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The striking calligraffiti of acclaimed French-Tunisian street artist eL Seed to the city of Sharjah

http://islamicartsmagazine.com/magazine/view/calligraffiti_mural_by_el_seed_on_the_sharjah_bank_street_building/


 Maraya Art Centre, Sharjah’s innovative contemporary visual arts hub, is bringing the striking calligraffiti of acclaimed French-Tunisian street artist eL Seed to the city of Sharjah in a compelling live outdoor street art initiative, Jedariya.

image eL Seed / Courtesy of the Artist and Maraya Art Centre

The project 'Jedariya', conceived by Maraya Art Centre in aid of beautifying Sharjah’s streets in order to attract more tourists to the Emirates while involving Sharjah’s diverse youth population with the arts, consists of an elaborate painted calligraffiti mural on the walls of the Sharjah Bank Street building by eL Seed.

eL Seed is famous for his unique style of calligraphy - fusing elements of both the graffiti and Arabic calligraphic traditions - which uses complex design to call not only on the words and their meaning, but also on their movement and flow, luring the viewer into an alternate frame of mind. Exhibitions and public wall displays of his extraordinary work can be seen in many locations and landmarks all over Europe, the USA, and the Middle East. The artist found inspiration for the Sharjah art piece in a beautiful poem by acclaimed Iraqi poet Ahmed Bu Snida, a well known and beloved poem in Sharjah.

image Calligraffiti Mural Art by eL Seed / Courtesy of the Artist and Maraya Art Centre

image Calligraffiti Mural Art by eL Seed, detail / Courtesy of the Artist and Maraya Art Centre

image eL Seed infront of the Calligraffiti Mural / Courtesy of the Artist and Maraya Art Centre

Maraya Art Centre Manager Giuseppe Moscatello, remarked "Street art adds a new dimension to the urban landscape, transforming walls into canvasses that celebrate the culture of the people who inhabit the space. It is a wonderful way to not only add beauty to the everyday but to create a dialogue between the man on the street and the world of art and we look forward to engaging the community and especially the youth in this ongoing project."

eL Seed has been busy painting the Sharjah Bank Street wall from first light till sundown. To face the vertical challenge of the enormous facade, he is secured in a harness and rappels and abseils around the building – spray-painting, stencilling and creating the mammoth masterpiece in plain public sight. He has also been instrumental in drawing a growing interest from the local youth by live tweeting and posting photos taken from his birds-eye-view perspective.

"We are proud of the immense artistic talent that can be found in Sharjah and remain committed to supporting the arts every possible way. By bringing world class art projects into our beautiful Emirate’s public areas we want to not only foster an appreciation of the arts among all, but also attract artists and art lovers from Sharjah, the UAE, and all over the world as well as encourage and inspire young artists to develop their talents and aspire to greatness." said HE Marwan Al Sarkal.

image Images from the Launching Press Conference, L-R: Giuseppe Moscatello, HE Marwan Al Sarkal, eL Seed / Courtesy of Maraya Art Centre

image Images from the Launching Press Conference / Courtesy of Maraya Art Centre

image Images from the Launching Press Conference / Courtesy of Maraya Art Centre

Maraya Art Centre intends for all projects led under this initiative to have a community incentive, which sometimes can be as simple as merely getting young people involved in the arts, while at other times may require them to actively participate in aid of raising awareness for an important cause, in addition to creating beautiful landmarks in Sharjah.


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Ayyam Gallery with a solo representation of eL Seed.

http://islamicartsmagazine.com/magazine/view/a_solo_representation_of_el_seed_at_abu_dhabi_art/

 Ayyam Gallery is pleased to announce its participation in the 2019 edition of Abu Dhabi Art with a solo representation of eL Seed.

image eL Seed, Time I, 2019, Acrylic on Canvas, 125 x 273 cm / Courtesy of Ayyam Gallery and the artist

eL Seed

eL Seed is a French-Tunisian artist who specializes in calligraphy. Typically, Arabic calligraphy is associated with Islamic Art and Qu’ranic texts. He fuses the beauty of Ar­abic calligraphy with the roughness of graffiti. Keeping away from traditional Arabic calligraphy rules, the artist created his style to spread universal messages throughout the world. eL Seed’s style embodies open-mindedness and freedom in opposition to restraints in art and specifically Arabic calligraphy. The artist’s vibrant work evokes the marriage between the traditional and the modern.

Born in France, eL Seed grew up disconnected from his Arabic roots and mother tongue, only speaking the Tunisian dialect at home. In a quest for identity, at the beginning of adolescence, eL Seed decided to further his knowledge in Arabic, learning how to read and write the formal language. Very quickly, he created his style.

image eL Seed, De L'Amour I, 2019, Watercolour and Acrylic on Canvas, 196 cm in diameter / Courtesy of Ayyam Gallery and the artist

image eL Seed, Nomad, 2019, Concrete sculpture, 180 x 130 x 40 cm / Courtesy of Ayyam Gallery and the artist

eL Seed’s works became free, organic, and curvilinear expressions of researched quotes and phrases. The artist’s values of love, respect, and tolerance are vital to his work. While viewers are not necessarily fa­miliar with the words and expressions portrayed, they can capture their visual essence, which makes the work both global and abstract. The forms become themselves expressive of eL Seed’s beliefs, through color, line, rule-breaking and instinct. The artist accentuates the complexity of Arabic lettering, molding each letter in infinite ways, adding yet another layer of abstraction.

eL Seed’s artwork and specifically his large scale street interventions intend to redress stereotypes and build bridges between the East and West while staying true to his artistry and ethos. His goal is to create dialogue and promote tolerance as well as change global perceptions of Arabic culture. eL Seed aspires to prove that art in the Islamic world is rich in history, and is still growing in practice and potential.

image eL Seed, Love, 2019, Concrete sculpture, 142 x 60 x 43 cm / Courtesy of Ayyam Gallery and the artist

image eL Seed, De L’Amour II, 2019, Watercolour and acrylic on canvas, 196 cm in diameter / Courtesy of Ayyam Gallery and the artist

Selected large scale site-specific street art interventions include L’Institut du Monde Arabe in Paris; the Favelas of Rio de Janeiro; the DMZ in between North and South Korea; the slums of Cape Town; and the heart of Cairo’s garbage collectors neighborhood.

Selected solo shows by the artist include Lazinc Gallery, London, UK (2019); Royal Monceau, Paris, France (2017); Galleria Patrica Armocida, Milan, Italy (2017); ArtTalks, Cairo, Egypt (2016), Tashkeel, Dubai, UAE (2014); Institut Du Monde Arabe, Paris, France (2014); and ltinerrance Gallery, Paris, France (2012). He has participated in recent group shows at Sharjah Calligraphy Biennale, Sharjah, UAE (2018); Bibliotheca Alexandrina, Egypt (2016); Museo Palazzo, Platamone, Catania (2015); and Pergamon Museum, Berlin, Germany (2012).

In 2017, eL Seed won the UNESCO Sharjah Prize for Arab Culture. In 2016 Foreign Policy named the artist a Global Thinker for his project Perception in Cairo. In 2013, he collaborated with Louis Vuitton on their famous Foulard d’Artiste.

image eL Seed, My Wish I, 2019, Acrylic on canvas with wood sculpture, 196 cm in diameter / Courtesy of Ayyam Gallery and the artist

image eL Seed, Voices From Within The Veil II, 2019, Acrylic on canvas, 200 x 400 cm / Courtesy of Ayyam Gallery and the artist

Ayyam Gallery

Founded in 2006, Ayyam Gallery is a leading arts organization that manages the careers of diverse estab­lished and emerging artists. Blue-chip art space in Dubai, a series of collaborative projects in the United States, Europe, Africa, and Asia, and a multinational non-profit arts program have furthered the gallery’s mandate of expanding the parameters of international art. Ayyam Gallery has a widely respected multilingual publish­ing division and a custodianship program that manages the estates of pioneering artists.


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Khat cabang seni penulisan [METROTV]

 

Khat cabang seni penulisan [METROTV]

“KHAT hanyalah cabang seni dalam penulisan seperti kaligrafi Cina dan tidak perlu takut untuk mempelajarinya,” kata guru Pendidikan Islam, Muhammad Anis Ab Ghani, 40.

Dia yang mengajar di Sekolah Kebangsaan (SK) Balik Pulau semakin dikenali warganet sejak minggu lalu selepas berkongsi pengalaman mengajar seni khat dan kaligrafi jawi bersama penuntut bukan Islam di Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM).

Menurutnya, perkongsian itu dimuat naik untuk pengetahuan masyarakat selepas berlaku pertikaian mengenai khat terutama apabila kerajaan mengumumkan bakal memperkenalkan khat sebagai antara kandungan dalam subjek Bahasa Melayu, tahun depan.

Muhammad Anis berkata, dia pensyarah sambilan di universiti berkenaan dan mengajar seni khat serta kaligrafi jawi sebagai subjek pilihan kokurikulum sejak 2012 lagi.

“Khat bermaksud garisan, manakala seni khat bermaksud garisan yang membentuk tulisan cantik. Sebab itu tiada isu sekiranya ia diperkenalkan di sekolah kerana ia sama sekali tidak mengganggu agama dianuti seseorang.

“Pada tahun pertama saya mengajar di USM, saya terima lima penuntut asing dari China dan menyangka mereka tersalah kelas, sedangkan mereka memaklumkan mahu mengikuti kelas itu kerana minat terhadap seni penulisan.

“Malah, mereka menunjukkan penguasaan dan kemahiran menulis khat dengan baik walaupun langsung tidak pernah didedahkan dengan tulisan jawi sebelum ini.

“Konsep santai yang saya terapkan juga membuat mereka lebih mudah mempelajarinya dan sehingga kini, saya sudah mengajar ratusan pelajar pelbagai bangsa,” katanya dikenali sebagai Abu Haziq dalam dunia khat.

Menurutnya, kira-kira 70 orang daripada pelajarnya adalah orang bukan Islam yang berasal dari Thailand, Asia Barat dan etnik Sarawak.

Menyingkap permulaan minatnya dalam khat, Muhammad Anis berkata, ia bermula sejak di bangku sekolah rendah dan pengajiannya dilanjutkan sehingga dia menuntut di Universiti Malaya (UM) serta bergelar guru.

“Saya berpeluang mempelajarinya dan bertemu ramai penggiat seni khat ini, sejak 15 tahun lalu. Saya akan peruntukkan dua jam sehari untuk mengasah kemahiran dalam penulisan ini,” katanya.

Bapa tujuh anak itu memberitahu mewujudkan Akademi Khat di SK Balik Pulau yang disertai 30 murid tahun lima termasuk anak ketiganya, Muhammad Hazim Wafiy, 10, yang menunjukkan minat sama.

Katanya, selepas ini dia merancang membuka galeri dan bengkel mempelajari khat di rumahnya.

Disiarkan pada: Ogos 6, 2019 @ 8:47pm

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Karya pelukis seni khat mempesona kanak-kanak, ibu bapa

Karya pelukis seni khat mempesona kanak-kanak, ibu bapa

Alyaa Alhadjri

Diterbitkan 
Dikemaskini 12 Jan 2020, 6:46 pm

Meskipun pernah menjuarai pertandingan di peringkat antarabangsa, pelukis seni khat Ahmad Abdul Hadi,25 tetap merendah diri dengan beranggapan kemahirannya masih rendah berbanding pakar-pakar dalam bidang itu.

Pagi tadi, Ahmad meluangkan masa kira-kira satu jam bagi membimbing sekumpulan peserta bengkel penulisan khat dan pertandingan yang dianjurkan oleh Anggota Parlimen Lembah Pantai Fahmi Fadzil.

Majlis berlangsung di perpustakaan komuniti di Bukit Kerinchi, Kuala Lumpur.

Kanak-kanak yang hadir, ada seusia enam tahan cukup teruja ingin tahu apabila Ahmad mempamerkan alat keseniannya, berupa pena dibuat daripada kayu, logam dan gading, dakwat khas dengan benang sutera untuk mengawal alirannya, dan pemidang kulit arnab yang digunakan sebagai alas pergelangan tangan.

Sementara itu, ibu bapa yang hadir bengkel seni khat itu bertanya Ahmad mengenai asal-usul sejarah kesenian tersebut dan pelbagai tekniknya.

Sementara para peserta bengkel hari ini mempelajari asas-asas seni khat di atas kertas putih biasa, Ahmad berkata banyak karyanya dihasilkan pada kertas khas yang diimport dari Turki - disalut dengan putih telur untuk menghalang dakwat daripada tersebar, bersama dengan tawas yang meneutralkan bau telur.

Sebagai hasilnya, Ahmad berkata reka bentuk akhir dapat dipelihara selama beratus-ratus tahun, sejak dari zaman Empayar Uthmaniyah.

Dari ratusan gaya penulisan yang dikembangkan sejak zaman Nabi Muhammad SAW, Ahmad menjelaskan terdapat tujuh gaya khat yang digunakan secara rasmi di Malaysia.

"Gaya paling dikenali ialah Khat Nasakh, digunakan di dalam Al-Quran di sini, pada buku sekolah dan akhbar.

"Huruf yang lebih besar yang digunakan misalnya dalam reka bentuk masjid dikenali sebagai Khat Thuluth," jelas Ahmad.

Katanya, antara pengalaman peribadinya adalah mengerjakan dua juzuk AL-Quran untuk seorang penerbit tempatan yang mengkhususkan teks bertulisan tangan.

"Saya mengambil masa dua bulan untuk menguasai kemahiran membuat 'titik empat segi' yang digunakan sebagai panduan saiz dan skala bagi setiap huruf," katanya sambil menjelaskan bahawa matlamat akhir bagi mana-mana reka bentuk berasaskan khat adalah untuk mencapai keseimbangan sempurna antara kesemua elemen.

Ketika ditemui kemudian, Ahmad memberitahu Malaysiakini dia percaya media sosial adalah platform penting untuk menggalakkan penyertaan yang lebih luas dalam program seperti sesi yang dianjurkan hari ini.

"Andai kata ada program macam ini, orang ramai perlu hebahkan supaya mereka (pengkritik) sedar bahawa khat itu bukan Islamisasi.

"Semua orang boleh belajar. Khat hanya mempercantikkan tulisan Jawi. Tak semestinya khat hanya untuk ayat Al-Quran. Kita ada Jawi yang merupakan tulisan orang Melayu," katanya.

Ahmad berkata Persatuan Khat Kebangsaan, yang dianggotainya, masih terbuka untuk terlibat dengan kementerian pendidikan dalam usaha mempromosikan kaligrafi sebagai warisan Melayu dan identiti kebangsaan.

Ketika dihubungi kemudian, Fahmi berkata program pada sebelah petang pula menyaksikan penyertaan daripada kumpulan berbilang kaum termasuk Persatuan Cina Muslim Malaysia (Macma) dan penduduk lain di kawasan itu.

"Kami mahu menafikan idea bahawa Jawi sinonim dengan kumpulan etnik tertentu," kata Fahmi yang menyampaikan hadiah kepada pemenang pelbagai pertandingan berkaitan Jawi yang diadakan hari ini.

Pengkritik langkah kerajaan untuk memperkenalkan tulisan Jawi di sekolah-sekolah vernakular sebelum ini mencadangkan supaya ia menjadi sebahagian sukatan pelajaran seni dan bukan pembelajaran bahasa Melayu.

Baru-baru ini, Kumpulan Bertindak Seni Khat NGO (Sekat) membentangkan tujuh resolusi yang merangkumi gesaan supaya Jawi dijadikan subjek pilihan dan tidak dimasukkan ke dalam sukatan Pelajaran Tahun 4 Bahasa Malaysia untuk sekolah vernakular tahun ini.

Ahmad berkata Persatuan Khat Kebangsaan, yang dianggotainya, masih terbuka untuk terlibat dengan kementerian pendidikan dalam usaha mempromosikan kaligrafi sebagai warisan Melayu dan identiti kebangsaan.

Ketika dihubungi kemudian, Fahmi berkata program pada sebelah petang pula menyaksikan penyertaan daripada kumpulan berbilang kaum termasuk Persatuan Cina Muslim Malaysia (Macma) dan penduduk lain di kawasan itu.

"Kami mahu menafikan idea bahawa Jawi sinonim dengan kumpulan etnik tertentu," kata Fahmi yang menyampaikan hadiah kepada pemenang pelbagai pertandingan berkaitan Jawi yang diadakan hari ini.

[Baca berita asal]


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