Chicago, December 21, 2021 – Four Muslim artists are featured in the Giving is Beautiful charity art gallery opening on December 26, 2021, at the MAS-ICNA convention being held at McCormick Place in Chicago.
Artists Ruby Jaffrey, Shayma Al-Shiri, Qasim Arif and Mustafa Horton each contributed three original artworks ranging in style from Arabic calligraphy, calligraphy-themed art, abstract realism and abstract art. Each artist minted non-fungible tokens for their artwork on the popular NFT marketplace OpenSea and are donating all royalties to Baitulmaal, the charity behind the art project.
Visitors to the art gallery can bid on prints of the digital art and a portion of the proceeds from the auctions will also be donated to Baitulmaal.
“We’ve been wanting to launch a project that supports the creative community while also benefiting people in need around the world,” said John Janney, Baitulmaal communications director and chief curator for the Giving is Beautiful initiative. “With art as the vehicle, donors can enjoy the beauty of their contributions on their walls, in their digital collections and in their hearts.”
Two other pieces will be shown during the convention. One is an immersive video art installation by videographer Chance Issa that features footage from humanitarian aid deliveries funded by Baitulmaal donors as well as clips of popular social influencers like Khaled Beydoun and Linda Sarsour talking about how they engage with beauty in the world and how they foster inner beauty through giving and other charitable acts.
The other art piece is an interactive art installation featuring a custom-built vending machine that offers charity opportunities instead of snacks and sodas. Visitors can select from 30 different giving options, such as supporting winter relief, water access, orphan support or education. Artist and Baitulmaal graphic designer Mustafa Horton designed the colorful mosaic-themed art that covers the inside and outside of the vending machine.
Art enthusiasts outside of Chicago wanting to see or purchase selections can visit givingisbeautiful.org. The site also offers an application for artists interested in joining the collection.
Baitulmaal is an international humanitarian aid organization that provides life-saving, life-sustaining and life-enriching aid to people in need around the world. With headquarters in Texas, the charity has domestic offices in California, Florida, Illinois, Michigan and New Jersey as well as international offices in Africa, South Asia and the Middle East.
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