Musicalligraphy is the term created by Bahman Panahi to describe the combination of music and calligraphy in a joint performance. The performance proposes an alliance between the world of sound and the real-time creation of a calligraphy work in a large-size format in front of an audience.

Sharing that moment of artistic creation with the public gives the work a unique quality that contrasts with the work of an artist created in solitude (the colors, paper, ink, the motion of the calligraphic pen…). In the tradition of Middle Eastern calligraphy, the performance by the calligraphic master takes place in front of his students, with his posture, the gestures of the students, the silence and the emotions of each of them as the master writes being similar to the stage of an artistic performance. In carrying out their performances of musicalligraphy, these elements are conveyed in the exchange occurring between calligrapher, audience and music.

In this performance, Bahman Panahi will be using an Iranian tar (a traditional string instrument) to accompany Nuria García Masip, as they complete a work of calligraphy together.

The art of calligraphy in the Arab and Persian world is considered one of the highest forms of artistic expression. The importance of the written word has given rise to a wide variety of calligraphic styles which provide endless artistic potential for composition and design.

The workshop will be given by Nuria García Masip, a calligrapher who uses the thuluth and naskh styles, and Bahman Panahi, an Iranian calligrapher and musician. It forms part of the activities which the Brief Festival is putting on with the cooperation of Casa Árabe. The seminar will include study of two of the most important styles in Arabic and Persian calligraphy, thuluth and nastaliq, so as to gain more in-depth knowledge of this art and the fundamental principles governing it.

Workshop contents:
- Brief history of Islamic calligraphy, different styles, tools and materials.
- Introduction to the letters in the different styles and calligraphic forms.
- Exercises on writing techniques using traditional methods.
- Creations and compositions with calligraphic features.

Because of the method of instruction, you need no prior knowledge of the Arabic language, so the workshop is intended for anyone interested in gaining a more in-depth knowledge of Arabic calligraphy.

Nuria García Masip
Her interest in Islamic art began in Morocco, where she learned the Maghrebi style with master Hamidi Bel’Aid. As her passion for calligraphy grew, she continued her studies in the United States with master Mohamed Zakariya, and later in Istanbul, with the great masters Hasan Çelebi and Davut Bektas. In 2007, she received her diploma in calligraphy (ijazah) in the thuluth and naskh styles. Nuria currently lives in Paris, where she teaches and works on her calligraphy. She has won prestigious international awards and actively takes part in exhibitions, conferences and international panels.
nuriaart.com

Bahman Panahi
Panahi is an Iranian calligrapher and musician. Coming from a family of artists, he continued his training in accordance with the traditional system in both calligraphy and music. He studied with the great master calligraphers Amirkhani, Foradi and Kaboli, and the great musicians Zarif, Lotfi and Zahed-Shirazi. He earned his Master’s degree at the Iranian Institute of Calligraphy in 1986, graduated from the School of Fine Arts in Tehran and later from the École des Beaux Arts in Valenciennes, France. His doctoral thesis, completed at the Sorbonne University on the topic of “The musicality of lines and points,” examines the relationship between music and calligraphy. He currently lives in Paris, where he divides his time between teaching, workshops, conferences, exhibitions and giving concerts around the world.
bahmanpanahi.com

The talk is a journey between traditional Arabic calligraphy and contemporary Arabic typography and type design. Classical calligraphy and Islamic art is not lost but re-invented into modern Arabic typographic and design approaches that meets the visual aesthetics and trends of the modern Arab world of the 21st century. Specific Arabic letters analysis and showcases of present Arabic type projects will be showcased to visually analyze the typographic influences. What are the possible influences from the past, and what is the future of Arabic typography moving into. What is the role of technology and its effects on Arabic type functionality and aesthetics?

Type designer & typographer, Pascal Zoghbi, founded 29Letters in 2006. After he graduated from “The Royal Academy of Arts” in The Netherlands with a Master of Design from “Type & Media”, Pascal created a notable collection of contemporary Arabic and multilingual typefaces alongside other typographic projects for corporate identities and publications. Since 2006, he has been teaching typography courses at design schools in Beirut, Lebanon. He frequently gives lectures & workshops independently in design conferences or universities. He co-authored & edited the "Arabic Graffiti" book published in 2010. He was one of the 10 finalists for the “Jameel Prize 3” in 2014. He founded "Horouf: Type Design Competition" in 2014 in partnership with “Nuqat”. He was awarded the Red Ribbon of TDC Typeface Design Competition in 2014.

The talk is a journey between traditional Arabic calligraphy and contemporary Arabic typography and type design. Classical calligraphy and Islamic art is not lost but re-invented into modern Arabic typographic and design approaches that meets the visual aesthetics and trends of the modern Arab world of the 21st century. Specific Arabic letters analysis and showcases of present Arabic type projects will be showcased to visually analyze the typographic influences. What are the possible influences from the past, and what is the future of Arabic typography moving into. What is the role of technology and its effects on Arabic type functionality and aesthetics?

Type designer & typographer, Pascal Zoghbi, founded 29Letters in 2006. After he graduated from “The Royal Academy of Arts” in The Netherlands with a Master of Design from “Type & Media”, Pascal created a notable collection of contemporary Arabic and multilingual typefaces alongside other typographic projects for corporate identities and publications. Since 2006, he has been teaching typography courses at design schools in Beirut, Lebanon. He frequently gives lectures & workshops independently in design conferences or universities. He co-authored & edited the "Arabic Graffiti" book published in 2010. He was one of the 10 finalists for the “Jameel Prize 3” in 2014. He founded "Horouf: Type Design Competition" in 2014 in partnership with “Nuqat”. He was awarded the Red Ribbon of TDC Typeface Design Competition in 2014.

A professional type design lecture tackling the specifics of Arabic typography. Comparison between both the Arabic and the Latin script will be conducted followed by typographic guidelines about how to approach bi-script Arabic and Latin typography projects.

Type designer & typographer, Pascal Zoghbi, founded 29Letters in 2006. After he graduated from “The Royal Academy of Arts” in The Netherlands with a Master of Design from “Type & Media”, Pascal created a notable collection of contemporary Arabic and multilingual typefaces alongside other typographic projects for corporate identities and publications. Since 2006, he has been teaching typography courses at design schools in Beirut, Lebanon. He frequently gives lectures & workshops independently in design conferences or universities. He co-authored & edited the "Arabic Graffiti" book published in 2010. He was one of the 10 finalists for the “Jameel Prize 3” in 2014. He founded "Horouf: Type Design Competition" in 2014 in partnership with “Nuqat”. He was awarded the Red Ribbon of TDC Typeface Design Competition in 2014.

More info: brieffestival.com