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Year of Arabic Calligraphy: Celebrating the mastery of an age-old art form

Year of Arabic Calligraphy: Celebrating the mastery of an age-old art form — Tunisian-French artist eL Seed created ‘Mirage’ for Saudi Arabia’s Desert X AlUla. (Supplied)

‘Loving Heart 3’ is by Iraqi calligraphy artist Wissam Shawkat. (Supplied)

‘Quad Love 2’ is by Iraqi calligraphy artist Wissam Shawkat. (Supplied)

‘Something’ is by Iraqi calligraphy artist Wissam Shawkat. (Supplied)

‘Kul’ is by the Saudi calligraphy artist Nasser Al-Salem. (Supplied)

Saudi calligraphy artist Nasser Al-Salem created ‘Amma Baad’ in 2019. (Supplied)

This artwork is also called ‘Amma Baad’ by Saudi calligraphy artist Nasser Al-Salem and was created 2019. (Supplied)

‘Haqq’ is by the Dubai-based calligrapher Majid Al-Yousef. (Supplied)

‘Freedom 2’ is by the Dubai-based calligrapher Majid Al-Yousef. (Supplied)

‘Mithqal’ is by the Dubai-based calligrapher Majid Al-Yousef. (Supplied)

‘Friends’ is by the Riyadh-born calligraphy artist Ibraheem Khamayseh. (Supplied)

‘Hawasi’ is by the Riyadh-born calligraphy artist Ibraheem Khamayseh. (Supplied)

Riyadh-born calligraphy artist Ibraheem Khamayseh’s passion for calligraphy was inherited from his father who is a renowned calligrapher. (Supplied)

Calligraphy artist Taha Al-Hiti explained that Arabic calligraphy letters have components like a human body — for example a head and a chest. (Supplied)

Calligraphy artist Taha Al-Hiti is based in Dubai and has 30 years of experience in Arabic calligraphy. (Supplied)

Taha Al-Hiti is a graduate of architecture from the University of Baghdad in Iraq. (Supplied)

Tunisian-French artist eL Seed created ‘Mirage’ for Saudi Arabia’s Desert X AlUla. (Supplied)

‘Mirrors of Babel,’ by Tunisian-French artist eL Seed, can be found in Toronto. (Supplied)

‘The Bridge’ is by Tunisian-French artist eL Seed. (Supplied)

Russian artist Pokras Lampas is involved in street art projects and exhibitions. (Supplied)

This artwork is by Russian artist Pokras Lampas. (Supplied)

Russian artist Pokras Lampas’s artworks are represented in Dubai by Opera Gallery. (Supplied)

Emirati artist Amal Al-Gurg created ‘Amalgamate’ in 2017. (Supplied)

‘Haram/ Halal’ was created by Emirati artist Amal Al-Gurg in 2019. (Supplied)

‘Muhammad’ was created by Emirati artist Amal Al-Gurg in 2018. (Supplied)

Beirut-based artist Akil Ahmed is a graduate from the Faculty of Fine arts in Aleppo. (Supplied)

This artwork is by Syrian-born artist Akil Ahmed. (Supplied)

Syrian-born artist Akil Ahmed created this artwork in 2018. (Supplied)

Year of Arabic Calligraphy: Celebrating the mastery of an age-old art form

Updated 7 May 2020 09:40

May 6, 2020 10:00

As Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Culture celebrates the extended Year of Arabic Calligraphy, we take a look at nine artists and their take on the age-old art form.