An expressive, untitled 1981 work by the Algerian artist Rachid Koraichi, part of the second generation of Arab artists to use text and Arabic lettering. (Photo: Courtesy of Rose Issa)
Exhibitions in the UK shine a spotlight on the importance of lettering in the development of modern art in the region.
Whether scribbled in minute scale, expansively painted, crafted out of bent bronze or telling a story in folded artists' books, text has long remained a major - albeit receding - element of modern and contemporary Middle Eastern art.
Curiously, this feature is having a moment, as it is under the spotlight of two exhibitions, running simultaneously in London at SOAS's Brunei Gallery, and the British Museum. The shows, each curated by pioneers in the field, span three generations of artists from the Islamic world.
March 15, 2023
