Strange and fascinating, this form of art called "calligraphy",
which remains admired by all civilizations and still poses many a question.
What always allures in it?
Is it the resemblance to painting or the elegance of its lines?
Indeed, one can not
isolate the functional role of writing in conveying a message from the beauty
of the lines that transcribe it, the two elements being the fundamental pillars
of calligraphy.
My paintings are the true
expression of my own living in a plastic art language through the arrangement
of materials, forms and colors, altogether linked to my personal conception and
interpretation of calligraphy.
The letter becomes to me a
symbiosis between rhythm, writing and sign.
My objective is to come
up with a new approach to this rich cultural heritage, pushing forwards its
limits, with the constant concern to reach this fusion between writing and
painting.
My artistic and
professional career, in very short:
üSeveral shows in Morocco.
üAuthor and designer
of the Medal of the Safeguard of Fes
edited by the UNESCO in 1982.
üIn charge in 1991 by the late king Hassan II
secretary’s office of the calligraphy of the fabulous Mosque Hassan
II.
üHead of the International
Center for the Promotion
of Craft Arts from 1996 to 2005.
üHead consultant of Arab
Craft Arts Institutions.
Ahmed Benyahia
The Arabic Calligraphy
Thedevelopment of writing is amongst Arabs late
because of their nomadic state which supported mainly an oral culture.
Moreover, with the advent of Islam, and at the beginning of the VIIth century, Koran was
initially diffused by the old oral tradition.
Arabic belongs to the group of the consonant Semitic writings. Thus called because in fact only consonants are represented.
Nowadays the majority of specialists agree to think that the Arabic writing
derives from the Nabataeanwriting, itself of Aramaic origins. The Nabataeans, who settled on the Biblical lands of the Kingdom
of Edom in North Arabia (Jordan today) towards the IVth century B.C and whose capital was Petra, spoke an
Aramaic language and wrote in Aramaic.
Gradually a formal cursive writing, specific to Nabataeans, was developed and was distinguished from the Aramaic
by the presence of bindings. This development concurred with an evolution in the
Nabataeans spoken language illustrated
by the progressive introduction of new terms and Arabic grammatical
constructions. Thus towards the 2nd
century A.C, the Nabataeans spoke mainly Arabic as attests the Arab origin
of their names and did preserve the Aramaic, in its arabized version, only as
an official language.
The Arabic writing was then born around the VIth century from the cursive Nabataean writing. It was gradually spread with the advent
of Islam. The first specific Arabic writing was called “Jazm”. Its stiffness,
angulosity and the equal proportions of its letters remind us of the coufic
writing forms. The “Jazm” writing became soon that of all Arabs and « assumed
the status of the sacred writing that God had chosen to transmit his divine
message to humanity» (Safadi).
One can distinguish traditional calligraphy from contemporary calligraphy. The
first is inherited and made up of codified styles of writing, with the layout
well defined and normalized by the great masters: Ibn Al Bawab, Ibn Mokla &
Al Mostassimi. The second is more emancipated and offers many opportunities and
more space to create and innovate. It offers a plural, rich and captivating
practice, leaving free course to each artist to revisit his calligraphic
inheritance. The examples in the Arab world are so many that it would be so difficult
to mention them all.
The Styles
Along its history, the Arabic writing evolved and adapted to the supports
and uses. The calligraphers were brought to create, according to the times and
places, a certain number of styles. Here are some examples:
The Koufi style, of the town of Koufah in Iraq, angular and geometrical,
often used to engrave inscriptions in the stone. In the Bodmer collection
several documents are preserved in coufic writing, in particular a copy of the
Koran going back to 850 after J.-C. (CB 540),
The Naskhi style, flexible and rounded used to copy manuscripts. It is today
the style most used in books and manuscripts. The Bodmer Library displays in
its permanent showroom a copy of the Koran, written on paper in Shiraz in the
XVIth century in Naskhi
style,
The Maghribi style, formerly used in the Maghreb countries, in Muslim
Spain and in Sudan. The Al-Bukhâri manuscript: Al Sahih (11th book describing the traditions of Mahomet), 1456 (CB
537) is a beautiful example,
The Diwani style: the word comes from the verb "dawana" to fix, to
write. This style is particularly used in the royal chancelleries and official
correspondences. By extension the word « diwan" means a VIP lounge or
reception room,
The Thuluth style: appeared in the 7th
century, static and monumental, especially used to embellish manuscripts and
inscriptions. It was also used in some copies of the Koran, especially for the
head of chapters and for colophons. It is considered the most important amongst
all other decorative styles,
The Riquaa style: or "Small Sheet" derives from Naskhi and
Thuluth. The geometrical aspect of its characters and particularly the
ornaments of the ends, are largely connected with those of Thuluth, but it is
much smaller and endowed with rounder curves. Its Alifs are never written with
barbs. The loops of characters are always filled, the horizontal lines are very
short and the bindings arranged with density, the ends being often attached to
the initial ones. It is nowadays the style most used in the Arab world,
The Farisi style: a very elegant style that Persian calligraphers created
for their literary texts. The Bodmer library preserves several Persian
manuscripts in Nasta' liq writing in particular a manuscript which was
completed in 946 H (1539-1540) (CB 519) of Helâli: Châh v has Dervich, the king
and the dervish. This copy contains three paintings and the writing is by
Mahmoud B. ' Ali.
The Influence of Islamic Arts on the West
Today, the West recognizes the influence of the Islamic civilization and
arts on their culture. Henri Loyrette, president-director of the Louvre,
confirms: "the influence of Islamic Arts on our culture is predominant and
continuous".
Calligraphy, as an integral part of Islamic Arts, has inspired Arab artists and
Western artists as well. It particularly fascinated the European artists such
as Alechinsky, Dotremont or Michaux in the XXth century. This beautiful art of writing adopted new
fluid and dynamic forms. Kandinski in his researches seems to follow the stream
of reflexions already commenced by the great masters of calligraphy in the
East.
Matisse recognizes the influence of the Islamic Arts on his lines and
colors. While speaking about "expansive will", he affirms he drew
this concept from the East: "the revelation came to me from the East or
more exactly from Islam. This art touched me, in particular at the
extraordinary gallery of Munich...because this art suggests a larger space, a
true plastic space ".
- Leather, pure leather, leather articles, leather items, fine leather
goods, morocco, pouf out of leather, pouf, stool, stools, Moroccan stools,
Moroccan poufs, hand bag, hand bags, bag of voyage, back bag, back bags,
satchel, satchels, backpack, backpacks
- Wrought iron, wrought iron articles, wrought iron mirror frames, wrought
iron table bases, base of table, chairs, wrought iron chairs, folding screens,
folding screen, wrought iron folding screen, wrought iron screens
