We’re Muhammad Waqas and Sameera Waqas, an artistic duo, and we call Auckland, New Zealand, our creative home. We collaborate to create paintings that are a blend of modern abstract painting and traditional Arabic calligraphy. Sameera uses mixed media and acrylics to craft exquisite backgrounds that complement the Arabic calligraphy pieces that Waqas composes. Our unique fusion of contemporary aesthetics with the timeless beauty of Arabic calligraphy, showcases our shared passion for both art forms.
Both of us are self-taught artists, with a lifelong passion for our respective crafts. Our journey took a more dedicated turn in 2019 when our friends and others began to commission us to create artworks. Since then, we have exhibited our work all over New Zealand. Our painting “51 – Love, Peace & Unity” was exhibited in New Zealand’s Parliament House and received national recognition in 2020. We have collaborated with New Zealand Post to compose the first ever Islamic representation of collectable stamps. We worked with Lake House art centre as Muslim artist ambassadors in 2023. And we collaborated with Ruth Robertson-Taylor on a mural titled ‘Weaving Hope’.
Arabic calligraphy, also called Visual Dhikr (“Dhikr” meaning to remember and reflect) often features Islamic verses that help people remember and be reminded of their religion and spirituality. It is an ancient artform that is meaningful not just for Muslim and Arabic cultures, but for anyone who appreciates the visual beauty of the words and the story behind them. Our traditional calligraphy has a bold and modern twist, effortless movement, a balance of composition, vivid colours and Sameera’s abstract backgrounds.
Arabic is one of the most ancient languages and has a deep significance for Muslims all over the world. With this deep-rooted history comes a wealth of fascinating scripts and patterns formulated by early Sufis and Calligraphers. Most of the wordings on our artworks are derived from the Quran and represent our attachment to our own faith. This fusion with our painting technique and colour choice creates a combination of modern and traditional art to make a powerful visual impact that is both unique and beautiful.