A solo exhibition by Emirati artist and calligrapher Mohammed Mandi is now on view at the Sharjah Calligraphy Museum.
Opening on Thursday, the show titled Luminous Letters presents more than 60 artworks by Mandi, including a work wherein the artist inscribed the word "Sharjah" in 42 different forms.
Born in 1953, Mandi has been exhibiting his calligraphy designs and paintings at commercial and cultural spaces since the late 1990s. His work has also been featured in architecture, as part of the interior design of the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi, and marble murals at Umm Al Emarat Park as well as mosque minarets in Germany and Austria.
Skilled in various styles of calligraphy, including Thuluth, Naskh, Diwani and Jeli Diwani, Mandi ventured into the visual art form in 1975, following in the footsteps of his father who was also an artist.
The show in Sharjah traces Mandi’s decades-long career, from his studies at the Arabic Calligraphy Improvement School in Cairo to his training under renowned Turkish calligrapher Hassan Chalabi in the 1970s.
His latest exhibition was inaugurated by Sheikh Salem bin Abdul Rahman Al Qasimi, Chairman of the Sharjah Ruler’s Office, and Manal Ataya, director general of Sharjah Museums Authority, which runs Sharjah Calligraphy Museum.
Ataya refers to Mandi as “one of the most prominent calligraphists in the country” and highlighted Sharjah Calligraphy Museum’s role in showcasing calligraphy art to the public. “Calligraphy is part of Islamic culture … We aim to educate visitors about the importance of preserving this distinguished art form, and passing it on to future generations via our children and family programmes,” she said.
Among Mandi’s key works are paintings with famous sayings by Sheikh Zayed, the Founding Father, and Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Ruler of Sharjah. His works bearing pious phrases and prayers have also been collected by the Barjeel Art Foundation in Sharjah.
Mandi’s calligraphy can be seen on logos of various UAE government ministries. His script features in the passports of the UAE, Kuwait, Oman and Yemen, as well as on banknotes of the UAE, Bahrain and Syria.
In 2001, the Institut du Monde Arabe held a solo exhibition of his work in Paris.
Throughout his career, Mandi has also shared his knowledge of calligraphy through workshops at cultural events, including the London Book Fair, Frankfurt Book Fair and Amman Book Fair.
Luminous Letters is on view at Sharjah Calligraphy Museum until Saturday, December 4. More information is available at sharjahmuseums.ae
Joker: Folie a Deux
Starring: Joaquin Phoenix, Lady Gaga, Brendan Gleeson
Director: Todd Phillips
Rating: 2/5
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
Company%20profile
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Gully Boy
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Producer: Excel Entertainment & Tiger Baby
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RACECARD
%3Cp%3E%0D%3Cstrong%3E6pm%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Abu%20Dhabi%20Land%20Forces%20-%20Maiden%20(TB)%20Dh82%2C500%20(Dirt)%201%2C200m%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3E6.35pm%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EDubai%20Naval%20Forces%20-%20Maiden%20(TB)%20Dh82%2C500%20(D)%201%2C400m%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3E7.10pm%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Sharjah%20Air%20Force%20-%20Maiden%20(TB)%20Dh82%2C500%20(D)%201%2C200m%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3E7.45pm%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EAjman%20Presidential%20Guard%20-%20Handicap%20(TB)%20Dh95%2C000%20(D)%201%2C200m%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3E8.20pm%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Dubai%20Creek%20Mile%20%E2%80%93%20Listed%20(TB)%20Dh132%2C500%20(D)%201%2C600m%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3E8.55pm%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EUmm%20Al%20Quwain%20and%20Ras%20Al%20Khaimah%20Joint%20Aviation%20-%20Rated%20Conditions%20(TB)%20Dh95%2C000%20(D)%201%2C600m%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3E9.30pm%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Fujairah%20National%20Service%20and%20Reserve%20-%20Handicap%20(TB)%20Dh82%2C500%20(D)%201%2C400m%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
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Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
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German intelligence warnings
- 2002: "Hezbollah supporters feared becoming a target of security services because of the effects of [9/11] ... discussions on Hezbollah policy moved from mosques into smaller circles in private homes." Supporters in Germany: 800
- 2013: "Financial and logistical support from Germany for Hezbollah in Lebanon supports the armed struggle against Israel ... Hezbollah supporters in Germany hold back from actions that would gain publicity." Supporters in Germany: 950
- 2023: "It must be reckoned with that Hezbollah will continue to plan terrorist actions outside the Middle East against Israel or Israeli interests." Supporters in Germany: 1,250
Source: Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution
WHY%20AAYAN%20IS%20'PERFECT%20EXAMPLE'
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Our legal advisor
Ahmad El Sayed is Senior Associate at Charles Russell Speechlys, a law firm headquartered in London with offices in the UK, Europe, the Middle East and Hong Kong.
Experience: Commercial litigator who has assisted clients with overseas judgments before UAE courts. His specialties are cases related to banking, real estate, shareholder disputes, company liquidations and criminal matters as well as employment related litigation.
Education: Sagesse University, Beirut, Lebanon, in 2005.
Abu Dhabi GP weekend schedule
Friday
First practice, 1pm
Second practice, 5pm
Saturday
Final practice, 2pm
Qualifying, 5pm
Sunday
Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix (55 laps), 5.10pm
AIR
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What sanctions would be reimposed?
Under ‘snapback’, measures imposed on Iran by the UN Security Council in six resolutions would be restored, including:
- An arms embargo
- A ban on uranium enrichment and reprocessing
- A ban on launches and other activities with ballistic missiles capable of delivering nuclear weapons, as well as ballistic missile technology transfer and technical assistance
- A targeted global asset freeze and travel ban on Iranian individuals and entities
- Authorisation for countries to inspect Iran Air Cargo and Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines cargoes for banned goods
Six large-scale objects on show
- Concrete wall and windows from the now demolished Robin Hood Gardens housing estate in Poplar
- The 17th Century Agra Colonnade, from the bathhouse of the fort of Agra in India
- A stagecloth for The Ballet Russes that is 10m high – the largest Picasso in the world
- Frank Lloyd Wright’s 1930s Kaufmann Office
- A full-scale Frankfurt Kitchen designed by Margarete Schütte-Lihotzky, which transformed kitchen design in the 20th century
- Torrijos Palace dome
The years Ramadan fell in May
FIGHT%20CARD
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Origin
Dan Brown
Doubleday
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
