eL Saeed's 3D visit in Dubai

eL Saeed has taken the Arab world by storm with his impeccable talent of sweeping curves of letters painted astoundingly in freehand and displayed in bold colours. He has revived the elegance of the Arabic language as par with his generation.

Tunisian artist, eL Saeed

Born in Paris as Faouzi Khleefi to Tunisian parents, eL Saeed exquisitely fusions the traditional Arabic calligraphy font with a contemporary style of graffiti, giving it a fresh and vibrant kink. After devoting all his time to this new form of street art, “calligraffiti”, the revolutionary artist has emblazoned the art world with his mark.

His journey began in 2012, when he painted a magnificent minaret of a mosque in Gabes, Tunisia, and his trail of transcendent talent led him all the way to Montreal, Paris, New York, Doha, and recently even to Dubai. His trademark calligraffiti style and an impressive profile as an artist have been skyrocketing ever since. It is not just the style that have captivated the admiration of thousands, but it is also the level of accuracy executed in painting the words that cannot be paralleled without the use of some sort of meticulous instrument or digital programme, and the gripping messages he tries to convey through his artworks.

eL Saeed's calligraffiti on a minaret in Gabes, Tunisia

The painting of the minaret for example bore a verse from the Holy Quran that urges people to celebrate their disparities. This displayed that his artwork was not a notorious act of vandalism but a sincere expression of his thoughts and emotions, which he chooses to portray through art. There is another recurring phrase that he paints in his murals that are donned on several walls during his travels, “Love is the miracle of civilization”.

Saeed finds a surface to make his artwork in every country he travels

For the past year, eL Seed has been residing in Dubai at the Tashkeel studio hub, painting his signature calligraffiti style on several bare walls. He also showcased a splendid exhibition titled ‘Declaration’ that he had been planning since April and working seriously on its execution since June. It was held under the patronage of the Sheikha Salama bint Hamdan Al Nahyan Foundation, where in eL Seed literally stepped up his art to another dimension.

He incorporated 3D effects in his existing style thus forming very large, three-dimensional shapes, making the letters and words of his script-based art, life-size and cascading down walls and curving around corners of the hall, allowing guests to step over, under and around them. it was a surreal experience for the guests as they could literally view his artwork as a four-dimensional sculpture. 

Saeed's debut at Tashkeel studio

Apart form such a vivid experience, the message eL Saeed tried to convey through the visually stunning sculptures was even more inspiring as they bared hints of romanticism for the artist. The words were taken from a poem written by a Syrian poet, Nazir Qabbani, who was renowned for his sensual compositions, and the one eL Saeed chose was a poem that the poet wrote to his wife telling her that her beauty was timeless, and no matter how much she aged; she would always be beautiful in his eyes. eL Saeed seized those words to make a parallel emotional reference to his feeling towards his art – an eternal commitment. He expressed, “This show is a love declaration to calligraphy. It is an ageing art and it deserves to be honored – this poem perfectly matches that idea”.

The exhibition was a massive showcase of his artwork and also his debut in the Dubai art scene, so eL Saeed decided to display a larger-than-life sort of a show. After envisioning the concept, he solicited the help of Bahar Al Bahar, a proficient designer and 3-D specialist in the region, Dima Masoud, an exhibition designer, and also recruited up to 30 carpenters and on-site engineers to assist with the installation of his sculptures. About the experience working on the sets he said, “It was a big struggle but it was a learning experience. This was my first try, so it was really experimental, but I will definitely continue it.”

Saeed developed his calligraffiti artwork as 3D scultptures

The closing of his exhibition however marked the end of his residency in Dubai but paved the way to the next enthusing stage of his career. While sharing his thought about his residency in Dubai he expressed, “When I started this residency, I was very aware of the labels already placed upon me as an Arab street artist, so the goal, ultimately, is to break free of those names. I don’t think I have achieved it yet, but this exhibition, where I have not used spray paint or a brush but created an installation, which is something that I have never done before, is one of the steps and the end of this residency marks a new turn in my artistic career.”

eL Saeed truly portrays the attributes of a true artist, one who never quits or stops in his quest to achieve progress and who is progressive in terms of experimenting with new styles and media. And while having all these qualities he also displays a refreshingly humble temperament. He believes that his art represents him and admits that he is thankful for being born and raised in Paris as it led him to finding and reconnecting with his roots and ultimately reviving the Arabic language through his art.

eL Saeed wishes Eid Mubarak through in his style

Due to this honest representation of him, eL Seed is now among the most esteemed artists of his generation and continues to become more established each day through his work that has inspired a wave of empowerment in the Arab world over the span of just a few years.