Saudi calligrapher Nasser Al-Salem’s modern take on Islamic art

Jeddah-based Saudi artist Nasser Al-Salem has revealed his latest project, which will be showcased in the UAE’s Al-Burda Endowment exhibition — organized by the UAE Ministry of Culture and Knowledge Development — on Nov. 21.

Al-Salem is one of 10 contemporary artists awarded the Al-Burda Endowment in 2018. The endowment is awarded to “artists who explore Islamic art practices and continue to work towards developing contemporary Islamic Art,” according to a press release.

That is something Al-Salem has a history of doing, dating back to his time studying at Al-Haram Al-Sharif in Makkah. In 2010, Al-Salem came second in Saudi Arabia’s National Calligraphy competition. He is also a member of the National Guild of Calligraphers and an active member of Saudi Arabia’s Arts and Culture Group.

His work in general incorporates modern design elements (he has a background in architecture) with traditional calligraphy and Islamic geometry, often referencing verses from the Qur’an. He has been hailed as “pushing the boundaries of Islamic calligraphy” for his habit of using mixed-media platforms to present his work.

For the Al-Burda exhibition, Al-Salem has created an installation of a room with green walls (a reference to the green screens used to insert special effects into movies) with Arabic text written on them — a quote from the hadith, “Ma la aynon raat,” which translates as “Like never seen before,” according to Al-Salem.

“The idea (behind the) green-screen room is that every (filmmaker) can create a scene, then edit the picture and add backgrounds that are sometimes surreal or difficult to achieve in real life,” Al-Salem told Arab News. “Every one of us has different expectations of heaven, and I tried to translate this idea in the project. When you are in the room, you will not only see one perspective of the project, you can also spin around to see other perspectives of the work… and this translates the idea of ‘Like Never Seen Before.’ There isn't one clear image you can see from one corner of the room, just like there isn't one perspective or one picture through which we can imagine heaven.”

Saudi calligrapher Nasser Al-Salem’s modern take on Islamic art

Source: www.arabnews.com