Karim Jabbari will paint a mural with the assistance of art students.
Karim Jabbari, a Tunisian calligraffiti and light artist, is considered one of the most respected light calligraffiti artists in the world. Karim began his artistic journey at the tender age of twelve. A difficult childhood was made easier through the power of calligraphy, allowing him to express what he could not in words. Later in life and far from home, calligraphy became a reminder of where he came from and what he left behind. His love for the Arabic language intensified as he began to delve deeper into its beautiful letters, words, and syllables.
Inspired by old Arabic scriptures, Karim has developed his own abstract form of calligraphy using different patterns, shapes, and colors. Always searching for an original concept to breathe more vibrancy and life into his creations, Karim’s work is continuously evolving. Classic Kufi and Maghrebi calligraphy are featured in many of his compositions. This preference arises from the strong pull towards his North African background and the importance of keeping dying traditions alive.
This event is part of a series celebrating “The Legacy of E.E. Salisbury: 175 years of Arabic and Sanskrit at Yale.” For more information and a complete listing of events, visit salisbury175.yale.edu
Salisbury 175 at Yale is sponsored by the Council on Middle East Studies at the MacMillan Center in conjunction with the Chaplain’s office, the departments of the History of Art and Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations, Yale University Library, Yale University Art Gallery, Babylonian Collection, the Institute for Sacred Music, and the South Asian Studies Council at the MacMillan Center. Funded in part by a US Department of Education Title VI National Resource Center grant.