Aesthetics of Arabic Calligraphy Between Past and Present

As part of the Sharjah Islamic Arts Festival, a joint exhibition 'Collectibles' presents more than 40 works by 15 calligraphers

Under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan Bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah, the Cultural Affairs Department at the Sharjah Department of Culture has organised the 22nd edition of the Sharjah Islamic Arts Festival, which will run until January 21, 2020.

The Sharjah Islamic Arts Festival presents contemporary installations as well as the masters of traditional arts, such as calligraphy, tezhib (illumination), ceramic arts, book-binding arts, etc. The opening of the exhibition 'Collectibles' was attended by HE Abdullah Al Owais, Chairman of Sharjah Department of Culture; Mohammed Al Qaseer, Head of Cultural Affairs and General Coordinator at the Department of Culture; and Farah Qassim Mohammed, Islamic Arts Festival Executive; in the presence of the artists, media and esteemed guests. 'Collectibles' is a joint exhibition that presents an array of Arabic letters, handled with a lavish artistic vision. The brightly coloured calligraphy artworks are on display on the walls of Calligraphy Studios in Calligraphy Square.

Islamic calligraphy presents a base of Islamic art. It is a tool with which the Quran, the Hadith, and Arabic poetry were handwritten for many centuries. 15 calligraphers from several countries participate in this exhibition with more than 40 different artworks, written in the most beautiful and majestic Arabic scripts: Kufi, Muhaqqaq, Thuluth, Naskh, Rihan, Diwani, Jalil Diwani, Nastaliq, and other Arabic scripts.

From the opening of the exhibition, HE Abdullah Al Owais, Chairman of Sharjah Department of Culture and Mohammed Al Qaseer, Head of Cultural Affairs and General Coordinator at the Department of Culture tour the exhibition / Photo Â© Islamic Arts Magazine