The calligrapher Wassam Shouqat has created his own unique font, 'Wassam', presenting an exhibition of the same name at an art center in Dubai. The exhibition highlights a 22-year journey of its development, where the artist respects the depth of classical calligraphic traditions while avoiding mere imitation. As Wassam Shouqat told 'Al-Ittihad', the exhibition represents a long journey in developing the 'Wassam' font, which originated from his work in logo design. He was initially challenged to use a modern style of calligraphy in a project, which led him to experiment with unfamiliar forms. He discovered that clients were drawn to this style, and projects using this font began to accumulate without fixed rules, as he adapted the shapes to suit each design. He first used the 'Wassam' font in an artwork in 2009, a piece titled 'Basmala', which received both praise from some and criticism from other calligraphers. Shouqat emphasized his vision that art is about creativity, innovation, and development, not just repeating the past. He noted that the criticism he faced did not deter him from developing his font, pointing out that those who developed current scripts may have also faced criticism in their time for their innovative touches. Shouqat has presented his font in numerous exhibitions in Damascus and New York. Some letters went through ten stages of change, while others through five. He believes the font still has potential for development but won't change drastically, as creating a new font takes years, and the development of letters must maintain consistency within a single work. A pivotal year for his work was 2020, when he used the quarantine during the COVID-19 pandemic to invest in developing the letters and establishing complete rules. The theme of love is prominent in Shouqat's work. When invited to exhibit in New York, he chose to emphasize love as a universal theme that resonates in daily life. For color, he sometimes chooses based on the paper's color and other times to suit the text's meaning. His works are distinguished by the use of natural inks that can last for centuries. Wassam Shouqat expressed his happiness at holding the exhibition in Dubai, considering it one of his largest dedicated to a single type of script. He emphasized that the exhibition is not only a timeline of his development but also educational, teaching patience and conveying an important message about the importance of innovation in Arabic calligraphy.
