Calligraphy exhibition attracts aesthetes

Jamil Khan, Senior Reporter

Artists from different backgrounds and nationalities have welcomed Ramadan with a heart filled with peace, harmony, and joy. And art is the best way to express and communicate as Duba-based Art Forum UAE has organised an art exhibition ‘Arabic Art & Calligraphy’ hosted by Pullman Creek Hotel, Deira City Center.

The month-long exhibition opened following all protocols of safety measures according to the Health Authorities to cope with COVID-19. The exhibition will continue for the whole month of Ramadan.

Peter Gressman, Founder of Art Forum UAE, curated the show with five powerful and talented female artists from different nationalities residing in the UAE.  Among the participating artists were Sultana Kazim, an Emirati who is a fashion designer and an artist. Her artwork means The Horizon of Hope , which perfectly fits in the current scenario and gives a deep message of hope.

Shiba Khan, an Indian artist residing in the UAE and founder of Funun Arts Group, was another artist expressing her message of positivity through her abstract paintings.

Rubab Zahra is a professional calligraphy and abstract artist also based in Dubai and has been part of many exhibitions. Her moniker styles of painting are abstract art as well as traditional Arabic calligraphy, contemporary Arabic Calligraphy and fusion of abstract and traditional calligraphy art. In her recent exhibition she exhibited large Islamic calligraphy paintings, approx. 250x150 cm each, named as; The Sublime One (2 artworks; Names of ALLAH swt) and The Verse of Throne.

While talking to Gulf Today, she said, “Each painting took around 60-70 hours of work. I painted these pieces with a fusion of traditional and modern calligraphy art” and specifically in one artwork she used 6 different calligraphy fonts, known to their unique styles.

Another artist, Nada Al Brazi, Lebanese, is residing in the UAE. Her work shows the theme of heritage. The artist’s works shine in particular layers and structures and carefully chosen colours.

Outstanding photographs by Farah Khan show not only her good eye but she also presses the shutter release of the camera when the light captures exactly what she expect from an artistically valuable photo on celluloid.

This exhibition is a combination of different artworks and well curated and worth seeing, which can be visited during the whole month of Ramadan.