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Emirati calligrapher enthralls DIHQA audience with two masterpieces

Narjes's spectacular design and calligraphy masterpieces, featuring two verses from the holy Quran have awestruck the audience of the Award.

Dubai – The Islamic & Arabic calligraphy exhibition being held on the sidelines of the 19th edition of the Dubai International Holy Quran Award saw a distinguished magnum opus by the renowned Emirati calligrapher Narjes Noureddine.

Her spectacular design and calligraphy masterpieces, featuring two verses from the holy Quran have awestruck the audience of the Award. The first verse (81/60) reads: ‘And say, “My Lord, cause me to enter a sound entrance and to exit a sound exit and grant me from Yourself a supporting authority’ whereas the second verse (36/4) reads: ‘Worship Allah and associate nothing with Him, and to parents do good.’

The Exhibition is being run in collaboration with the Dubai Culture & Arts Authority (Dubai Culture) at the Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Dubai Chamber) where the international competition is taking place over the period from Ramadan 01 to 18.

Competent Emirati calligrapher Narjes Noureddine, born in Abu Dhabi in 1975, is one of the most gifted Emirati female artists, and her calligraphy strokes of genius speak volume.

She currently lives in Dubai where she performs her art at home in her workshop and gallery. She may always be found in calligraphy art exhibitions across the region or in her nonstop art workshops presented in public events.

Narjes graduated with a diploma in financial studies. She has been working in banking sector until 2006 when she decided to devote herself to the art of Arabic calligraphy. All set to quench her thirst for this refine art, Narjes is now studying internal design engineering at the college of arts.

She started her journey with this art in the Sharjah Institute for Arabic Calligraphy in 2000. She was later offered space in The Calligraphers’ Studios, where she met the popular calligraphy artist Khaled Al Saai, who guided her to the secrets of this art leading her to be honored with a prize from the Sixth Int’l Calligraphy Competition of IRCICA - Istanbul - 2004.

Narjes travelled to Istanbul in 2006 to continue studying the Thuluth style under the masters Hassan Chalabi and Davut Bektash. She also travelled to Tehran in 2007 to learn the Nastaliq (Farsi) style at the hands of Master Abbas Akhawain.

Narjes held many open calligraphy workshops for public in different events. She participated in several local calligraphy exhibitions organized by the Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing in Dubai, Sharjah Governments, and other local parties since 2001. She also dazzled the international audience in Germany, China, Japan, Austria and Lebanon.

These include the Islamic Arts Festival - Sharjah Art Museum, 2002 – 2011, along with the Magnificence of Letters, “Hurouf Arabia” magazine, Dubai, 2003, Sharjah International Biennial for the Art of Arabic Calligraphy, 2004 – 2012, Dubai International Exhibition of the Art of Arabic Calligraphy, 2005 – 2012, The Will of the Reed, IRCICA & ADACH, Emirates Palace, Abu Dhabi, 2010, and The Int’l Cultural Festival of Capital of Islamic Culture – Tlemcen, Algeria, 2011.

ahmedshaaban@khaleejtimes.com