By Oula Mahfouz
Calligraphy or calligraphy literally means “the art of beautiful writing”. The term comes from the Greek and is made up of “kalos” for beautiful and “graphein” for writing.
According to scholars, Arabic calligraphy is not only a means of writing, but also an art. It reflects the beauty of the Arabic language and expresses Islamic culture. Today, Arabic calligraphy is used in many artistic and design fields.
Traditional writing instruments such as bamboo cane and ostrich feathers are used for Arabic calligraphy. Some of them are still used today in addition to modern tools.
Arabic calligraphy has developed into an art form in its own right. It is used in interior design and decoration to decorate mosques, buildings and products. It is also used in advertising, for logos and to decorate items of clothing. In the visual arts, calligraphers use it to design their paintings.
One such artist is Reza Alekhamis. He is a calligrapher and visual artist from Ahvaz (Iran) who came to Germany four years ago and lives in Tübingen. tuenews INTERNATIONAL asked Alekhamis about the origins of Arabic calligraphy, its types and tools, and the challenges facing the art form.
“I’ve always been fascinated by the beauty of Arabic calligraphy,” says Alekhamis. “I started doing it as a hobby, but later I studied calligraphy at the Institute of Arts in Ahvaz.”
There are many opinions about the origin and development of Arabic script. Throughout history, Arabic script has been influenced by many civilisations and cultures that have contributed to its development and creation.
With the advent of Islam and the need to codify the “Holy Quran”, the first form of the Arabic script known today, the Hijazi script, was created. This script was simple and unstructured, but effective in documenting texts.
The reproduction of the Koran led to the spread of calligraphy in the Islamic world. New fonts were invented to write the Qur’an beautifully. After the prohibition of human and animal images in many Islamic sects, Arabic calligraphy became one of the most important decorative elements in Islamic art. Calligraphers collaborated with artists to create valuable works of art.
Arabic calligraphy was not limited to writing and copying the Koran and Arabic books. It was also used to decorate mosques and Islamic buildings, to decorate swords and jewellery and to mark seals and coins. Arabic calligraphy thus became a symbol of Islamic identity.
Throughout the various ruling dynasties and dominant geographical regions, Arabic calligraphy evolved and a new type of calligraphy emerged in each period. There are fourteen types of Arabic calligraphy, but the best known types are: Kufic, Thuluth, Naskh, Ruq’ah, Diwani, Persian, Maghribi, Muḥaqqaq.
On the challenges Alekhamis faced, he says: “As a child, my favourite time for this hobby was at night when it was quiet. I listened to music and immersed myself in this world. But my father wasn’t happy about it and told me to go to bed early. When the eight-year war between Iraq and Iran broke out, I had to give up my hobby for a while. In a war where a normal life is not possible, you can’t pursue any hobbies.”
In Germany, Alekhamis faced particular challenges: “Here I have to concentrate on writing a correct text clearly, legibly and simply, whereas Arabic calligraphy emphasises beauty, even if it is sometimes illegible.”
Will Arabic calligraphy retain its traditional methods or evolve in a new way? “Both. I think Arabic calligraphy will keep its traditional methods, but it will evolve in a new way to suit modern times. We may see a greater integration of digital technologies, which will open up new opportunities for creativity and innovation.”
Alekhamis’ favourite work is a painting entitled “How much I miss you, my homeland”. “In this work, I have processed many feelings of longing for my homeland.”
Alekhamis offers courses in Arabic calligraphy and logo design in Tübingen. “I want German society to get to know the art of Arabic calligraphy and see that we are not just refugees, but that we represent our own civilisation and have our own culture.”
Finally, he mentions a quote: “If I had known that there was an art called Arabic calligraphy, I would never have started painting, I wanted to reach the highest level of art, but I found that Islamic calligraphy was way ahead of me.” Alekhamis reveals the originator: “It is the famous artist Pablo Picasso, who was influenced by Arabic calligraphy and drew inspiration from it in many of his works. Whether this quote is true or not, Arabs have the right to be proud of their art because it is unique and different from other arts,” says Alekhamis.
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„Ihr verabschiedet mich, aber meine Augen möchten euch nicht verlassen“ in Thuluth-Schrift. Text, Kalligrafie und Foto: Reza Alekhamis.
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