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Description

Nja MAHDAOUI (Tunis, 1937)

Calligraphic composition Ink and gold on parchment 29 x 23.5 on view *** Ink & gold on vellum H: 51 x W: 41 cm Provenance : Spanish collection. Letters but no words. Signs but no meaning. Nja Mahdaoui "uses Arabic signs for their aesthetic beauty", not for what they represent. "I've freed the letter from its meaning," explains the Tunisian artist. On linen canvases, skins and silkscreens, Nja Mahdaoui, an artist passionate about all sign disciplines, has carefully avoided words - an approach that has been criticized by some calligraphy purists. But Mahdaoui is a visual artist. He did not attend one of the famous schools of classical calligraphy which, from Istanbul to Tunis, maintain this graphic tradition born in the 7th century with the birth of Islam. Calligraphy was the art of writing the Koran in a stylized manner, before invading administrative documents and other non-religious fields of language. Since the 1980s, classical calligraphy has enjoyed a revival, while contemporary artists have also taken it up. Alongside the traditional calame - a reed quill - writing tools are multiplying, and color is exploding, as in Nja Mahdaoui's work, where it is rarely used in classical calligraphy. Other contemporary artists, such as the Iranian Charles Hossein Zenderoudi, use Arabic letters in their work without actually composing words or sentences. Constance Desloire, "Des signes et des lettres, Tunisian artist Nja Mahdaoui reinvents calligraphy by stripping letters of their meaning. An art enjoying renewed interest", December 22, 2010. Letters but no words. Signs but no meaning. Nja Mahdaoui "uses Arabic signs for their aesthetic beauty", not for what they represent. "I've freed the letter from its meaning," explains the Tunisian artist. On linen canvases, skins and silkscreens, Nja Mahdaoui, an artist with a passion for all the disciplines of the sign, has carefully avoided words - an approach that has been criticised by some calligraphy purists. But Mahdaoui is a visual artist. He did not attend one of the famous schools of classical calligraphy which, from Istanbul to Tunis, maintain this graphic tradition born in the seventh century with the birth of Islam. Calligraphy was the art of writing the Koran in a stylised manner, before invading administrative documents and other non-religious areas of language. Since the 1980s, there has been a revival of interest in classical calligraphy, and contemporary artists have also taken it up. More and more writing tools are being used alongside the traditional calame - a reed quill - and colour is exploding, as in the work of Nja Mahdaoui, which is rarely used in classical calligraphy. Other contemporary artists, such as the Iranian Charles Hossein Zenderoudi, use Arabic letters in their work without actually composing words or sentences. Constance Desloire, "Des signes et des lettres, The Tunisian visual artist Nja Mahdaoui reinvents calligraphy by stripping letters of their meaning. An art that is enjoying a revival", December 22 2010.

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Nja MAHDAOUI (Tunis, 1937)

Estimate 3 000 - 5 000 EUR

* Not including buyer’s premium.
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Sale fees: 33 %
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For sale on Friday 28 Jun : 15:00 (CEST)
paris, France
Millon
+33147279534

Exhibition of lots
mercredi 26 juin - 10:00/18:00, null
jeudi 27 juin - 10:00/18:00, null
vendredi 28 juin - 10:00/13:00, null
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