The overwhelming presence of Arabic calligraphy on Spanish art and architecture were the focus of a panel discussion, ‘Presence of Arabic Calligraphy in Spanish architecture and Fine Arts’ organised yesterday (Wednesday) by Sharjah, the Guest of Honour of the 37th edition of the LIBER International Book Fair-Madrid 2019.

The insightful discussion was led by Emirati calligrapher Khalid Al Jallaf, Emirati artist Abdul Qader Al Rayes, and Spanish researcher Juan Castilla Brazales as panelists, and were moderated by Eman Al Youssef.

Al Jallaf started the session by highlighting the importance of Arabic calligraphy in the UAE. He talked about the rapid advancement this art form has achieved in the country, which has eventually become a hub for calligraphers and researchers from across the world.

He pointed out that 99 percent of calligraphy found on the façade of Alhambra Palace in Granada are diverse forms and types of Arabic calligraphy. The calligrapher went on to highlight the evolution of languages, noting that their first expressions were in drawing, which eventually evolved into symbols. With time, phonetics came into being where specific sounds depicted these symbols. Finally, alphabets invented by Sumerians brought languages as we know them, into being.

Al Jallaf gave a presentation in which he explained the history of Arabic calligraphy and charted its development trajectory. He said its origins began with Cuneiform, moved to Hittite, and then transitioned into Chinese characters before the invention of Egyptian hieroglyphs, which he said was the first step in the evolution of Arabic calligraphy.

Emirati artist Abdul Qader Al Rayes took the audience on a journey of transition he experienced as he moved from using colors and shapes in his artwork to employing letters. He said he said he started using letters in his work due to the importance of the Arabic language, history, and impact on civilisations of the world.

“Letters have a distinct beauty and add a new dimension and meaning to paintings,” he added noting that Arabic letters are flexible and can be formed to fit and blend with paintings.

Researcher Juan Castilla Brazales said the deep interest of Western scholars or ‘Arabists’ in the Arabic language stems from their appreciation and love of the language and their knowledge about the impact of Arabic and Islamic civilisations on the rest of the world’s civilisations.

He said: “Today, there is a group of international linguists who are studying Arabic calligraphy and antiquities in the Alhambra to document them and decipher their meaning when possible.” He explained that the interests of Arabists differ from archaeologists. While the former focus on the aesthetic, artistic, and cultural value of their findings, the latter focus more strongly on the technicalities of historical evolution involving themselves with time- and date-mapping.