Nja Mahdaoui (Tunisian, b. 1937)

Charmingly known as the 'Choreographer of Letters', Tunisian artist Nja Mahdaoui is heavily inspired by Arabic calligraphy and has managed to transform the Arabic letter into pictorial art. Remarkably innovative in his use of an aesthetic dimension, he creates dispositions between clearly marked geometrical figures and flows of tiny gold writings that are undecipherable. In Jorf II Mahdaoui's use of overlapping geometrical shapes and meaningless calligraphy brings forth an intense spatial rhythm interweaving through tradition and Modernism.
Meaning 'cliff' in Arabic, Jorf II implies a sense of dizzying height. In this way, the calligraphy Mahdaoui has implemented offers a rhythmic and melodic composition that is juxtaposed against the harsh angles of the shapes he has used. They conjure up the sharp and dangerous edges of the cliffs that are reminiscent of his native Tunisia. Strongly influenced by Tunisian cultural traditions, such as textile arts, Mahdaoui manages to harmonise traditional calligraphic styles with a thoroughly modern sensibility.