Calligrapher Adham Al-Jaafari: The Arabic Calligraphy has great potential to be contemporary art

Arabic  language is an ancient strong language that is used by millions of human beings and also one of the most expressive languages.The artistic value of this language is huge and portrayed through Arabic Calligraphy had a great impact in the improvement of arts all over the world.   

Calligrapher Adham Al-Jaafari has been interested in  Arabic calligraphy since  early childhood through learning it  from his uncle, the late calligrapher Muhammad Salem Nwelati . 

About his relationship with the Arabic calligraphy Al- Jaafari  told SANA “Since my childhood, I was fascinated by the beauty of the Arabic calligraphy  and I found great pleasure in myself when I contemplated it , so I entered the Institute of Applied Arts and studied the Arabic calligraphy and decoration”.

Al-Jaafari explained that a number of distinguished professors were teaching  Arabic calligraphy at the Institute, including Ahmad Al-Mufti, Shukri Kharsho and others, who  had a significant impact in developing the level of students.  

Al-Jaafari pointed out that the process of writing moved to Damascus in the Umayyad era  during which  Arabic  calligraphy  flourished , then moved to Baghdad, Egypt and the rest of the Arab and Islamic  countries up to the present day in which the Arabic calligraphy represent  abstract art to make   international art schools benefit from it. 

According to Al-Jaafari, the calligrapher must start studying all types of calligraphy, then specialize in a specific type  so that he can  present works of a high technical level.  

Concerning  the use of social media to spread Arabic calligraphy , Al-Jaafari said, “ it  helps  in speeding up displaying  artworks, communicating with artists and introducing  the most important international references and the latest developments in the world of arts”.   

Regarding  the reality of  Arabic calligraphy in Syria  Al-Jaafari said, “There are currently official, civil and individual efforts, but they are insufficient and are not commensurate with the importance of this  rich and ancient art “  

He stressed this  requires a cultural project undertaken by the official cultural institution in cooperation with the private  and civil side  in addition to  individual efforts to promote  the condition of Arabic calligraphy ,  raise   community’s aesthetic  taste ,  discover and supporting  the  promising talents.  

Al-Jaafari  underlined  that Syria has an important list of distinguished calligraphers  at the  world level including  the pioneers or those who came after them, up to the present day, calling for shedding  light on the experiences of these great masters to introduce their  calligraphy artworks  and  establish a contemporary museum with a high level specialized in the arts of Arabic calligraphy. 

Calligrapher Al-Jaafari expresses his optimism about the future of Arabic calligraphy  in Syria, because there is a new talented generation which  needs only care to  be creative in this field, especially since the Arabic  calligraphy  has great artistic energies that enable it to emulate contemporary arts.  

Rawaa Ghanam