blend of the historic art of Arabic calligraphy and the modern art of graffiti, mixing street culture from Paris and Arabic history to poetic effect. Born to Tunisian parents in the suburbs of Paris, eL Seed spent his formative years juggling different cultures, languages, and identities. Today eL Seed’s pieces have developed out of two worlds colliding, with these two cultures clashing and blending into one another, to form a new identity, a unique mark and a distinctive style.
eL Seed uses intricate composition in his work to call not only on the words and their meaning, but also on their movement, which ultimately lures the viewer into a different state of mind. Working primarily with subjects that seem contradictory, eL Seed’s art reflects the reality of mankind and the world we live in today.
In mid-2012 eL Seed completed his largest piece to date, in the southern Tunisian city of Gabes, a 47 metre high minaret on the Jara mosque, spreading the message of unity. In 2013, he went on to leave his unique and one of a kind mark in Qatar, when he was commissioned by the Qatar Museums Authority to paint tunnels in Doha on Salwa Road. eL Seed sought out the help of the local community to create 52 individual pieces of art for the tunnel walls. More recently in the summer of 2013 in Paris, eL Seed took part in La Tour Paris 13, the largest collective street art exhibition in the world.
Faig Ahmed
Fine Artist
Azerbaijan
Faig Ahmed
Fine Artist
Azerbaijan
Born in Baku, Azerbaijan in1982.
At the moment lives and works in Baku.
Faig graduated from the Sculpture faculty at the Azerbaijan State Academy of Fine Art, in Baku in 2004. Since 2003, he has been working with various media, including painting, video and installation.
Board member of YARAT contemporary art space (Baku).
Currently, he is studying the artistic qualities of Azerbaijani traditional rugs – he disassembles their conventional structure and randomly rearranges the resulting components of the traditional composition then combines these fragments with contemporary sculptural forms.
Omar Offendum
Hip-Hop Artist, Poet & Peace Activist
United States of America
Omar Offendum
Hip-Hop Artist, Poet & Peace Activist
United States of America
Omar Offendum is a Syrian-American Hip-Hop artist, designer, poet & peace activist – born in Saudi Arabia, raised in Washington DC and living in Los Angeles. He has been featured on several major news outlets (Aljazeera / PBS / LA Times / Rolling Stone / VICE / NY Times / The European), toured the world to promote his ground-breaking music, helped raise hundreds of thousands of dollars for various humanitarian relief organisations, lectured at a number of prestigious academic institutions, and most recently has been involved in creating several critically-acclaimed songs about the popular democratic uprisings throughout the Middle East & North Africa. He is currently hard at work on several new projects while touring to promote his solo release ‘SyrianamericanA’.
Asad Ali Jafri
Cultural Producer & Global, Arts Leader
United States of America
Asad Ali Jafri
Cultural Producer & Global, Arts Leader
United States of America
Asad Ali Jafri is a cultural producer, global arts leader and multidisciplinary artist with a creative vision for sustainable social change. As an innovative thinker, Asad utilises the universal language of art to connect communities, cultures and people to transform our interactions, perceptions, and consciousness. Asad works passionately with artists, creatives, and thought leaders across nations, disciplines, and genres to curate meaningful productions, design sustainable initiatives, and build strong communities.
In 2013, Asad launched Sukoon Creative, a company that transforms ideas and visions into tangible outcomes through creative production, artistic development, community engagement, and strategic consulting. Sukoon Creative’s work lives at the intersection of Art, Culture, Design and Space; its impact, much like art, transcends real and imagined boundaries and can be experienced worldwide.
Asad also performs and collaborates with other artists as a DJ under the moniker “Man-O-Wax”. Although his passion for DJing was born out of Hip Hop and Turntablist culture, he now focuses on funky and soulful grooves from around the globe.
