Calligrapher Adnan Sheikh Othman: The Syrian School of Arabic Calligraphy Arts is the first in the world

Arabic calligraphy is an artistic handwriting practice which has spread all over the world .  It’s beautiful to look at, therapeutic to ponder and offers comfort and a sense of protection for those who own it.

This handwriting practice has spanned centuries, and new artists are finding unique ways to turn Arabic calligraphy into visual art. The initial use for Arabic calligraphy was for communication purposes. However, it soon began to be employed for decoration, architecture, and coin design.

Calligrapher Adnan Sheikh Othman managed  to shed light on the Syrian school of  Arabic calligraphy arts all over the world  through his long artistic and creative career, by winning many international awards, and his participation as an arbitrator in many international competitions.

The calligrapher Sheikh Othman told  SANA correspondent “I grew up learning the Holy Qur’an and the rules of its recitation, which created in me a great love and passion for the Arabic language which was my passport to enter the Arabic calligraphy field ”.

He added: “I was attracted by the calligraphies of the titles of school books that were written in the sixties by the late great calligrapher Muhammad Badawi al-Dirani, who is considered one of the most prominent figures in Arabic calligraphy in the world, along with others figures of that time, including  the calligrapher Abdul Hadi Zain al-Abidin from Homs, and the Iraqi calligrapher Muhammad Hashem al-Baghdadi Sahib and the great writer and calligrapher Sayed Al-Masry.

He won thirteen international awards at the world level , according to Sheikh Othman , in addition to his participation as a guest of honor at the local level in most of the activities held by the House of Arabic Calligraphy and Arts with the aim of transferring his great experience to new generations of students and lovers of Arabic calligraphy.

Sheikh Othman  confirmed that the Syrian calligraphers have achieved a brilliant and distinguished global presence, indicating that the international competitions in the arts of Arabic calligraphy began in 1986 and since that time, Syria has achieved a remarkable presence and occupied the first positions .

The calligrapher Sheikh Othman indicated that there is a great competition between the calligraphers of three Arab countries, including  Egypt, Iraq and Syria, as they belong to ancient schools in these arts, whether on the Arab or international level.

He addressed  the young generation of calligraphers “It is necessary to pay attention to learning the correct rules of calligraphy arts and enjoy  creativity with ambition and persistence and sincerity to this civilized message to achieve his goal to be a pioneer  in the Syrian School of Calligraphy”.

The calligrapher Sheikh Othman stressed that  “ the Levantine (Syrian) school of  the arts of Arabic calligraphy was and still is brilliant, and has a leading position in the world, indicating that the young generation of calligraphers and scholars should preserve  and develop  this ancient school to reflect the deep-rooted cultural heritage of the Arabic calligraphy .

It is noteworthy that the calligrapher Adnan Sheikh Othman was  born in Homs in 1959, worked as a teacher of Arabic calligraphy at the Faculty of Fine Arts in  the University of Damascus, and gave many scientific lectures on the art of Arabic calligraphy in Syria and a number of Arab and Islamic countries.

He participates continuously in the international Arabic calligraphy competitions organized by IRCICA organization since 1986 until now and has won 13 international awards, the last of which was  the first place of the Diwani calligraphy in 2004.

Rawaa Ghanam