Abdul Razzaq Khoja death: Saudi Arabia’s first currency calligrapher, Abdul Razzaq Khoja, passed away at the age of 95.
He passed away on Wednesday morning in Jeddah, announced by his family. The Saudi Arts and Culture Association has expressed its sorrow over his passing.
Abdul Razzaq Khoja was born and raised in the holy city of Makkah. Abdul Razzaq Khoja had a passion for calligraphy from an early age.
He began working as a currency calligrapher at the Saudi Monetary Agency in 1375 AH.
Being surrounded by the diverse and lively forms of Makkah’s traditional arts throughout his life, he is considered to be one of the great artistic calligraphers in the world.
Abdul Razzaq Khoja associated his entire life with Saudi’s paper currency and coins. He sketched and written out the Kingdom’s banknotes in the reign of three different Saudi kings, since the appearance of the first Saudi one riyal note and coin in the era of King Faisal in 1387 AH (1967 AD).
Khoja not only showed his exceptional talent in calligraphy, but also shared his remarkable vision in different genres.
He was associated to press for nearly 50 years, writing masterpieces and remarkable opinion about late King Faisal’s death in 1395 AH (1975 AD), in addition to hundreds of royal medals, royal decrees and heraldic banners and flags.
It is also pertinent to note that many students of Makkah are exposed with Khoja’s distinguished calligraphy within their textbooks. In fact, Khoja’s calligraphic art has been carried around in people’s pockets for quite a long time.
‘Legacy of the great calligrapher will linger on’, Saudi Arts and Culture Association paid tribute to Khoja.
