The art of writing Arabic verses and proverbs is the epitome of fusing art and literature into one piece. El-Sawy Culture Wheel’s Earth Hall is currently showing calligrapher Muhammad Saad El-Mahdy’s solo exhibit titled “Ibda’at Khateya.
The collection includes a series of proverbs, Quranic verses and excerpts from old Arabic poetry artfully inscribed on paper using both black and colored lines. Some pieces are based on poetic themes while others feature Quarnic verses, but on the whole, the selection emerges as a series of teachings, often drafted in imperative form.
Judging by their composition, the collection can be divided into three parts: bold, page-full inscriptions noted for their use of gold leaf, writings crafted in thread-like fonts and positioned in a way that only occupies the center of the painting, and finally a series of colorful, multi-layered creations that are slightly abstract in form.
In terms of composition, Mahdy has mastered a distinguished technique. The best pieces are the ones that rely on an illusion of perception where the paintings stretch to the two ends of the paper, making it seem as if it had been purposefully cropped to exude an eternal feeling.
Arguably one of the best pieces on display is “Ta’arafou Takalamou, which is based on much more than just the sharp proverb. Delicate jottings surround the main inscription, which is crafted in a thin black font, often intertwining, leaving the viewer glued as he muses on this creation.
A similar but simpler technique is used in “La Tathreeb Alaykom Alyom. The ‘La’, marked in thick red paint, is draped down from the top of the work allowing for the inscription to fill up the space without eliciting clutter to maintain harmony.
The mood switches upon laying eyes on the colorful series decorating the inner wall of the showroom. For the first few seconds, it feels like an amateur exhibition of middle school art. However, when examined closely, one can see that this collection’s richness is partly due to the layering technique.
The use of blotches of paint acts as a solid foundation for these particular inscriptions. The playful manner in which El-Mahdy presents such profound words is an interesting juxtaposition of composition and subject matter.
El-Mahdy’s use of lines is exquisite, but the exhibition suffers from a number of shortcomings that cast a shadow over the final feeling the viewer is left with upon exiting the showroom.
Throughout the entire collection, the viewer is lost in so far as the artist’s prime inspiration. The concept is not made clear at first, and that sense of confusion is carried out along the entire show.
Upon entrance, the viewer is greeted by a poem written by 19th century Islamic philosopher Mostafa Sadek El-Rafei. His poem “Al-Motawahesha centers around an eternal love between a man and a woman, where flaws are seen as virtues and bonds are stronger than to be affected by criticism, themes reminiscent of Sufi poetry.
Surely, there are clear traces of Sufi poetry epitomized in pieces like “Kol Galeel Fel Hawa Thaleel, “Ya Mothafer B’Qalby and “In Anta Lam To’shaq w Lam Tadry Al Hawa. However, there are also a lot of Quranic verses and a select number of verses from old Arabic poetry in the form of teachings.
What I feel is missing is the thread that joins each piece with the initial poem.
Another shortcoming in this collection is the pieces where the calligraphy in centered in an empty page. Upon reading the proverb, the viewer is left with nothing else to gaze at. The inclusion of such pieces add variety to the entire collection, but in doing so, they fail to reveal the depth of perception evident in some of El-Mahdy’s other exhibited work.
“Ibda’at Khateya is currently showing at the Earth Hall in El-Sawy Culture WheelThe show will conclude on Oct. 8.
