Nja Mahdaoui
Edition print, W-42cm x L-32cm [Without frame]
Minimum Price: £100
Auction Ref – #10
Artist Spotlight: Nja Mahdaoui
Nja Mahdaoui (b. 1937, Tunis) is celebrated as a “choreographer of letters” and an “explorer of signs,” renowned for transforming Arabic calligraphy into pure visual rhythm. His dynamic compositions—drawn from myth, poetry, and sacred texts—move beyond literal meaning to become abstract expressions of energy and movement. Best known for his ink on parchment works, Mahdaoui also experiments with wood, metal, papyrus, and fabric, pushing the boundaries of traditional calligraphic form into contemporary art.
After studying at the Atelier Libre in Carthage and earning a degree in graphic design from the Accademia Santa Andréa di Roma, Mahdaoui received a Tunisian government scholarship to study at the Cité Internationale des Arts in Paris. A prolific artist, writer, and illustrator, he has designed tapestries, book covers, and large-scale installations displayed in major international institutions—including La Maison des Cultures du Monde (Paris), the Museum Kuala Lumpur, and the airports of Jeddah and Riyadh. Part of a generation of Arab artists who looked outward for training yet inward for inspiration, Mahdaoui continues to live and work in Tunisia, where his art bridges language, gesture, and form into universal dialogue.
Website: www.njamahdaoui.org