• Home
• /
• Arts

Mohammed Mandi: Take 'note' of this top Emirati calligrapher

Abu Dhabi - He mints designs on currencies.

Proud and happy is UAE calligrapher Mohammed Mandi, whose angular designs can be found on every banknote in the UAE.

The formation art Arabic calligrapher created the designs on the paper currency of the UAE, Bahrain and Syria and created the calligraphy of the passports of the UAE, Kuwait, Bahrain and Oman.

"I am extremely happy that my work is owned by everyone who possesses cash. It makes me feel proud and honoured because not every artist gets this opportunity," Mandi, 60, told Khaleej Times during the Abu Dhabi International Book Fair (ADIBF) where he's showcasing some of his fantastic art work.

"When people ask me about my work, I tell them it's in their pockets."

Mandi, known for his distinct style of overlapping words to create art pieces using different layers of shading and colours, is currently working as a teacher at the Abu Dhabi Department of Culture and Tourism, where he teaches calligraphy at the Art Workshop.

His latest work is the beautifully designed "centenary painting" to mark 100 years since the birth of the UAE's founding father, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, which is on display at the entrance of the Abu Dhabi International Book Fair.

"This is one of my best artworks," said Mandi. "I designed this art piece with passion and spent more than eight hours writing and drawing. I chose green colour for the painting to depict Sheikh Zayed's love for greenery. I had mixed the colour I used in the painting's background with Zamzam water."

Mandi has been an artist for 45 years since he was a teenager and began designing bank notes for the Gulf nations in 1999.

"I started with designing Dh50 silver coin that was released to mark the 30th anniversary of the Abu Dhabi Chamber of Commerce and Industry," said Mandi. "I designed the Arabic script for the new Dh200 note, Dh10 note, Dh50 and others after I was approached by the UAE Central Bank to make the designs."

ismail@khaleejtimes.com