Abdul Abdullah was born in Perth, Western Australia in 1986. He graduated in 2008 from Curtin University, majoring in painting. In 2009 Abdul received the Highly Commended in the NYSPP at the National Portrait Gallery in Canberra and was named a Perth Rising Star by Insite Magazine. In 2010 Abdul was included in the inaugural Triple J list of 25 Under 25 + Smashin’ It. In 2011 he was a recipient of Kickstart funding for the 2012 Nextwave festival, was a finalist in the RBS Emerging Artist award and the Archibald prize, and was the recipient of the 2011 Blake Prize for human justice.