tour 34 of 35
Arabic Script: Mightier than the Sword
Khalid Ben Slimane, ceramic panel
This work by Tunisian artist Ben Slimane is on
a ceramic panel. He uses Arabic letters and words and this piece is
written in a characteristically hurried style. It consists of the
single word huwa (He) in
bold, with 'Allah' (God) repeated across the panel.
These words are from the beginning of chapter 112 of the
Qur'an: 'Say: He is God the one and
only...'.
In Sufi
ceremonies (known as Zikr) phrases are chanted repeatedly. Slimane
often listens to Sufi Zikr before he starts work and this is
reflected in his art. The script used here is basically handwriting
and not calligraphy; it has been described as
'calligraffiti'.
Ben
Slimane comes from the region of Nabeul in Tunisia, a well known
centre of ceramic production. He trained as an artist in Tunis and
received further training in Spain and Japan.