Nja Mahdaoui

Nja Mahdaoui (born 1937) is a Tunisian artist known for his use of calligraphy as a graphic art form. He has often been described as a 'choreographer of letters.'

Early life and education Nja Mahdaoui was born in Tunis in 1937. He initially studied painting and art history at Carthage National Museum, but later, encouraged by the director of the Italian Cultural Centre in Tunis, studied painting and philosophy at the Santa Andrea Academy in Rome (1966–1968).

Career Mahdaoui began his career as an abstract painter in the 1960s, then continued by experimenting with Arabic calligraphy. Mahdaoui has tried various traditional and experimental media. He produced his first paintings on parchment in 1972, he became interested in weaving and carpet production in 1979 and he began to paint on animal skins and on the human body in 1980.

Mahdaoui is of a generation of Arab artists who studied abroad but sought inspiration from their traditional roots. Rose Issa, a curator, has described his work saying, "Mahdaoui is careful not to emphasize the meaning of words but stresses instead the visual effect of compositions. His 'calligrams' evoke infinite pleasures in rhythms, fast or slow, born from tension of the wrist, somewhat in the manner of a melodic flow, rising and fading away".

In 2000, he was also selected by Gulf Air to design the external decoration of its fleet for the airline's fiftieth anniversary. The bass drum was created in 1998 with wood and given calligraphic embellishments by Mahdaoui.

Awards

'The UNESCO Crafts Prize for the Arab States' in 2005 'Great prize for Arts and Letters' from the Tunisian Ministry of culture in 2006 'First Prize at the Fifth International Calligraphy and Calligraph-Art Exhibition' in Kabul, 2007