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Artist, scholar reaches diverse cultures, shares calligraphy history |
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Thursday, 18 October 2007 |
 | Dukhar
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by CLAIR BAXTER
Editor in Chief
The art of elegant handwriting is admired cross-culturally by the native speakers of many languages.
Pupils sit in class to learn techniques, million-dollar art is sold in museums, and specialists work long hours in hopes to develop a new look- all in the name of calligraphy.
Next week, Appalachian State University brings Palestinian-born calligrapher Dr. Nihad Dukhar to I.G. Greer Auditorium for an informational session on calligraphy in the Arab language. The free lecture will be at 7 p.m. and is open to the public.
Dukhar began learning the art of Arabic calligraphy at the age of 12
and said he was “very much self taught” until 1988. “It was love with
the Arabic language,” he said.
After years of learning on his own, Dukhar became a student of master calligrapher Hassan Celibi.
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After learning the Thuluth, Naskh and Taliq style, Dukhar began to embrace his own style and technique.
Dukhar described his style as a “very personal experiment” that he adopted in 1989.
“Each artist develops his own way of writing,” Salim Al Ibia said. “We
don’t have rules that govern how the artists should write alif [the
Arabic A], baa [b], taa [t], jiim [j], or laam [l]- to each his own-
that’s why it’s a beautiful thing. It can only be done by talented
people.”
Al Ibia is an Appalachian foreign language teaching assistant in Arabic.
Dukhar said his work “doesn’t adhere to classical rules of Arabic calligraphy.”
“My idea was to use this style to have an immediate graphical impact on
the viewer ... I think I have succeeded [and people are] impacted on
first sight without thinking,” he said.
He said his work “starts with a pencil sketch” and is eventually executed with acrylic paint on canvas.
During his stay in Boone, Dukhar will both lecture and give art
professor Barbra Yale-Read’s calligraphy class a demonstration of his
trade.
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Philosophy and religion faculty member and Arabic professor Dr. William
Hutchins met Dukhar at the conference of Middle East Studies
Association of North America and invited him to speak at Appalachian.
The money used to fund Dukhar’s trip from Detroit, where he currently
teaches mechanical engineering at the University of Detroit Mercy, came
from the External Scholar program of Academic Affairs, Belk Library
& Information Commons, the department of the College of Arts and
Sciences and the philosophy and religion department.
The Appalachian chapter of Sigma Nu Fraternity will sell some of
Dukhar’s products at a contact table outside of Cascades in Plemmons
Student Union from 11a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday.
Prints of Dukhar’s work can also be purchased in the form of greeting cards, T-shirts and posters online at www.ndukhan.com.
This type of art is “something beautiful, something that really
represents a challenge to read, it’s something you want in your home,”
Al Ibia said.
The evening lecture will include a PowerPoint and will address several
different topics. Dukhar plans to provide the audience with an
introduction to the art of calligraphy, a cultural understanding and
appreciation of the subject, a timeline of the history and visual
examples of several different forms.
Dukhar will also address his own style and more modern approaches to the ancient art.
He encouraged people interested in art, other cultures or other
languages to attend the event. “My crowds are usually mixed,” he said.
“I get all types of people-people who want to learn.”
“Bring questions and you will definitely leave with something,” Dukhar said.
“It’s much more than a hobby,” Dukhar said. “It’s an art. I am an artist of Arabic calligraphy.”
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