MOCAfest 2015: Brushing up on calligraphy with Ruh al-Alam

This designer and visual artist constantly evolve his work to push out of tradition and embrace modern influences. British-born Ruh al-Alam was raised in the UK by his Bangladeshi parents. Trained as a traditional calligrapher, his deep passion for graphic arts led him to experiment with design and typography. Together with designer Peter Gould, Ruh … Read more

Peter’s Picks: Exploring Art’s Intersections

This week, Peter Gould spreads the word about a calligrapher who expands her artistic boundaries to venture into entirely different realms of expression. Soraya Sanders is a gifted calligrapher based in the UK. Her recent project, Hurriyah (video below; meaning “Freedom” in Arabic), is a stunning creative fusion of calligraphy, animation and dance. Soraya has pushed and shifted … Read more

Bridging Business to the Arts: Dubai dazzles in 2014 MOCAfest

The power of creative industries to enable economic empowerment and social enterprise was highlighted in Dubai last year when it hosted the 7th edition of MOCAfest (Marketplace of Creative Arts) at the Madinat Jumeirah from October 28 to 30, 2014. For the second year running, MOCAfellows – the World Islamic Economic Forum Foundation (WIEF) art … Read more