Lot 44: Ali Omar Ermes (Libyan, b. 1945)

Ali Omar Ermes (Libyan, b. 1945)
Al-Khaa Al-Ashhab
signed in Arabic and dated '1998 1420' (upper left)
acyrlic on paper mounted on canvas
59 7/8 x 48in. (152 x 122cm.)
Painted in 1998

Moscow, State Hermitage Museum, The Dance of Quill and Ink. Contemporary Art of the Middle East, 2007 (illustrated in colour, p.30) Dubai, UNICEF MENA Literacy Programme Letters organised by Mont Blanc Middle East, September 2009

Charles Pocock (ed.), Ali Omar Ermes, Dubai, 2008 (illustrated in colour)

PROPERTY FROM A PRIVATE COLLECTION, GCC

Al-Khaa Al-Ashhab (1998) is a powerful example of Ali Omars inimitable interpretation of the Arabic letter. Using the letter khaa as the focal point of the work, he evokes a sense of swiftness and speed in its delineation. The monochrome palette is a deliberate play on the name Ash-hab, which means greyness. Elegantly rendered lines from a poem by the tenth-century prince and warrior, Abi Faris Al-Hamadani, echo the curves of the letterform. The poem, which describes Al-Hamadanis willingness and ability to counteract pain and disappointment, to remain positive during hardship, and on the noble way to treat others, adds another dimension to the meaning of the work, while the formal inclusion of the text adds a delicacy to the overpowering presence of the central motif.

The paintings of Ali Omar Ermes can be classified into three main compositional groupings: works which focus on a single letterform, those which comprise a series of words or phrases, and others which employ the aesthetic volume of Arabic letterforms as visual rhythms and patterns in both contrasting and harmonious interactions, often set against backgrounds that utilise a combination of multi-coloured dimensions. In the first group of works, Ali Omar balances the overall composition of the painting by placing short excerpts from literary or poetic texts - which concern social and cultural issues - in a smaller script next to or around the large central letter. Ali Omar paints with single or multiple colours and for his works which focus on the single letterform, he begins by painting the central letter with a large brush, then builds up the composition by complementing the formal appearance of the letter and highlighting its symbolic significance with additional text. Ali Omar selects letters which draw references to art, literature, and historical periods or the penmanship of regions such as the North African Maghribi script or the Thuluth Diwani scripts of Ottoman Turkey. He also derives inspiration from Andalusia, North Africa, Middle Eastern and other areas of Islamic culture.

Unlike many of his contemporaries, Ali Omars letters are legible, yet his art is very different from calligraphy. While traditional calligraphers work according to specific dictated demands and standards, Ali Omar paints his letters with free-flowing brushstrokes and an innovative flair that sets his art apart from traditional calligraphy as well as the work of his artistic peers. Regarding viewers of his art, Ali Omar acknowledges that audiences who can read Arabic have an advantage when it comes to understanding the literal content of his work; however, he ultimately aims for his paintings to communicate with viewers from all cultural backgrounds:

"As an Arab and Muslim, I feel (and rightly so) that Im a world citizen; after all, this is the Islamic approach to society and mankind. Since I started my first steps in my art, I meant it to be enjoyed and understood by all people, to break the barriers of communication of people and languages Arabic is an ideal visual form, and the musical entity in its movement of the letterform, as in poetry, not only in its literary expression but also in its silent music[al] expressions, the use of space, colour and the power of shifting places in their quiet and noisy effects." (Charles Pocock (ed.) Ali Omar Ermes: In Context, London, 2003).

Arab and world literature, pre-Islamic and early-Islamic texts - most notably eminent poetic statements, wisdom and critical concepts, as well as epic and love poems and celebrated contemporary poetry feature in his paintings. Ali Omar has noted that there are four dimensions to his art - visual, historical, literary and artistic - and the concept of silah (connection) plays a prominent role in his approach to painting. Although the Arabic language connotes a certain sacred significance, since the Holy Qur'an was revealed in Arabic and calligraphy was developed and perfected for Islamic manuscripts, Ali Omar expresses his devotion to religion by avoiding the use of Qur'anic verses in his work.