Join us at Tephra ICA at Signature for an opening reception and artist talk with exhibiting artist Abdulrahman Naanseh.
Abdulrahman Naanseh is a Syrian artist whose work reimagines Arabic calligraphy as a deeply personal and politically conscious visual language. Rooted in classical traditions passed down by his father, a self-taught calligrapher, Naanseh’s evolving practice bridges the literary, linguistic, and visual, interrogating the complex entanglements of religion and politics in his native Syria. Drawing from ancient and modern Arabic poetry, phonetic analysis, and lived experience, he explores how the written word can embody cultural resistance and personal reflection. His innovative calligraphic style moves beyond legibility to inhabit a liminal space between text and image, making each composition a site of layered meaning and emotional resonance.