Starting on November 10 2007, visitors of the State Hermitage Museum in Sankt Petersburg, Russia, have the chance of seeing a new exhibition, " The Dance of Quill and Ink" dedicated to contemporary art in the Middle East, more precisely on calligraphy as an art form. Over the centuries, calligraphy has played a major role in the Islamic world and culture, and from the beginnings was considered a sacred art, a way of revealing the Divine language to all muslims. Over time, still keeping to a large degree this status, calligraphy also became a part of the Muslim's everyday life, and a noble could not be respected if he did not posess this skill to the highest.
This interest and passion in the art of caligraphy is reflected in the large number of various items, such as religious and secular manuscripts, documents, architectural decors, inscriptions on objects made out of ceramics, stones, glass, wood, textiles. This interest has been reborn in the Middle east especially after the 1950's, as the Arabic script can be seen as an important element in contemporary paintings and artworks, as a symbol of both the interest for traditional values and themes and of a common national identity.
2007-11-01
