Mouneer Al-Shaarani
منير الشعراني
Born (1952-09-16) September 16, 1952
Salamiyah, Syria
NationalitySyrian
Known forGraphic arts, Arabic calligraphy
WebsiteMouneer Al-Shaarani on Facebook

Mouneer Al-Shaarani (Arabic: منير الشعراني; born September 6, 1952) is a Syrian graphic artist specialized in Arabic calligraphy.[1] Al-Shaarani is known as calligrapher, graphic designer and author of articles about Arabic calligraphy and Arab Islamic art. He has designed several Arabic typefaces for book covers or other graphic creations. His work has been exhibited in several Arab countries, Malaysia, Europe, Australia and the United States and is internationally presented in collections of contemporary Arabic art.[2][3] Between 1985 and 2007, he lived and worked in Cairo, Egypt,[4] and later returned to live in Damascus.

Artistic profile

From the age of 10, Al-Shaarani studied the art of Arabic calligraphy under the Syrian calligrapher Muḥammad Badawi Al-Dirany,[5] and until his graduation in 1977, he studied Fine Arts at Damascus University.[4]

Based on his command of traditional Arabic calligraphy, Al-Shaarani has been using historical calligraphic styles, such as Kairouan Kufic, Square Kufic, Thuluth or Maghrebi script, and at the same time, developed and modernized the shapes of the letters according to his personal, modern style.[6] Choosing his texts both from Islamic, as well as from Christian religious sources, but mainly from Arab philosophers or Sufi poets, such as Ibn Arabi, Al-Mutanabbi, or Ibn Sina, he conveys non-religious, but universal messages. An example is this quote from the Lebanese-American poet Khalil Gibran "The whole earth is my homeland and the human family my clan."[7]

Apart from historical quotes, he sometimes also expresses his own contemporary messages, such as in his work entitled There is no creativity where there is no freedom[8] and in his graphic images starting with the message NO TO... "No to killing, no to prison, no to intimidation, no to humiliation, no to hypocrisy, no to oppression, no to violence, no to fear, no to falsehood, no to terrorism, no to corruption."[9]

One artist with a deep appreciation for the Arabic script is the internationally acclaimed Mouneer Al-Shaarani. Al-Shaarani uses calligraphy art to inspire the people of his nation in Syria. By creating highly intellectual work that reflects his interest in modern poetry and literature, as well as Islamic, Christian and Sufi philosophy.

— Marsoum Art Collective, World Arabic Language Day & The Work of Mouneer Al-Shaarani, [10]

Another important aspect of Al-Shaarani's artistic work is his view that "Arabic calligraphy has nothing to do with religion. It is the result of a civilization and not a religion. Religion benefited from calligraphy and not the other way round. The development of Arabic script was not initiated by religion, but by the state of the Umayyads. Second, calligraphy is an art. It has no finality or climax. The Arabic script has no “sacred” status for me."[11]

Among other calligraphic work, Al-Shaarani created the logo for the Syrian group for Arabic classical music, called Takht al-nagham in New York City.[12] Al-Shaarani is also mentioned in the book A History of Arab Graphic Design for his invention of new Arabic calligraphic styles and his calligraphic work for book covers, logos, and typeface design.[13]

Major exhibitions

See also

References

  1. ↑ Ghazoul, Ferial J. (2001-01-01). "The poetics of calligraphy: an interview with Mouneer Al-Shaa'rani". Alif: Journal of Comparative Poetics: 288–290.
  2. ↑ "Mouneer Al-Shaarani". Khatt Foundation. Retrieved 2020-04-19.
  3. ↑ "Mouneer Al Shaarani - Art on 56th". www.arton56th.com. Retrieved 2021-10-15.
  4. 1 2 "people - Sharjah Art Foundation". sharjahart.org. Retrieved 2020-04-19.
  5. ↑ Muḥammad Badawī al-Dīrānī, khaṭṭāṭ Bilād al-Shām = Arabic calligrapher Badawi Al-Dirani 1894-1967 /. Damascus: al-Amānah al-ʻĀmmah li-Iḥtifālīyat Dimashq ʻĀṣimat al-Thaqāfah al-ʻArabīyah. 2008.
  6. ↑ "In conversation with Mouneer Al Shaarani". The National. 18 April 2015. Retrieved 2020-04-19.
  7. ↑ "منير الشعراني - Mouneer Alshaarani". www.facebook.com. Retrieved 2020-04-19.
  8. ↑ "One Fine Art | artists - calligraphers / Mouneer Al Shaarani". www.onefineart.com. Retrieved 2021-10-15.
  9. ↑ Leyne, Jon (2012-03-19). "Syrian artists portray year of bloodshed and turmoil". BBC News. Retrieved 2021-10-15.
  10. ↑ "World Arabic Language Day & the Work of Mouneer Al-Shaarani".
  11. ↑ In an interview on the occasion of his exhibition in Berlin in 2018, he is quoted in German like this: Erstens hat die arabische Kalligraphie nichts mit Religion zu tun. Sie ist das Ergebnis einer Zivilisation und nicht einer Religion. Die Religion profitierte von der Kalligrafie und nicht umgekehrt. Die Entwicklung der arabischen Schrift wurde nicht von der Religion angestoßen, sondern vom Staat der Umayyaden. Zweitens ist die Kalligraphie eine Kunst. Sie kennt weder Endgültigkeit noch Höhepunkt. Die arabische Schrift hat für mich keinen „heiligen“ Status – ich will genau diesen Käfig aufbrechen, der in der Zeit der Osmanen um die Schrift herum errichtet wurde.
  12. ↑ "Performance | Syrian Music Preservation Initiative". syrianmusic.org. Retrieved 2021-10-15.
  13. ↑ AbiFarès, Huda Smitshuijzen (2022-07-21). "A Kaleidoscopic Overview of Graphic Design from the Arab World". Art Journal Open. Retrieved 2022-09-01.
  14. ↑ "Mouneer Al Shaarani @ Europia Art Gallery, Paris, 2016". europia.org. Retrieved 2021-10-15.
  15. ↑ "Calligraphie : De la musique pour les yeux - Ahram Hebdo". hebdo.ahram.org.eg. Archived from the original on 16 February 2022. Retrieved 2022-02-04.

Further reading

  • Bahia Shehab and Haytham Nawar, A History of Arab Graphic Design. Cairo, Egypt: American University in Cairo Press, 2020. 360 pp.; 659 color ills. ISBN 9789774168918
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