An exhibition exploring the art of Hurufiyya – which is an art form that explores the use of Arabic letters in many different formats – has opened in Alexandria, Egypt. Sharjah’s Barjeel Art Foundation is hosting the exhibition titled: Hurufiyya: Art & Identity.
Curated by Karim Sultan, the exhibition aims to illustrate the break and change in art emerging from the Arab world from the mid-century. At first glance, Hurufiyya may be indistinguishable from calligraphy, but the two modes are very different: calligraphy carries with it a history of long-standing styles and relationships; whereas Hurufiyya was born in an era of modern conditions – with travel, exile, international life, conflict and identity – and is a result of it. The works will be shown at the marvellous Bibliotheca Alexandrina, a major library and cultural centre located on the shore of the Mediterranean Sea.
“Alexandria Library is a beacon of knowledge and enlightenment in a region that is experiencing great uncertainty. We are proud to be associated with the Bibliotheca Alexandrina and to bring to it a selection of Arabic Huruffiya works by modern and contemporary artists,” says Sultan Al Qassemi, the founder of Barjeel Art Foundation.
The exhibition contains the work of Madiha Omar, Dia Azzawi, Kamal Boullata, Rafa Al Nasiri, Shakir Hassan Al Said, Rachid Koraichi and Omar El Nagdi.
