Triptych 3

Nja Mahdaoui in one of the most important calligraphers in all of North Africa today. Known as the ‘choreographer of letters’ or ‘an explorer of signs’, Mahdaoui works on a variety of mediums ranging from vellum (lot 52) to his recent experimentation with contemporary installation in drums. He has illustrated sacred myths, legendary stories, tales and his own interpretation of famous manuscripts. He writes and draws with inks and he paints with oils and acrylics, sometimes using his hands to create a few special illusions of calligraphy, always filling the space with stylized classical Arabic calligraphy. The words create interlinking relationships and are rarely decipherable, but express melodic and rhythmic compositions. Through this intimacy and intricacy as well as the fluidity of the letters, the artist tries to convey different levels of messages. He is between a far Eastern style and North African and his work is not pure calligraphy but instead interpreted as an abstract ‘letterism’.

The present work is a very rich composition that Christie’s is proud to offer. This is an outstanding composition in three acts, with much musicality to it. The artist travels from one panel to another with structured lines, and geometrical shapes, triangles and order in some parts, interlinking with a free-spirited text flowing in elegant black ink to create accents.

Mahdaoui is a member of the international jury committee of the UNESCO Prize for the promotion of the arts and he has received a number of distinctions and international awards.

Nja Mahdaoui’s work graces many international museums and public spaces. The artist participated in numerous exhibitions around the world including at the Institut du monde arabe, in Paris, the Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg, the National Museum of Scotland and the Modern Art Museum in Baghdad.