“Balance” as the Slogan of the Sharjah Calligraphy Biennial This October

“Balance” as the Theme of the Sharjah Calligraphy Biennial This October

Al Qasimi: The Vision of the Ruler of Sharjah Has Strengthened the Global Presence of Arabic Calligraphy

Under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah, the twelfth edition of the Sharjah Calligraphy Biennial will commence next October. The Biennial is organized by the Directorate of Cultural Affairs at the Sharjah Department of Culture and will run for two months, featuring local, Arab, and international participation.

The organizing committee of the Sharjah Calligraphy Biennial has selected “Balance” as the theme of its twelfth edition. The decision was made during a meeting held at the Department, chaired by Mohammed Ibrahim Al Qaseer, Director of the Directorate of Cultural Affairs and Director of the Biennial, in the presence of committee members Khalid Al Jallaf, Khalid Al Saai, and Taj Al-Sir Hassan.

Al Qaseer stated that the Sharjah Calligraphy Biennial continues to expand with each edition, reaching broader international horizons thanks to the ongoing patronage and artistic vision of His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi. He noted that the twelfth edition comes in a renewed form, reaffirming Sharjah’s pioneering role in supporting Arabic calligraphy as an authentic Arab art form, and in advancing the Biennial’s mission to promote this art, given its historical and Islamic significance.

He added that the theme “Balance” carries wide artistic connotations, offering calligraphers an expansive creative vision in producing calligraphic works. The theme also evokes multiple meanings that enhance aesthetic value and reflect the expressive energy of calligraphic compositions distinguished by their unique creative character.

Explaining the theme further, Al Qaseer noted that within Arabic calligraphy, balance represents both a structural and aesthetic foundation. Arabic calligraphy is an art rooted in order and precision, with the dot serving as its primary unit of measurement through which the proportions, dimensions, and curvature of letters are determined. This precise balance ensures harmony among letters, preventing visual dominance or structural imbalance within words or lines.

He also highlighted the role of balance in the relationship between mass and space in calligraphic compositions, noting that the written letter exists in constant dialogue with the surrounding space. A carefully considered balance between calligraphic form and empty space determines the visual rhythm of the artwork, granting it clarity, harmony, and aesthetic appeal without visual congestion or excessive emptiness.

Al Qaseer further explained that the concept of balance becomes even more profound when examining the relationship between calligraphy and ornamentation. In Islamic art, ornamentation is not a secondary or decorative addition but a visual partner to calligraphy. Achieving harmony between the two requires a delicate balance that prevents ornamentation from overpowering the text or distracting from its meaning, while ensuring that calligraphy itself remains visually open and aesthetically enriched.

He concluded by emphasizing that balance is not merely a linguistic concept or a tool of measurement, but a comprehensive principle governing the aesthetics of Arabic calligraphy. From the dot to the letter, from mass to space, and from writing to ornamentation, balance remains the guarantor of visual harmony and aesthetic justice, transforming the theme “Balance” into a living spirit that animates the calligraphic work and grants it coherence and equilibrium.

The organizing committee will begin this month sending invitations to calligraphers and artists from around the world, and will announce the call for submissions through the Department’s official website and social media platforms. The end of May has been set as the final deadline for receiving electronic application forms, which must include artists’ details, participating works, and the artist’s biography.