Fathi Hassan's scripts reveal the incredible power of our deep social needs as humans. Of course with speech, but also with ink & paper, we're often trying to express an idea or a feeling to another human being. To write is to let it out, and as Hassan invents his own languages, he'sat once separating the the calligraphy from the meaning of each individual character, transforming the function of letters themselves.Somewhere between an alphabet and a battle cry, we see a potency in the work that also reveals Arabic influences. Born from Sudanese and Egyptian parents, these works reflect the questions asked by those of us who straddle worlds; now living in Italy and exhibiting worldwide, this is the type of modern cave-wall anthropology that we find beautifully hypnotic. In watching the video below, it becomes clear that the intricate detail is meditative for Fathi, while partaking in a style whose function hinges on contrast and a deft spacial sense.
