Beyond Writing

Master calligrapher, art critic and poet Samir Sayegh opens his archives to Karma Tohmé from Plan BEY. Together they concoct four publications - one book and three artist books - and a multitude of art prints, posters and multiples on the theme of the decomposition of writing.

Samir Sayegh is one of the most avant-garde calligraphers of the Arab world. His work revolves around the duality of meaning and form in Arabic calligraphy. Inspired by Sufi texts and one of the first Arab artists to be driven by a modernist impulse he focused throughout his career and exhibitions on letters he pushed to abstraction, in a unique, minimalistic style. Today, he pushes his reflection further and takes an additional step, also presenting texts and entire pages in his own illegible characters. The result is two books that have crossed to the other side of writing.

The launch will feature a book of calligraphic Sufi quotes, an artist book and a multitude of posters and multiples from Samir's work on Arabic letters, as well as the “Beyond Writing” series artist books and prints, all with an accompanying exhibition.