give me the stories you
tell your children
and I’ll give you
your culture.

Plato

Working predominantly with wood and clay,
Halima has used these materials to interpret
the language of patterns and calligraphy
found in West African Islamic art and craft.

Halima Bashir seated in Morocco holding calligraphy paper

Halima Bashir was born and raised in Nigeria,
and draws influence from the Arabic calligraphy
script predominant in West Africa called Sudani
and patterns from craftwork in northern Nigeria.

Geometric ceramic tile pattern in brown, cream, black, and white

Having studied architecture in Nigeria and North
Cyprus, she has taken her interest in traditional
architecture into her art and craft work. Halima is
currently working towards her ijaza (certificate) in
Arabic calligraphy with a master calligrapher.

Visit the
gallery Round ceramic plate with Arabic calligraphy around the rim