Hosting a selection of speakers, calligraphers, artists, and calligraphy experts

Dubai, UAE, 30 September 2023: Dubai Culture and Arts Authority (Dubai Culture) is offering a series of inspiring talks presented to visitors of Dubai Calligraphy Biennale, enabling them to explore the richness of the art of calligraphy and its beauty. The inaugural edition, which launches on 1 October, will witness 25+ talks, in addition to 19 exhibitions and the activation of 35+ locations around Dubai. The biennale, which is held with the participation of 200 local and international calligraphers and artists, aims to highlight the importance of calligraphy as an expressive and aesthetic tool, which contributes to achieving Dubai’s cultural vision of cementing its position as a global centre for culture, an incubator for creativity, and a thriving hub for talent.

A group of speakers, calligraphers, artists and experts will participate in the talks and discuss the aesthetic effects of calligraphy and its role in enriching the visual arts. In this context, Etihad Museum will host 19 inspiring talks, including two separate ones moderated by calligrapher Khaled Al Jallaf, discussing the UAE’s role in sustaining calligraphy. The first session will welcome HE Mohammed Al Murr and HE Bilal Al Budoor, Chairmen of the Board of Directors of the Mohammed Bin Rashid Library Foundation and the Cultural and Scientific Association, respectively, while the second talk will host writer Ali Obaid Al Hameli and artist Taj Alsir Hassan.
Dr. Nisrin Al Turki will shed light on the aesthetic experience and artistic appreciation in Arabic calligraphy, and Dr. Madian Hamed will highlight ink and material qualities of the medium. Dr. Seraj Allaf discusses the impact of artificial intelligence on the visual arts, and Nasser Palangi showcases the aesthetic impact of Arabic calligraphy in the identity movement of Middle Eastern art. In separate sessions, Mahfuz Emin, Mohammad Ghannoum, Prof Ugur Derman, and Mounir Tahraoui present different models and methods that highlight the difference between classical Arabic scripts.

Professor Nassar Mansour will give a talk titled 'Yaqut's Six Students: Between Legend and Reality,' and calligrapher Vahid Jazayeri sheds light on the Kufic script in coins and its role in inscriptions and manuscripts, while Zaid Alathami participates in a talk titled 'Critique and Artistic Analysis: Necessity and Effectiveness.' Zeki Seyidoglu discusses the artistic measurement's impact on Arabic calligraphy evolution as well as calligraphy competitions in the context of criteria and guidelines, while Zakaria Rumhani will present a talk named ‘The Face of Identity’.

Dubai Design District will host a talk in which artist Amy Celestina will recount her experience with threading and how she transformed it into a unique style of writing. Meanwhile, in a specialised masterclass, artist Katharina Pieper will give a presentation on writing tools and their relationship to art, and also go into detail on the features of the Russian Fyaz Ksenia script. Algerian artist, sculptor and ceramicist Rachid Koraïchi will deliver a talk at Khawla Art Gallery titled 'My Shadow Misses You'. Emirati artist Mattar Bin Lahej will participate in the 'Public Art Masterpiece' that will be held at the Museum of the Future, which will also host a talk titled  ‘Cross-Cultural Dialogue: From Ancient Script to Contemporary Art,' that will see the participation of Nigerian artist Viktor Ekpuk; Rachel Ama Asaa Engman, a critical heritage scholar;Professor Awam Ampka, Head of the Film and New Media Program and Professor of Drama and Social and Cultural Analysis at New York University Abu Dhabi; Alia Al Shamsi; and Dr. Antoine Abi Aad, moderated by Rebecca Anne Proctor. 

The inaugural edition of Dubai Calligraphy Biennale is supported by Al Rostamani Group (Lead Supporter) and Sandooq Al Watan (Supporter), and is being held in partnership with a variety of entities in the local cultural scene, including: Dubai Design District (D3), The Cultural and Scientific Association, Mohammed bin Rashid Library, Expo City Dubai, DIFC Gate Avenue, Sultan Bin Ali Al Owais Cultural Foundation, Juma Al-Majid Center, Dubai’s Department of Economy and Tourism, Dubai Media Office, Dubai Municipality, Alserkal Avenue, Art Dubai, Women’s Museum, Tashkeel, Art Jameel, Mattar Bin Lahej Gallery, Boccara Gallery, Foundry, Khawla Art Gallery, Firetti Gallery, Efie Gallery, BEDU, AWC Gallery, Hobb Bookstore, Opera Gallery, Mondoir Art Gallery, thejamjar, Medaf, Mirzam, Kalimat, Slay Café, Frame Café, 3IXAM, Huawei, and Level Shoes.