Paintings and art pieces based on the Arabic script, and a rich journey between aesthetics, invited visitors, the third edition of which was recently unveiled at the Qawla Art Gallery in the Dubai Design District. This is true art.
A group of the most important local and foreign artists and calligraphers who wanted to participate in the revival of Arabic script participated in the festival.
Among the most prominent calligraphers participating in the festival is the Iraqi calligrapher and engineer Saman al-Zahavi, who mixes drawing and calligraphy in his work, as the painting “Just Talk” includes this combination of Arabic calligraphy and graphics.
He says, “Lettering has vast areas and the true artist is the one who elevates this art in his own way. So, I don’t follow any particular school of writing. Instead, I create a line for my artwork.”
He added, “For the second time in this festival, I am participating in an art work titled (Just Talk), which took seven months to execute. Speech always has meaning and that is what I wanted to show in the painting. I attended.
“He and She”
For Lebanese artist Sandra Wehbe, she worked on a group of works titled “Him and She” and ranged from paintings, jewelry and furniture inspired by the Kufic script that appeared in the works.
Sandra told Emirates Today: “I was influenced by the Kufic script, which is distinguished by its square geometrical forms and is very ancient, yet it is one of the most appropriate lines for our era.”
He added, “Kufic script is strong and sharp, so I wanted to add romantic elements and chose to keep my works within the framework of love. It was a big challenge for me, but I enjoyed the work.
He pointed out that he tries to show the line in the unfamiliar in various materials such as wood and iron, especially through the pieces of furniture he designs, and he also works on designs and pieces of jewelry. Their simplicity.
Sandra added, “The world is moving towards simplicity in jewellery, so I focused on preserving the Kufic script to highlight its beauty.”
He explained that he was participating in the festival for the second time, expressing his pride in participating in the festival because of the interest of Arabic script paintings and artists.
Gawla Art Gallery also offered visitors the opportunity to learn the Arabic alphabet with its highly skilled staff, and to experience the rich culture and history that underpins this beautiful tradition by experts, including Syrian author Anwar al- Halavani lit up during a workshop on “Diwani Fingerprint”. “This workshop aims to introduce a clear Diwani line and the importance of the writer’s sentiment as this particular line is not attached to certain rules and is written with the artist’s feeling conveyed during the workshop,” he said.
transition point
For his part, the Lebanese writer Caleb Huaila presented a workshop in which he highlighted the importance of empty spaces in art painting and its role in shaping it. He said, “When we talk about handwriting, we are used to learning its basics, which is something that needs to be learned and preserved, but on the other hand, we need to learn the importance of empty space and its distribution in artwork. Painting, I wanted to highlight during my workshop.” “
He added that the festival is full of varieties of Arabic script and calligraphy characterized by different styles that highlight the aesthetics of Arabic calligraphy.
He praised the UAE’s support for artists and talent, pointing out that his participation in the UAE was a turning point in his artistic career and an inspiration for his paintings.
Huila continued, “My participation in the Sharjah Signature Forum in 2018 was a transitional point for me, and from here began my connection and love for art enthusiasts, which I felt in the UAE.”
And he continued, “I am participating in a series titled (Al-Wasl) that I worked on after settling in the Emirates, the idea of which was inspired by the expressions of kindness I felt here. A person who finds the country and takes threads that connect with it, I was attracted by the kindness that I touched by the many attitudes of strangers and friends from different countries, so I started thinking about the basis of kindness and from here the work idea crystallized.
Names
A large number of artists participated in the calligraphy festival in its third edition at Gawla Art Gallery, including Abdullah Akar, Ahmad Al-Mahri, Areen, Belgiri Al-Bahi Yahya, Fadi Al-Owaid, Fatima Zalmeen, Hadi Ghassos, Kazem Khorasani. , Rasha Qasim, and other great calligraphers graced the festival with various paintings and pieces.
“Coffee evangelist. Alcohol fanatic. Hardcore creator. Infuriatingly humble zombie ninja. Writer. Introvert. Music fanatic.”
