Sharjah Calligraphy Forum to Honor 3 Innovators in Its 11th Edition

Sharjah Calligraphy Biennial Begins on October 2nd  

Al-Qaseer: The Biennial's Draws its Success from the Vision of the Ruler of Sharjah

Sharjah Calligraphy Forum to Honor 3 Innovators in Its 11th Edition

Sharjah – As part of the preparations for the Sharjah Calligraphy Biennial, which will launch on October 2 under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Mohammad Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah, the 11th edition will honor three prominent figures in Arabic calligraphy: Emirati calligrapher Khalid Ali Al Jallaf, Iraqi researcher and academic Idham Khalid Hanish, and Spanish historian of Islamic and Andalusian art Jose Miguel Botra.

The honored works will be displayed in personal exhibitions at the Calligraphy Square in the heart of Sharjah on the opening day, with the three exhibitions continuing to present calligraphic works to the public throughout the forum’s duration.

Mohammed Ibrahim Al Qaseer, Director of the Cultural Affairs Department at the Department of Culture and Director of the Sharjah Calligraphy Biennial, said: "The Biennial has always drawn its success from the vision of His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Mohammad Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah, may God protect him. This vision aims to focus on culture and the arts as fundamental pillars in building civilizations and societies. The forum’s international nature affirms these profound visions, as it strives to embody them in an effort to translate His Highness's approach and vision."

Al Qaseer added: "Honoring innovators in calligraphy and those working in this universal human art of unique meaning and eloquence is an extension of the directives of His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah and a continuation of the forum’s mission to celebrate the creators of this authentic art form. In this edition, we will honor three individuals who have made significant contributions to Arabic calligraphy, both in practice and in research and history."

The Director of the Sharjah Calligraphy Biennial continued: "Two decades of work since the Biennial's establishment in 2004 have seen it maintaining its connection with creators. Now it reaches its eleventh edition, launching with new ideas and innovations, as the Arabic script derives its aesthetic value and meaning from its deep historical civilization."

Regarding the current edition of the forum, Al Qaseer said: "This edition is built around a series of collective and solo exhibitions, crafted with high dedication by a number of artists with professional expertise. This is reflected in the general exhibition, which presents a variety of works in original calligraphic styles from artists worldwide, as well as several other exhibitions, such as contemporary exhibitions and the ‘In Love with the Emirates’ exhibition featuring a series of works by Emirati calligraphers that reflect their love for their homeland."

He added: "The forum will also include the ‘Revival of Scripts' exhibition, which brings us back to forgotten scripts. Turkish artist Davud Bektas and Iranian artist Sadegh Shafiee will present their solo exhibitions, with Bektash’s titled 'Golden Letters' and Shafiee’s ‘Inscriptions on Pencil'. Additionally, there will be rich participation from several local institutions.” 

The Cultural Affairs Department will hold a press conference on the 30th of this month at the Department of Culture’s headquarters in Sharjah to announce all details of the current forum edition.

"Honorees in Brief"

Emirati calligrapher KhalId Ali Al Jallaf was born in 1962 and completed his specialization in law from the United Arab Emirates University in 1984. However, Arabic calligraphy began to take a significant place in his life, becoming one of his primary interests.

Al Jallaf currently chairs the Emirates Society for Arabic Calligraphy and Islamic Ornamentation. Notably, he is a founding member of the Egyptian Calligraphers’ Syndicate and a member of Egyptian, Iraqi, and Moroccan calligraphy associations, reflecting the artist’s Arab connections.

Al Jallaf views Arabic calligraphy as a national, religious, and cultural identity and considers it a source of pride for this ancient art. He emphasizes that calligraphy is one of the most important indicators of addressing that forgotten past.

In the biography of Iraqi calligrapher and academic Idham Hanish, born in 1961, it is noted that he grew up with a passion for Arabic calligraphy, learning it from childhood and later venturing into its broad realms.

Hanish earned his PhD in the philosophy of Arab intellectual and scientific heritage: the artistic terminology of Arabic calligraphy, its history, and its lexicon, from the Institute of History and Scientific Heritage Studies in Baghdad in 1999. He holds the rank of Professor in calligraphy and manuscript studies from the Deans Council of Al-Balqa Applied University in Jordan and has been a member of the Islamic Manuscripts Committee at the University of Cambridge in the UK since 2012.

He has published numerous works, studies, and manuscript investigations, including "Artistic Terminology in Arabic Calligraphy 2020", "Civil Calligraphy Between History and Art 2018", and "Kufi Calligraphy and the Limits of Artistic Terminology 2007".

Spanish researcher in Islamic and Andalusian art, Dr. Jose Botra, was born in the village of "Durcal" south of Granada in 1959. He studied art history and graduated in 1981, later obtaining his PhD in Arabic language in 1995 from the University of Granada.

Botra has been a professor of Islamic art at the University of Granada since 1999 and became a member of the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Granada in 2018. He is recognized as one of the leading specialists in the history of Islamic and Andalusian art and Arab aesthetics.

The Spanish calligrapher, writer, researcher, and translator has been deeply attached to Arabic culture and its arts and literature, having been captivated by the Alhambra early on. He decided to publish an encyclopedic book titled "The Alhambra" in collaboration with a group of Arab and Spanish researchers.

In addition to his translations, Botra has authored several books, including: "The Utopian Structure of the Alhambra Palaces" (1992), "History of Arab Aesthetic Thought" (1997), "The Adventure of the Pen: The History of Arabic Calligraphy, Its Artists, and Styles" (2008), "Reading the Alhambra: A Visual Guide to the Alhambra’s Wall Writings" (2020, 2015), "The Poetics of Water in Islam" (2011), "The Aesthetic Meaning of Cordoba" (2015), and "A Pauper in the Alhambra Palace" (2016).