Islamic Calligraphy Exhibition in Rome
An exciting exhibition of contemporary Islamic calligraphic art entitled “Reflections from Heaven, Meditations on Earth” (Riflessioni dal Cielo, Meditazioni in Terra) is on show until June in the museum area of the ruins of Trajan’s Market above the Roman Forum.
The works on display come from the collection of the Jordan National Gallery of Fine Arts in Amman and offer a rare and illuminating overview of the wide variety of styles used by modern Islamic artists from all over the world, demonstrating how the long, unbroken tradition of Arabic calligraphy, an art form which died out in Europe with the advent of the printing press, continues to be developed and adapted to the present day.
The exhibition was three years in preparation, explained Princess Wijdan bint Fawaz al-Hashemi of Jordan, president of the Jordan Royal Society of Fine Arts and for five years Jordanian ambassador to Italy. The choice of venue inside one of Rome’s most important ancient monuments was influenced, she said, by the fact that she particularly admires the blend of old and new architecture created in the Trajan Markets when restorers encased the great entrance hall in glass panels to protect and enhance the ancient ruins. “We found this combination of old and new very appropriate for an exhibition of calligraphic art which is also a combination of the classic and the modern,” she said.
The 60-plus works on view cover a wide spectrum of contemporary art of Islamic inspiration and include water colours, oils, acrylics, etchings, gouaches and mixed media works, ranging from purely abstract studies to landscapes and animal and human forms, all formed out of the highly decorative Arabic script.
Dr Khalid Khreis, curator of the Amman gallery, provided a brief account of the history of Arab calligraphy. The Islamic alphabet evolved, he said, with the birth of Islam in the early seventh century, producing two styles of script – the naskh cursive and the more geometric kufic. As the Prophet dictated the sacred texts of the Koran, the faster and easier cursive was used. Afterwards, his sayings were recorded in the more elaborate kufic. From then onwards, as Islam expanded, many other styles with different characteristics evolved, often taking their names from the cities of the countries where they developed. He mentioned the many nuances of meaning and the symbolism linked to the Arab alphabet, such as the identification of the letters with the four elements of water, earth, wind and fire, and the fact that it was once commonly believed that they could influence people’s lives.
In the case of calligraphic art, the “beautiful writing” as it is called is used to create pictures, based on either sacred or moral texts, or on “profane” subjects, such as socio-political themes, quotations from literature or simple decorative effects. Examples of both types are in the exhibition. The poster used to advertise the event reproduces the stunning silkscreen of two frolicking horses by Egyptian artist Ahmad Moustafa, which is actually composed of a swirl of ideograms, making up a text. Naturally, this is not apparent to the untrained eye, which only sees an intricate amalgamation of interweaving curves, flourishes and strokes. However, Wijdan explained, the words are instantly apparent to Islamic viewers.
More abstract works with a political theme include the word “Revolution” on five bold bands of mirror writing by Palestinian Jamal Boutata. Many works are based on poems, such as the picture by Iraqi artist Hassan Massoudy, based on verses by the Persian poet Omar Khayyam, well-known to the English-speaking world thanks to translations by Victorian scholar Edward Fitzgerald.
“Since pre-Islamic times,” Wijdan said, “the highest expression of art for Arabs has been poetry. Calligraphy satisfies this aesthetic need.”
Wijdan is herself an artist, with works exhibited in major museums in the UK and the USA as well as in the Arab world. In the Rome exhibition, her “Banners of Faith, Banners of Love”, recalling the drapes the peace-loving Sufis hang over the tombs of the departed, is a testimony to her philosophy of peace promoted through art – a policy that she has carried forward in the diplomatic field. She was the first woman to enter the Jordanian ministry of foreign affairs and the first woman delegate to represent her country at the UN General Assembly.
The modern calligraphic movement has given Islamic artists a vehicle of expression independent of the influence of western art and calligraphic art, in fact, is attracting growing numbers of followers. “Young artists,” Wijdan said, “are less attracted to the classical style but are intent on developing new areas of conceptual art. The use of calligraphy can be adapted to all areas of art and design, to fashion, architecture, crafts and so on.
“Traditionally, calligraphy was used to record the holy sayings of the Prophet. Subsequently it developed into the highest form of Arab visual art. In sixth-century Islam most Arab peoples could read, so the Koran did not need to be illustrated, whereas at that time in Western Europe the majority of the population was illiterate. Images in churches were therefore necessary to help the faithful understand the Bible,” she gently reminded us – as we so often tend to forget – that Arab civilization was far more advanced than that of Europe in the “Dark Ages”.
“Reflections from Heaven, Meditations on Earth” exhibition will be open until 10 June, every day except Mondays from 09.00 to 19.00.
Source: Wanted in Rome
The exhibition was three years in preparation, explained Princess Wijdan bint Fawaz al-Hashemi of Jordan, president of the Jordan Royal Society of Fine Arts and for five years Jordanian ambassador to Italy. The choice of venue inside one of Rome’s most important ancient monuments was influenced, she said, by the fact that she particularly admires the blend of old and new architecture created in the Trajan Markets when restorers encased the great entrance hall in glass panels to protect and enhance the ancient ruins. “We found this combination of old and new very appropriate for an exhibition of calligraphic art which is also a combination of the classic and the modern,” she said.
The 60-plus works on view cover a wide spectrum of contemporary art of Islamic inspiration and include water colours, oils, acrylics, etchings, gouaches and mixed media works, ranging from purely abstract studies to landscapes and animal and human forms, all formed out of the highly decorative Arabic script.
Dr Khalid Khreis, curator of the Amman gallery, provided a brief account of the history of Arab calligraphy. The Islamic alphabet evolved, he said, with the birth of Islam in the early seventh century, producing two styles of script – the naskh cursive and the more geometric kufic. As the Prophet dictated the sacred texts of the Koran, the faster and easier cursive was used. Afterwards, his sayings were recorded in the more elaborate kufic. From then onwards, as Islam expanded, many other styles with different characteristics evolved, often taking their names from the cities of the countries where they developed. He mentioned the many nuances of meaning and the symbolism linked to the Arab alphabet, such as the identification of the letters with the four elements of water, earth, wind and fire, and the fact that it was once commonly believed that they could influence people’s lives.
In the case of calligraphic art, the “beautiful writing” as it is called is used to create pictures, based on either sacred or moral texts, or on “profane” subjects, such as socio-political themes, quotations from literature or simple decorative effects. Examples of both types are in the exhibition. The poster used to advertise the event reproduces the stunning silkscreen of two frolicking horses by Egyptian artist Ahmad Moustafa, which is actually composed of a swirl of ideograms, making up a text. Naturally, this is not apparent to the untrained eye, which only sees an intricate amalgamation of interweaving curves, flourishes and strokes. However, Wijdan explained, the words are instantly apparent to Islamic viewers.
More abstract works with a political theme include the word “Revolution” on five bold bands of mirror writing by Palestinian Jamal Boutata. Many works are based on poems, such as the picture by Iraqi artist Hassan Massoudy, based on verses by the Persian poet Omar Khayyam, well-known to the English-speaking world thanks to translations by Victorian scholar Edward Fitzgerald.
“Since pre-Islamic times,” Wijdan said, “the highest expression of art for Arabs has been poetry. Calligraphy satisfies this aesthetic need.”
Wijdan is herself an artist, with works exhibited in major museums in the UK and the USA as well as in the Arab world. In the Rome exhibition, her “Banners of Faith, Banners of Love”, recalling the drapes the peace-loving Sufis hang over the tombs of the departed, is a testimony to her philosophy of peace promoted through art – a policy that she has carried forward in the diplomatic field. She was the first woman to enter the Jordanian ministry of foreign affairs and the first woman delegate to represent her country at the UN General Assembly.
The modern calligraphic movement has given Islamic artists a vehicle of expression independent of the influence of western art and calligraphic art, in fact, is attracting growing numbers of followers. “Young artists,” Wijdan said, “are less attracted to the classical style but are intent on developing new areas of conceptual art. The use of calligraphy can be adapted to all areas of art and design, to fashion, architecture, crafts and so on.
“Traditionally, calligraphy was used to record the holy sayings of the Prophet. Subsequently it developed into the highest form of Arab visual art. In sixth-century Islam most Arab peoples could read, so the Koran did not need to be illustrated, whereas at that time in Western Europe the majority of the population was illiterate. Images in churches were therefore necessary to help the faithful understand the Bible,” she gently reminded us – as we so often tend to forget – that Arab civilization was far more advanced than that of Europe in the “Dark Ages”.
“Reflections from Heaven, Meditations on Earth” exhibition will be open until 10 June, every day except Mondays from 09.00 to 19.00.
Source: Wanted in Rome
