About us
Kasim R Tariq
Kasim Tariq is a social Designer and Artist with a background in Interior Architecture & Design and has received numerous accolades for his work, including an award for the “Most Experimental Project” from Coventry University in 2018. Kasim's Social Design and intervention work has been recognised by Bradford City and King Charles III for its positive impact on culture in the region through art & social enterprise.
Kasim's study focused on Biomimicry and rammed-earth buildings, as showcased in his "Vernacular Ringing Mosque" project. A humanitarian architectural project utilising nature to provide power and desalinated water to rural Pakistan. He exhibited his Architectural Design work at the New Designers show in London in July 2018. Kasim has experience in domestic construction, woodworking, pottery, resin casting and other design technologies. He has over 8 years of experience machining using CNC, wood lathes and various workshop equipment.
Fayakunu was originally an idea which came to Kasim during the COVID-19 pandemic, as he was looking for a solution to the increasing unemployment in the region. This project was designed to aid young artists on their journey, taking them from amateurs and hobbyists to social entrepreneurs; with Fayakunu's support to market and curate their work. Kasim is an advocate for the underserved ethnic minorities living in Bradford.
Mahmud Manning
Mahmud Manning is a practising fine artist based in Bradford whose background is in Traditional Muslim Arts and Urban Design. He has worked on various projects for the YALJ Group (KSA) including the designing and building of a Vernacular Mosque in Hejaz using clay and stone, eco-village interventions and farm infrastructure.
He is also a co-founder of Zambezi Voluntary Service - a charity concerned with water management, health and well-being (Zambia). Mahmud has been an outreach tutor for The Princes School and has been involved in community projects within Bradford for 15 years. Mahmud regularly runs Quranic illumination courses in Bradford, teaching age-old techniques in gold gilding and motif drawing.
Afzal Khan
Afzal Khan is a freelancer in the arts and heritage sector who has worked for the British Museum and the Manchester Museum. He has a degree in English and American Literature and a Master's in South Asian Area Studies.
He is the founder and chairman of the Young Friends of the Lancaster Maritime Museum as well as a trustee for the charity Kids in Museums. He is also interested in contemporary art, literature and writing poetry.
Afzal is Fayakunu's heritage, culture & arts researcher bringing incredible insight into the lives of influential figures in the world of art and Islamic heritage.
