'History and art of Arabic calligraphy' exhibition opens at The Dubai Mall

Mohammed bin Ahmed Al Murr, speaker of the UAE Federal National Council opened the exhibition on the ‘History and Art of Arabic Calligraphy’ on June 22 at The Dubai Mall. The first of its kind exhibition is being held under the auspices of 'Hamdan Bin Mohammed National Knowledge Initiative (1971)', as part of the activities of the 14th Dubai Ramadan Forum, organized by the Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM) in Dubai under the patronage of Shaikh Ahmed bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairman of the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Foundation.

The exhibition is open daily at The Dubai Mall until July 6 from 10am to 1am.

Mohammed bin Ahmed Al Murr lauded the excellent organization of the exhibition, and stressed the need for such unique exhibitions that enrich the arts, culture and heritage scene in the United Arab Emirates.

Visitors were particularly impressed to find that many of the featured works carried verses from the Holy Qur'an and sayings of the Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) about the month of Ramadan, with a translation to explain the text of the paintings in English, along with documentaries that aired on the television screens at the exhibition site, which narrate the history and evolution of the art of Arabic calligraphy.

The exhibition features 28 calligraphers, including 12 from the UAE, 14 from the Arab and Islamic world and two from Spain, who participate in the event with 70 works, in addition to five sculptural pieces.

The opening ceremony kicked off various activities associated with the exhibition, such as live shows in which members of the public can have their names written in a delightful, inventive manner by participating calligraphers, free of charge.

• UAE
• Dubai