هدم معالم تراثية في الجامع الحسيني

للأسف تم هدم سبيل الماء في ساحة الجامع الحسيني الكبير في عمّان بإشراف وزارة الأوقاف وأمانة عمّان والمقاول. 

هذا الإرث الإنساني الذي لا طالما روى ظمأ الآلاف من المارة بمختلف ألوانهم ومشاربهم ويؤكد على فلسفة فن العمارة الإسلامية ودورها الإجتماعي في المساحات العامة، هذا المعلَم الفني المميز كان من تصميم النحاتة الأردنية الراحلة منى السعودي (١٩٤٥ – ٢٠٢٢) ونفذته في عام ١٩٩٣ وأتى على شكل شبه مكعب يكتسي بالحجر الأردني المنقوش وبداخله مقرنصات تكعيبية تحاكي فن العمارة المملوكية التجريدية وبالأخص ميضأة جامع ابن طولون في القاهرة، وكانت فيما أذكر تحتوي على زجاج معشق ملون بداخلها. وازدانت جوانب السبيل بكتابات بخط الثلث محفورة بالحجر ومطلية باللون الأخضر من أعمال الخطاط الأردني الرائد الأستاذ رياض طبّال.
بحسب إفادة أصحاب المحال المجاورة للجامع، أن ساحة الجامع الخارجية والجامع ككل تخضع لصيانة وإعادة لإعادة تأهيل، ولذلك فإن آليات ثقيلة قامت بهدم السبيل إلى لا رجعة، ولم يكن هناك نية لحفظه أو تفكيكه أو لإرجاعه فيما بعد! 

وفي مقال ظهر اليوم على موقع سرايا/نبض الإخباري المحلي، فإن مسؤولاً في وزارة الأوقاف علّل سبب إزالة السبيل لأنهم شاهدوا “زجاج الخمر” بجواره.. أكاد لا أصدّق بصراحة! ماذا لو وجدت بعض القوارير الكحولية بجانب: جامع الفتح في حي المحطة، أو القصر الأموي بجبل القلعة، أو الخزنة في البتراء.. هل الحل هو الهدم والإزالة!

هذا أمر في غاية الفوضى والهمجية! 

وكما يوضح التصميم الجديد على لوحة المشروع بالموقع، فإن الميضأة/النافورة الداخلية ضمن صحن الجامع ستذهب مع الريح! هذه القطعة الفنية النادرة من تنفيذ ورشة الحرفي الدمشقي الأشهر أبو سليمان الخياط في عام ١٩٨٧ وتزدان بقبة بهية من الفسيفاء المذهبة شبيهة بروائع الفنون الأموية في دمشق والقدس. 

ماذا نستطيع أن نفعل:
– تصوير وتوثيق الجامع في وضعه الراهن، قد يكون القادم أسوأ!
– إيصال الصوت بعدم المساس بالميضأة/النافورة الداخلية نهائياً.
– أمنية: أن يتم تأسيس لجنة أهلية من الفنانين والمعماريين والحرفيين ذات سلطة في عمّان والمدن الأردنية، وأن يتم التنسيق معها قبل الإتيان بأي قرار همجي مستقبلي.

١- السبيل كما بدا سابقاً، تصويري عام ٢٠١٤

الدمار الحالي، تصويري يوم الثلاثاء ١٩ تموز ٢٠٢٢!

تصويري عام لخطوط الأستاذ رياض طبال كما ظهرت في رمضان ٢٠١٨

لقطة للسبيل، تصوير فاطمة العبادي، ٢٠١٢

الميضأة الداخلية والقبة المميزة التي سوف تهدم بحسب المخطط الجديد، صورة من جوجل

تفاصيل قبة الميضأة الداخلية من أعمال مؤسسة الخياط بدمشق، تصويري عام ٢٠٠٩

القبة كما بدت اليوم بدون الهلال المعدني على رأسها، تصويري في ٢١ تموز ٢٠٢٢

لوحة المشروع!

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Different cities, one soul.

While walking in the city of Madaba last month (South of Jordan), I’ve stumbled upon the signage of this tailor shop, it says: أزياء بندلي Bandali’s Fashion, the usage of the Diwani script in this charming way that shows freedom and appreciation to smoothness and details, it definitely made me loves the signage and sees the clear connection with the tailoring craftsmanship.

And, last night, I was walking in the city of Al-Khobar (Eastern province of Saudi Arabia), 1,642 KM away from Madaba, I’ve found this beautiful sign, which says: رند Rand, and it happens to be the exact same style as the Bandali’s Fashion, and the stunning thing was: Another tailor shop! Wow..

I’m not sure if they were made by the same signmaker, I doubt.. I asked the shop owners in Al-Khobar and they have no idea who’s done the sign for them, while in the one in Jordan was closed when I photographed it. Nevertheless, I’m so glad that I’ve spotted those two gems in two different Arab cities, but with one soul for sure. It’s a proof that there are many things to unite us.

Jordanian influence to the Architecture of the Dune Film 2021?

Again, I’m still amazed by the Dune film by Dennis Villeneuve. The architectural language at Arrakis planet was mind blowing, especially the connections with the Nabatean Kingdom and their utilization of rock carving and plaster finish. However, after a second watch, I have felt that the architectural designer of the movie was inspired, somehow, to a further extent, by the work of Jordanian architects! Please scroll down and check the following screen grabs and photos, and let me know what do you think?

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Dune film, 2021.

Sahel Alhiyari Architecture, Instagram, 2021.

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Dune film, 2021.

Sahel Alhiyari Architecture, Instagram, 2021.

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Dune film, 2021.

Sahel Alhiyari Architecture, Instagram, 2021.

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Dune film, 2021.

Sahel Alhiyari Architecture, Instagram, 2021.

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Dune film, 2021.

Ammar Khammash Architecture, khammash.com, 2011.

Loved the Dune film!

That was my first time in Cinemas since March 2020, and I wanted to break my fast with the long-awaited film: Dune!

It’s based on the 1965 novel by Frank Herbert, and directed by Denis Villeneuve, the film is totally mind-blowing in all of its aspects: The screenplay, the fashion design, the architecture and industrial designs, and of course the music score by Hans Zimmer (They said he turned down Tenet to make Dune!) and the other layers like human aspiration, politics and geology!

But, there was another aspect I didn’t know about until I watched the film, it’s the connections with our Arabian culture! So let’s see the following:

– The planet which has the natural resources they want to obtain (Like nowadays petrol) is called Arrakis = Al-Raqis = The Dancer = الراقص

– Paul, the chosen one, was called: Lisan al-Gaib = Teller of things yet to come = لسّان الغيب

– The monstrous worms called Shai-Hulud: Eternal thing = شيء الخلود

– One of the masters in House Atreides named: Thufir Hawat = The Victorious Protector (?) = ظافر الحوط

And many more terms in the original novel (I just ordered it!) 

The other important thing was the filming locations, the main important scenes of Arrakis planet was shot in our very Wadi Rum, Jordan! Plus some additional sand dunes shots of Liwa desert in Abu Dhabi, UAE. That added another astonishing level to the film, Wadi Rum looked super futuristic and archaic at the same time, in some parts we saw structures and architectural forms in the rocks very similar to Petra! 

Imagine the Nabatean people of Petra, living in the year 10191! What would they wear? How do they deal with hydration and water management? What would be their writing script?

And that’s another reason to LOVE Denis Villeneuve’s works, his appreciation for scripts, I remembered my fascination when I watched his ‘Arrival’ in 2016, where the alien creatures communicated with us in a super deciphered and prestigious script! 

Finally, to tribute the film and its makers, I decided to make an Arabic title/logo and some letterings for it:

Dune = كثيب

Lisan al-Gaib = Teller of things yet to come = لسّان

Fear is a mind-killer = الخوف يقتل العقل 
(English line was set in the official typeface of the film; ITC Blair Light) 

An 800 years Arabic Dietetic book!

I’ve spent the day reading Taqwīm al-ṣiḥḥah تقويم الصحّة, a manuscript written by Ibn Buṭlān, it was presented to Saladin’s son, الملك الظاهر, the King of Aleppo in 1213 AD. Basically, the book is a long mesmerizing chart that’s briefly reviewing many kinds of food, herbs, habits, even music, and sports!

All pages of the content are having the same design, for an instant, the following page is reviewing some types of fruits, and what are the cons and pros and why? And what’s the targeted age group.. plus much interesting information:

What’s the difference between الكمثرى and الأجاص ?

And here is an interesting clipping, which talks about Maqlouba on the section of dishes!

The section of bread types made me look exactly like this emoji:

كتاب: ديوان الخط العربي في سورية – نقوش العمائر المملوكية

هذا الكتاب للباحث المصري د. فرج الحسيني، ومن اصدار مركز دارسات الخطوط بمكتبة الاسكندرية عام 2018 وتم طرحه للجمهور خلال معرض الكتاب الحالي في القاهرة. فيه توثيق لمعظم العمائر المملوكية الموجودة في عدة مدن سورية، وحتى لبعض المباني التي افتقدناها حديثاً كجامع يلبغا (تاريخ الهدم 1985).

يقع الكتاب في 564 صفحة، بقياس 29 * 29 سم.

– تعليقي على الكتاب: هو بالتأكيد مرجع هام يذكرني بكتب الراحل د. قتيبة الشهابي الموسوعية، وأتوقع أن يتبعه كتب أخرى عن العمائر الأيوبية والعثمانية. لكن أتمنى أن تتحسن طريقة استخلاص الكتابات وأسلوب عرضها، فبحسب ما شاهدت عند تصفحي للكتاب، هناك العديد من الاستخلاصات تمت على عجل وبدون مراعاة للتفاصيل الخطية.

 

Used Book Shops in Amman

I just LOVE used books!

Nothing’s more magical to own a book after someone have read it, dog-eared some pages, and lift some doodles and notes here and there! Sometimes I find a book signed by its author, with few little words to another special person to her/him.. that is super incredible! Or a book that was exchanged between friends, family members and so on.. All of these details make the world of used books the right place for me.
Amman, as all​ ​other cities in the world have its own shops that sell second-hand books, hereunder my list for the best ones:

متاجر الكتب المستعملة في عمّان

• Mahall al-Maa محل الماء

Small shop located in Quraish street behind the Amman’s nymphaeum, owned by Hamzeh, a wonderful person, and a true booklover, Hamzeh has a massive collection of books, mostly rare ones! I spend hours and sometimes days overwhelmed his gems! Previously, Hamzeh inherited his late father’s​ ​bookshop under the name of Khazanet Aljahith, until 2017,​ ​he decided to launch his own new venture with a new brand name, and that was: Mahall al-Maa, which translate into English as: The Shop of Water, the concept behind that name came from the fact: water is essential for every life form, and so the books! Hamzeh believes in this value, therefore he launched a new initiative of its kind, he called it:”Take a book and pay as you wish!” Just to support the reading culture!

Despite the difficult economic situation of the country and this business, in particular, Hamzeh’s keeps his promise and encourage
his ‘Guests’ to maintain the reading habit, and he open a 24/7, even if that costs him a lot. A Nobel man! Please visit his facebook page from here.

ELHARF Tour

I’ve guided the design and crafts tour during the 2nd edition of Amman Design Week, the title of the tour was named after my new established project: ElHARF, which will be the home of calligraphy and Arabic visual arts.

The tour started from Calligrapher Shehadeh Haroun’s shop, to meet him and learn from his experience in silkscreen printing, Haroun still using the old-school methods that he acquired from the sign painters of Damascus once he was there 50 years ago! I’ve collaborated with Haroun to produce the English lettering of Amman Design Week, and to demonstrate the essential skills and give some funny tips for the tour members.

Mamdouh Al-Sharif ممدوح الشريف

Mamdouh Al-Sharif, Damascus, Syria, 1885 – 1934.

An Arabic calligraphy artist from Syria, a pioneer in many calligraphic forms, and a revival of the Kufi scripts in the Levant. He practiced and taught calligraphy in his studio in Damascus, and produced significant artworks in Syria and the Arab world.

Today, I’m sharing with you a selected works of Mamdouh Al-Sharif in the Kufi scripts which I believe he exceeded at and added a new Arabian touch to the art of calligraphy whilst the Ottomans were controlling and limiting the Arab people’s life and even their Art back then!

The sources of these works are from my archive and from the internet.

ومن جرّب المجرب حلت به الندامة، من صدق غنم
Mamdouh has experimented in many styles, I’m starting with this minimal one,  he played with the Square Kufi blocks to create an avant-garde piece. 

الثقافة
A masthead/logo for a cultural magazine that was published in Damascus. We see the courage usage of Kufi as a typographic line. 

Ancient Typography from Damascus

After some excavations, I’ve found these beautiful typographical designs of the Safwat-el-Molk mausoleum’s dome, the mausoleum was removed and replaced by the Havana cafe building. It was built between 1110 and 1111 AD for the wife of the Seljuk ruler of Damascus.

Please enjoy looking at these superb and rare Damascene Seljuk Kufic samples.

Info and illustrations from: Ecochard, M. and Sauvaget, J. “Le Tombeau de Safwat al-Molk.” In Les Monuments Ayyoubides de Damas, 1-13. Paris: Editions Boccard, 1938.

 

 

The dome before demolishing.

 

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم إن الله وملائكته

الذين آمنوا صلوا عليه وسلمو تسليما صدق الله العـ

الحمدلله على أفضاله —- على محمد وآله

 

 

 

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