Saturday October 12th, 2024
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From the Mosques, to the Streets: The Evolution of Egyptian Calligraphy

New book, 'Khatt', charts the rise of calligraphy used as street art across Egypt.

Staff Writer

From the Mosques, to the Streets: The Evolution of Egyptian Calligraphy

From casual scribbles, to elaborate murals, Egypt is awash with Arabic calligraphy, be it on mosques, homes, cars or even tuk-tuks. With fascinating new book, 'Khatt', co-authors Basma Hamdy and Noha Zayed, travelled the span of Egypt's cities and villages for three years to put together a stunning visual documentation of a classical style of typography that has not only endured the test of time, but has also taken on new forms and meanings.

“Calligraphy is a form of art born in Egypt, and the heart of Egypt is Downtown Cairo,” Hamdy says of the book’s fitting launch at Downtown’s Kodak Passageway, where a sprawling exhibition of some of the book’s most dazzling images were curated to provide unique insight into a timeless art.

To get your hands on a copy, head to khattegypt.com or email info@khattegypt.com.

Video by MO4 Network

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