Erotic images from Greece and Rome, £16.99
Explore / Online Tours
© 2006 Wijdan Ali
Word into art
Literature and art
The Middle East has a rich literary tradition, including poetry. This plays a central role in the cultures of the region and offers inspiration for many artists. The works in this section of the tour are all inspired by Arabic and Persian literature and the emotions evoked by particular writers.
A large body of early Arabic literature survives, dating back to the time of the pre-Islamic tribal kingdoms of Arabia. Tales of love, chivalry, honour and battle were memorised and passed down from one generation to the next. Many artists are moved by the great mystic writers, or by age-old stories such as The Thousand and One Nights, and include extracts in their artworks.
Some artists of the region use the words of contemporary Arab or Persian poets, who express the feelings and concerns of current generations. In many cases artists and poets work closely together, creating printed or hand-crafted books.
Illustration: Rashm I by Wijdan (Jordan), China inks and liquid gold on paper, 2003. Wijdan has written, on strips of coloured paper, the words in Arabic, French and English of Rashm by the Lebanese poet and critic Charbel Daghir. She describes the mode of script as 'calligraffiti… A style that has no known rule, belongs to no known school of calligraphy and differs from one handwriting to another.' (Ali 1997: 167) (2004.5-11.1, Brooke Sewell Permanent Fund)