How Salim Abdulrazaq Is Leading a New Wave of Islamic Art in Nigeria

Islamic art and calligraphy have existed for centuries, dating back to pre-colonial times. But what does it look like in Nigeria’s art world today? What does it represent, and who are the pioneers shaping its direction?

Heavily inspired by Islamic history, the Qur’an, and Northern Nigerian traditions, this form of art carries both spiritual and cultural weight. In Kaduna, Salim Abdulrazaq, also known as “Salim Artworks” has been exploring this as something deeply personal. For him, art is a way of expressing two parts of himself he holds closely: his religion and his culture

We spoke to him about his journey and the ideas shaping his work.

What Kind of Art do You Make and how did You get Into Art?

I’m a mixed media artist. My work takes a lot of inspiration from Northern Nigerian culture and heritage, as well as my environment and upbringing. I want to be one of the people that push boundaries for Northern artists to thrive in the art world because there isn’t really a specific space for Northern art in Nigeria. Being a pioneer of that is one of the greatest things I feel I can do for myself and for others.

And I think, with what I’ve been able to achieve over the past few years, I’m getting there. I started seriously practising art in 2016, and since then, I’ve just been building and refining my process.

Why is Pushing Boundaries for Northern Artists Important to You?

I want to be remembered as one of the artists who opened doors. To be one of the greats that came from the North and helped create that space. For me, being a Northern artist is also complicated because there’s a kind of contradiction when it comes to practising art and Islamic religious practices.

So I had to spend time learning, researching, and finding a style that aligns with Islam. That process helped me get to a point where I can practise confidently without feeling like I’m putting myself in a compromised position and that fear is one of the reasons why a lot of artists in the North don’t fully show up because nobody wants to feel like they’re going against religion.

From Your Research, what did You Learn about this and how did that Shape Your Work?

From what I was able to learn, there are boundaries when it comes to depicting living things, especially in detailed forms. Anything that closely imitates the full structure of a human being like detailed faces, features, or very realistic representations is something you have to be careful with.

That’s why in my work, you won’t really see faces. You won’t see detailed hands or full bodily features. It’s more about the figure which is expressed through clothing rather than full physical detail. So I use shapes, silhouettes and garments to represent people without fully depicting them. But that limitation actually opened up a new direction for me.

If you look at my work, there’s always an emphasis on knowledge because in Islam, seeking knowledge is something that’s constantly encouraged. So everything I do is targeted toward people who want to learn about the world and about their religion.

How did You get into using Qur’anic Calligraphy and Slates in Your Work?

Memorising the Qur’an was one of the major things that pushed me in that direction. It naturally led me to calligraphy and to using slates. Slates are a very significant symbol of knowledge in Northern Nigeria, and even beyond that in Islamic learning. They’ve always been part of traditional systems of education. But the Almajiri system, which is tied to that, has been misunderstood and, in many ways, misrepresented over time. So I felt like it was important for me to focus on it and try to reshape people’s understanding of it.

The slate(the allo) became a central symbol in my work. It represents learning and history. A lot of people see the Almajiri system in a negative way today, but historically, it was a respected system. Even leaders and kings were trained under scholars within that system.

Over time, it got compromised and it became something people looked down on. So part of my work is about bringing that value back into light. And presentation plays a big role in that. When people see these elements in a gallery or exhibition space, presented with care and intention, they begin to see them differently. Something that might be ignored or misunderstood in everyday life becomes meaningful when it’s presented properly.

What is Your Process Like when Creating these Calligraphy Works?

I’m very intentional with my process, every verse I use has meaning. I take my time selecting verses, making sure they resonate and connect emotionally. I also use traditional materials. The ink isn’t just regular ink, it’s the traditional tawada that has been used for generations and can last for decades. The slates themselves aren’t new either.

Some of them have been used for many years, even up to 50 years and come from different places like Zaria and Bauchi. Each slate has been reused multiple times. That’s why I say my work is very intentional. Every element has meaning, history, and weight behind it.

You Mentioned Archiving as Part of Your Work. What does that Mean to You?

Archiving is very important to me because things change so quickly. Systems get abandoned, traditions fade, and if we don’t document them, they can easily be lost. And when things are lost, other people can come in and rewrite that history from their own perspective.

So I see my role as preserving and documenting these cultural elements while they still exist. My work tries to hold the past, present, and future at the same time. It reminds people where they come from, where they are and where they’re going.

Because human beings forget easily. And sometimes, we just need reminders of our culture, our values and our identity.

Can You Talk about the Futuristic Elements in Your Work?

Yes, I like to incorporate elements like stars, the moon, and outer space. For me, it’s about going beyond just this Earth. In Islam, there’s the idea of the seen and the unseen, so there’s always something beyond what we physically experience.

At the same time, I don’t want Northern Nigeria to be seen as only traditional or stuck in the past. It can be modern, evolving and still rooted in culture. So the futuristic aspect of my work is a way of showing that balance, that we can honour the past while still imagining new possibilities.

What Role do You think Artists Play in Shaping how Culture is Perceived?

Artists play a huge role.

The way something is presented can completely change how people perceive it. If we present our culture with intention and care, people will start to value it more. We’ve seen how other cultures present themselves globally through media, film, and design and that shapes how the world engages with them. So we need to do the same. We need to present our own culture in ways that are meaningful to us.

What do You Hope People Take Away from Your work?

I want people to feel hope. Hope that they can do great things and that they can embrace their identity. I also want people to feel a sense of remembrance of God, of culture, of where they come from. And for young Northern artists, I want them to see that our culture can exist in mainstream and international spaces.