São Paulo – The art of calligraphy is the theme of a short-term exhibition (pictured above) at the Immigration Museum in São Paulo. There, 15 canvases crafted by artists from the United Arab Emirates portray one of the primary forms of visual artistic expression of the Arab people. After São Paulo, the exhibition will move to other cities.
In the exhibition room, visitors can see works by some exponents of calligraphy, which seeks to represent the artist’s feelings and expression through the graphic form of words. Many of the sayings represented by the calligraphy feature verses and quotes from the Quran, the holy book of Islam. Calligraphy has, since 2021, been recognized as an intangible cultural heritage by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
The opening of the exhibition “Treasures of Arabic calligraphy” on Friday (25) had the presence of the ambassador of the United Arab Emirates to Brasília, Saleh Ahmad Salem Alzaraim Alsuwaidi; the consul general of the UAE in São Paulo, Abdalla Yousif Abdalla Shaheen; and the directors of the Arab Brazilian Chamber of Commerce (ABCC), Riad Younes, Arthur Jafet and Mohamad Abdouni Neto, among other guests.
“I think we can build bridges in many ways. And one of them is through culture. Business is important, of course, and it brings results and revenue. But culture is something we support and creates long-lasting ties,” said ambassador Alsuwaidi to ANBA. The exhibition was created on the initiative of the embassy.
In the room “Treasures of Arabic calligraphy,” the canvases depict Arabic proverbs and excerpts from the Quran. One of them, by Taj Al Ser, represents the proverb, “The beauty of the word reflects the perfection of thought.” Another, by Anwar al Halwani, has a verse from the Quran.
According to the president of the Emirates Society for Arabic Calligraphy and Islamic Ornament, Khalid Ali Al Jallaf, one of the hallmarks of Arabic calligraphy is flexibility. Therefore, art can take many forms. “Each canvas the artist makes is different because composition depends on feelings that day, mood, and humor,” he said.” “Art is a way to promote soft power,” he added.
On Saturday (26), Jallaf will conduct a calligraphy workshop at the Immigration Museum at 3:00 pm BRT. He will also lecture, at 10:00 am BRT on Monday (28), on the subject at the School of Philosophy, Literature and Human Sciences of the University of São Paulo (FFLCH-USP).
Quick facts:
Arabic calligraphy treasures
August 25 to September 3
São Paulo Immigration Museum
Rua Visconde de Parnaíba, 1316, Mooca, São Paulo – SP
Tuesday to Saturday, 9:00 am to 6:00 pm
Sundays, 10:00 am to 6:00 pm
Tickets: BRL 10. Free on Saturdays.
More information on the museum’s website.
Translated by Elúsio Brasileiro
