exhibition "extension" In Fujairah…more than 100 works of art recast the past in today’s language

Fujairah, October 20, 2017 (WAM) – The “Extension” exhibition, currently being held in Fujairah under the slogan “From Manuscripts of the Past to the Present,” presents an exceptional visual and cultural experience that reflects the meeting of heritage and modern art through more than a hundred diverse works of art by artists and calligraphers from various parts of the world, drawing inspiration from the traditions of calligraphy, decoration, and elements of Arabic and Islamic manuscripts.

The exhibition extends over two main axes, the first of which deals with the history of the Arabic manuscript and book making on a tour that takes the visitor to the beginnings of paper, ink making, and the arts of gilding and decoration. This section displays rare pieces that represent pivotal stations in the history of Islamic writing, including an Abbasid paper dating back to the tenth century written in Kufic script, and a Kashmiri Qur’an from the nineteenth century that is distinguished by its delicate decorations that express the schools of the south. Asia, in addition to a Qajar Qur’an from the same era highlights the heyday of calligraphic and decorative arts in Iran.
The second section embodies how the spirit of the manuscript turned into a source of inspiration for contemporary artistic works that express issues of identity, language, and cultural memory. It displays works by artists from the Emirates and the world that vary in their mediums, including paintings, models, and visual installations. These works reformulate the elements of the manuscript in a contemporary spirit that exudes renewal without separating from the roots.
“Imtidad” is distinguished by its wide international presence through the participation of distinguished academic and cultural institutions from several countries, including Fatih Sultan Mehmet Endowment University, September 9 University from Turkey, and the Lebanese American University from Lebanon, in addition to the Japan Arabic Calligraphy Association. Artists representing several countries such as the Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, the United Kingdom, Iraq, Turkey, Japan, Lebanon, Iran, Egypt, Tunisia, and Syria participate in the exhibition. And Jordan, which gives the exhibition a global dimension that highlights the cultural diversity in the view of the manuscript as an art that crosses borders.

In the context of pride in national identity and enhancing the local presence within the global scene, the exhibition allocates a special space for Emirati artists and local calligraphers, in support of Emirati creativity and in recognition of its active role in the contemporary cultural movement.

“Extension” does not present the manuscript as a relic of the past, but rather presents it as a continuous creative state that crosses generations and cultures. It is not just an art exhibition, but rather a space for visual and mental dialogue that showcases how ancient calligraphy can meet digital media, and how traditional decorations regain their voice through modern artistic languages ​​that express the present and draw inspiration from it for the future.

The exhibition continues until next November 30, and invites visitors from all backgrounds to discover this creative extension that combines heritage and experimentation, between crafts and ideas, in an artistic experience that recasts the past in today’s language.

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