Omar El-Nagdi (Egypt, 1931-2019)
Alef Lam Mim
mixed media on canvas
signed and dated '2008' (lower right), executed in 2008
180 x 180cm (70 7/8 x 70 7/8in).
Footnotes:
Provenance:
Property from the Artist's Estate

Hurrufiyya – The Art of the Word

'Just as Zikr serves as a meditative tool, guiding the soul towards divine contemplation, the rhythmic repetition of letters in calligraphic compositions similarly evokes a meditative state. This repetitive technique in calligraphy resonates with the Sufi idea of cyclical remembrance, drawing parallels between the written form and spiritual transcendence'

'They deconstruct writing, exploit the letter and turn it into a lexical sign of calligraphy, tradition and cultural heritage. As the sign is purely aesthetic, and only linguistic in its cultural association, it opens hitherto untraveled avenues for interpretation, and attracts different audiences, yet still maintains a link to the respective artist's own culture... Hurufiyya artists do away with the signifying function of language. The characters become pure signs, and temporarily emptied of their referential meaning, they become available for new meanings.' - Christiane Treichl

Bonhams are proud to present five spectacular artworks that showcase Arab Modern artists experimentation with the aesthetic and conceptual dimensions of Arabic letterforms, a movement broadly defined as 'Hurufiyya'. The works showcased here demonstrate the variety, geographical breadth, and originality of a movement which breathed new life into the traditional craft of calligraphy and which found local forms of expression amongst diverse regions of the Arab world.

The Hurufiyya movement was an aesthetic movement that emerged in the late twentieth century amongst Arabian and North African artists, who used their understanding of traditional Islamic calligraphy, within the precepts of modern art. By combining tradition and modernity, these artists worked towards developing a Pan-Arab visual language, which instilled a sense of national identity in their respective nation states, at a time when many of these states where shaking off colonial rule and asserting their independence.

They adopted the same name as the Hurufi, an approach of Sufism which emerged in the late 14th–early 15th century. Art historian, Dagher, has described hurufiyya as the most important movement to emerge in the Arab art world in the 20th-century.

The term, hurifiyya is derived from the Arabic term, harf which means letter (as in a letter of the alphabet). When the term is used to describe an contemporary art movement, it explicitly references a Medieval system of teaching involving political theology and lettrism. In this theology, letters were seen as primordial signifiers and manipulators of the cosmos. Thus, the term is charged with Sufi intellectual and esoteric meaning.

Traditional hurufi art was bound by strict rules, which amongst other things, confined calligraphy to devotional works and prohibited the representation of humans in manuscripts. Practising calligraphers trained with a master for many years in order to learn both the technique and the rules governing calligraphy. Contemporary hurufiyya artists broke free from these rules, allowing Arabic letters to be deconstructed, altered and included in abstract artworks

Alef, Lam, Mim

Born in 1931 in Cairo, Omar El Nagdi's artistic trajectory is a testament to a deeply ingrained passion for exploring the union of cultural heritage with avant-garde artistry. While El Nagdi's oeuvre spans an array of styles and subjects, his hurrufieh compositions stand out as a distinguished chapter in his prolific career.

Detaching from the conventional use of calligraphy, El Nagdi's works in this style liberate the Arabic letters from their primary linguistic function. Instead, they breathe and dance on the canvas, fusing together, intertwining, and morphing into emotive forms. They are at once recognizable as letters and abstract forms, urging the viewer to witness the script in an entirely new light.

Alef, Lam, Mim is a particularly significant sequence of letters which appears regularly in the Quran. In the intricate tapestry of Arabic calligraphy, the practice of repetitively inscribing individual letters bears a profound connection to the Sufi concept of Zikr (often spelled 'Dhikr'). Zikr, an essential component of Sufi spiritual practice, entails the repetitive invocation of divine names or religious phrases to cultivate inner mindfulness, presence, and an intimate connection with the Divine.

Just as Zikr serves as a meditative tool, guiding the soul towards divine contemplation, the rhythmic repetition of letters in calligraphic compositions similarly evokes a meditative state. This repetitive technique in calligraphy resonates with the Sufi idea of cyclical remembrance, drawing parallels between the written form and spiritual transcendence, where both strive to center the practitioner in a profound space of reflection and devotion.

El Nagdi's signature application of vivid hues imbues depth and dynamism to the compositions. Every brushstroke, while revealing letters, also narrates tales of centuries-old heritage and contemporaneous sentiments. Omar El Nagdi's hurrufieh compositions challenge, elevate, and redefine the way viewers engage with calligraphy. No longer simply a medium for conveying messages, the letters in his works embody emotions, stories, and histories.
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