About the event

Sharjah Calligraphy Biennial:

The Arabic Letter-from Balance to

Creative Manifestations

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For more than two decades, the Sharjah Calligraphy Biennial has brought Arabic calligraphy into sustained dialogue with the international art world, reaffirming the richness of this deeply rooted Islamic art form while extending its presence within contemporary creative practice. As a global platform bringing together calligraphers, artists, and researchers, the Biennial enables the letter to engage with diverse artistic currents and continually reveal new aesthetic and visual possibilities. With each edition, it creates a creative space in which the authenticity of calligraphic tradition coexists with contemporary experimentation, demonstrating the art form’s capacity to remain grounded in its inherited principles while opening onto new horizons of artistic expression.

The Biennial embodies the cultural vision of His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah, whose sustained attention to Arabic calligraphy reflects its aesthetic and civilizational significance, the deep cultural memory it carries, and its extensive potential for renewal and innovation. Within this vision, Sharjah has established Arabic calligraphy as a point of convergence where the aesthetics of the past meet the developments of the present and the questions of the future.

Organized by the Directorate of Cultural Affairs at the Sharjah Department of Culture, the Sharjah Calligraphy Biennial reaches a new milestone with its twelfth edition, held under the theme Mizan (Balance). Bringing together more than 145 artists and calligraphers from around the world, the edition presents works and artistic practices that place traditional Arabic calligraphy in dialogue with contemporary creative visions, forming a multifaceted artistic landscape.

Balance extends beyond the literal meaning of balance to examine the structural and visual relationships that lie at the heart of Arabic calligraphy. Within the letter itself—through its structure, composition, and movement—a precise relationship between mass and void is essential to achieving aesthetic coherence. The theme therefore opens expansive creative possibilities for artists and calligraphers, invoking principles of proportion and harmony and positioning the relationship between the letter and its surrounding space as an integral part of the composition. In this sense, Balance becomes an invitation to rediscover the potential of the letter, reconsider its visual dynamics, and extend its presence within contemporary art while remaining connected to its origins and inherited aesthetics.

Across more than two decades, the Biennial has evolved beyond the framework of a recurring artistic event to help shape an international landscape for Arabic calligraphy, bringing together diverse talents and experiences from different cultural contexts.

Every edition introduces a renewed creative tableau, demonstrating the art form’s capacity to move beyond its local contexts and enter a broader human sphere without relinquishing its essential character or cultural heritage.

The twelfth edition encompasses a wide-ranging programme of activities, foremost among them the tribute ceremony honoring pioneering calligraphers and influential figures whose work has contributed to the development of Arabic calligraphy and enriched its artistic traditions.

A series of solo and group exhibitions further presents a diversity of approaches and offers visitors an opportunity to trace the evolution of calligraphic practice across different artistic venues throughout the Emirate of Sharjah. The programme also includes the international Seminar Arabic Calligraphy: Authenticity, Innovation, and Globality, bringing together a distinguished group of researchers from the Arab world and beyond to examine recent developments and evolving questions surrounding the art of Arabic calligraphy.

Balance

The word “Balance” or “Mizan” is one of the Arabic words that reflects multiple connotations, as it combines the literal, material meaning with the symbolic and value-based meaning; nevertheless, it opens up broad horizons for reflection in multiple fields, from language to visual arts, and Arabic calligraphy.

In Arabic dictionaries, the word “Balance” or “Mizan” is explained as a tool by which quantities are recognized, things are weighed, justice is measured, and distinguishes among things are revealed. In addition, the word was used metaphorically to indicate justice, uprightness and correct assessment. The balance, in its essence, is not merely a sensory tool, but a concept based on regulating relationships and preventing bias and imbalance.

According to Arabic calligraphy art, the concept of balance is revealed as a structural and aesthetic foundation. Whereas, Arabic calligraphy art is based on both order and precision, and the dot is recognized as its first standard unit that is used to measure the length, the width, and the curvature of the letter. This dot however, represents the accurate balance that regulates the proportions of the letters, and provides their internal harmony; so that no letter overshadows another, moreover, maintain the overall structure of the word or line.

The balance is also clearly evident in the relationship between the mass and the space within the calligraphic painting. The written letter as an entity is not totally separated from the surrounding space; rather it is constantly interacting with it. The balance between the calligraphic mass and the surrounding space determines the rhythm of the visual presentation, giving it its visual comfort and aesthetic allure, and the more thoroughly this balance is considered, the stronger and clearer the presence of the painting become, without excessive crowding or excessive emptiness.

The concept «Balance» or “Mizan” becomes even more profound when considering the relationship between writing and ornamentation. Whereas, in Islamic art, ornamentation is not a dependent nor an inferior element, but rather it is profoundly related to calligraphy. However, the success of this collaboration depends on an accurate balance that prevents ornamentation from overshadowing the text or even misrepresenting its meaning.

In addition, it prevents the script from being isolated without an aesthetic expansion. In fact, the balance between them achieves an artistic unity in which the connation is integrated with the decoration, as well as the meaning with the form.

Thus, it becomes clear that the balance is not merely a linguistic concept or a measuring tool; rather it is a comprehensive principle that governs Arabic calligraphy aesthetics. From the dot to the letter, from the mass to the void, from the act of writing to the art of ornamentation, the balance remains the guarantor of visual harmony and justice, just as in linguistic; it is featured as the measurement of justice and integrity. Thus, “Balance” or “Mizan” is transformed from a word in the dictionary into an essence inhabiting the calligraphy painting, giving it its existence and balance.