Since moving to London in August 2012, I try not to miss the Science Museum Lates taking place every last wednesday of the month. The museum opens from 6.45 till 10pm offering a variety of activities to enjoy the night and learn about science. This month’s theme was Space.
Yesterday, I’ve been to Leighton House Museum once again (first time, it was for “Dardasha”) for an exhibition named “Hurriyah” (Arabic word for Freedom) as part of Nour Festival where we also had an Arabic Calligraphy workshop. It was interesting for me to try to write following rules with an artistic perspective which I’m not used to at all when communicating in Arabic.
Leighton House Museum is one of the major scenes of Nour Festival’s events, few weeks ago, I’ve been to Dardasha where I discovered this amazing place. This time the purpose is to learn Arabic Calligraphy. As I am a native Arabic speaker, I thought I might take the lead in the class and just write amazing words with calligraphy but it was not the case at all… A chinese friend was much better without having any clue on what she was writing or what the letters are! What she had more than I do is patience. I’m definitely not a patient person when it comes to take things fairly slowly. Moreover, the artist Soraya Syed who also guides us through the workshop mentioned “patience and passion”. At the end, I realise that it’s more an art than a language. No knowledge of Arabic is needed, all you have to speak is the language of art.
Nour Festival’s official website describes the animation we have seen as follow:
“Hurriyah is an animation installation by Soraya Syed. Exploring the visual and literal power of words and the emotive term freedom, Hurriyah is written in an emblematic form, personified, standing tall as if a boat set out to sea with the wind in her sails, unraveling backwards until she ends as she began – a dot.”
For more information about the exhibition and the artist Soraya Syed make sure to visit this website: http://www.artofthepen.com/
Today, I’ve been to Science Museum for the monthly Lates. The theme is Space and what I can say they surely did take me to space! As usual, the daily exhibition stays throughout the night plus new activities tailored just for the night! I had a very large choice, actually more than usual but I’ve chosen what I do usually… Punk Science. It is a 45 minutes lecture (yes, it’s like I don’t get enough of them…) about science but presented in a funny and comic way where the audience interacts and build up the show. I learn new things while I “LOL”! I’m looking forward to the next event which will be about Robots.
Stay tuned, I'll soon be coming to a city near you.
