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“Urban experiment” is a series of sculptures that display the word “Mashq”: a word with multiple meanings according to the study presented by calligrapher and Dr. Nassar Mansour in2019, who...
“Urban experiment” is a series of sculptures that display the word “Mashq”: a word with multiple meanings according to the study presented by calligrapher and Dr. Nassar Mansour in2019, who works as a lecturer at the College of Islamic Arts and Architecture at the International Islamic University in Jordan. This study presents an attempt to interpret the meaning of “Mashq” as a word with multiple meanings that has been used in calligraphy since its early stages, and how its verbal meaning changes according to the multiple linguistic meanings the word carries, or according to its artistic and practical use in the planning industry. The figurative and artistic expression of the word “Mashq” in the contemporary world can go beyond its traditional meaning to include broader and more diverse concepts, as it reflects a deep and important meaning in modern, civilized and contemporary life through the continuous effort towards progress, development and mastery. It expresses a commitment to development and continuous development in various aspects of life, which helps individuals and societies adapt to rapid changes and achieve sustainable success. Where speed and rapid changes prevail, “Mashq” plays a vital role in various areas of modern and contemporary life. The Arabic calligraphy of the word is cut "Mashq" from metal sheets where the separation process produces two different entities for the same word where the words and the hollowed out panels are viewed as one of the elements of the final result and not as waste resulting from cutting, his writing Mashq in a spiral shape contributed to reaching different forms of the word, The spiral shape plays with the speed of adaptation and expansion and the continuous movement that does not end and responds to changes quickly. Al-Salem reduces the sculptures and hollowed out metal sheets after exposing them to rust to symbolic formations, clearly indicating the solidity, resistance, influences and challenges facing traditional cultural forms in urban life. "Urban experiment" is inspired by the developments of the last six years that the Kingdom has gone through and the transformation in the general landscape of the Kingdom and reflects the state and concept of hardship in rapid development and the desire to reach perfection, as the Kingdom has recently gone through multiple social, technological and economic developments that led to the requirements of the stage to speedup development and the establishment of huge projects and reforms. The works of "Urban experiment” dealt with modernity that began in the West in the nineteenth century, reflected in the speed of industrialization, development, urbanization and the growth of cities today in the Middle East. Cities emerge from the desert, where buildings and systems are constructed at great speed. Al Salem’s work relies on the production of large-scale, precise word cuts as a sign of rapid progress and its requirements, questioning the cultural impact on the balance between heritage and progress, and how cultural identity can be preserved in the face of technological and urban progress and rapid social change. It is an invitation to reflect on how cities and societies are shaped and developed, and the importance of cultural roots in this formation. Nasser Al Salem’s work has often shown a charged relationship with architecture, as his works dealt with the architectural influences and societal changes on modern cities. AlSalem finds a way to address the word and represent it as a means of his work.
The word ‘Mashq’ reflects a dynamic and changing world by representing continuous effort, rapid adaptation, and constant innovation. It embodies the modernizing spirit that enables individuals and communities to meet new challenges and achieve sustainable progress in a rapidly changing world, and explores how language responds to cultural, technological, and social changes in this changing world.” It evokes the beauty of Arabic calligraphy and the human capacity or desire to acquire knowledge.
The word "Mashq" comes from the Arabic language, and has deep historical and cultural roots. Especially in the arts, Arabic calligraphy, literary and cultural heritage, the word "Mashq" carries multiple meanings related to effort, continuous training, and self-development. This word is not only part of the Arabic linguistic heritage, but also reflects important cultural values related to perseverance and mastery in various areas of life. It has many source sand origins that enhance its meanings and applications. These practices are based on ancient educational and cultural traditions, and continue to influence artistic education and self-development to this day.