SHARJAH ISLAMIC ARTS FESTIVAL 2017/18 (DEC 13, 2017 - JAN 23, 2018) Timo Nasseri: All the Letters and All the Stars

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 20th Edition of the Sharjah Islamic Arts Festival.

As part of the Sharjah Islamic Arts Festival, the solo show by Timo Nasseri, opened at the Maraya Art Centre. It was inaugurated by His Excellency Abdullah Al Owais, Chairman of Sharjah Department of Culture and Information; alongside Mohammed Ibrahim Al Qaseer, Director of Cultural Affairs Department and the Festival General Coordinator; Farah Qassim Mohammed, Islamic Arts Festival Executive, in addition to the participating artists and a large number of audience.

His Excellency Abdullah Al Owais, Chairman of Sharjah Department of Culture and Information at the opening of the exhibition / Photo © Islamic Arts Magazine

At the opening of the exhibition: His Excellency Abdullah Al Owais, Chairman of Sharjah Department of Culture and Information, Mohammed Ibrahim Al Qaseer, Director of Cultural Affairs Department and the Festival General Coordinator; Farah Qassim Mohammed, Islamic Arts Festival Executive / Photo © Islamic Arts Magazine

The exhibition explores notions of structuring and fragmentation through the lens of Islamic geometry. 'The Unknown Letters' series was inspired by the life and teachings of the Arabic calligrapher Ibn Mugla, who created the calligraphic rules that apply to all calligraphic styles. The rules define the width and height of every Arabic letter by using cubes as a measurement tool, as we can see in Timo Nasseri's sculptures.

The exhibition also presents a series of drawing and mirrored pieces that use the same order and logic. Drawings are made with a black ink on a white paper as an exercise to understand the construction of the muqarnas in Islamic architecture. Nasseri created infinitely expanding patterns, each a unique variation, and then turns these drawings back to muqarnas in his series.

The opening of the exhibition / Photo © Islamic Arts Magazine

The opening of the exhibition / Photo © Islamic Arts Magazine

The opening of the exhibition / Photo © Islamic Arts Magazine

The opening of the exhibition / Photo © Islamic Arts Magazine

The opening of the exhibition / Photo © Islamic Arts Magazine

The opening of the exhibition / Photo © Islamic Arts Magazine

The opening of the exhibition / Photo © Islamic Arts Magazine

The opening of the exhibition / Photo © Islamic Arts Magazine

Timo Nasseri was born in Berlin to a German mother and an Iranina father. He began his artistic career as a photographer, and then made a transition into creating sculpture and installation. His work combines Islamic and western cultural heritages. He was awarded the Prix Saar FerngasFÅ‘rderpreis Junge Kunstin 2006, and the Abraaj Capital Art Prize (UAE 2011). Nasseri had several solo exhibitions and participated in many group exhibitions.

'All the Letters and All the Stars' is on view at the Maraya Art Centre until January 23, 2018.