I opened my email this morning to find a special gift from my calligrapher friend, Malik Anas Al-Rajab. This is my name, Alice Young in Arabic, written by Haidar Rabee, a well-known Iraqi calligrapher (Malik’s teacher) and embellished by Malik. Of course I love it!
Congratulations to my friend, Malik Anas Al-Rajab, in Baghdad, whose work has been accepted for the Letter Arts Review 2007 Annual!
I wrote about Malik in my March 14th post. At the time, I was preparing my submission to Letter Arts Review Annual, so I asked Malik if I could help him enter his work, as well. We needed a large, high-res file for submission and since sending a CD from Iraq was pretty much out of the question, the only option was several files his uncle had on CD outside of Iraq. So, we scrambled to get them and I submitted his work along with my own. His work was accepted this issue; mine wasn’t – LOL! (It’s okay, I’m in the last two LAR Annuals and an upcoming issue! :)
I’m thrilled that Malik’s work has been recognized. Here’s hoping that by the time Review 2007 is published, the postal service is running again in Baghdad and he can see his work in print. Here’s to peace in Iraq; here’s to a young man with the presence of mind to concentrate on calligraphy in a war zone! Well done, Malik!
Wow! I’ve just discovered the work of Malik Anas. I’m amazed and impressed with the work he is doing … in Baghdad. The most original, beautiful contemporary Arabic calligraphy I’ve seen… being done in the midst of the frustrations and trials of a city under seige... truly inspiring.
