Abstraction
and Calligraphy

Towards a Universal Language

Hello young visitor, I see that your bold spirit brought you here.

I am Qalam, a writing tool that has existed for thousands of years and witnessed civilizations, rise and fall.

Let me tell you
a story about how writing came to be.

A long time ago, people drew detailed pictures on surfaces such as walls, animal skin and clay tablets.

However, as ancient civilizations developed, these images were transformed into simpler forms and signs known as Pictograms.

People used Pictograms to record important daily tasks.

Eventually, with time, these signs became symbols that mimicked sounds. They became the first letters of the Alphabet.

Some modern day artists express their experiences, values and emotions in non-traditional ways. They use shapes, colours, forms and symbols to create Abstract Art.

Hidden within this exhibition are four different ways that artists used Alphabets, Pictograms and Abstraction to express themselves.

Can you find them?

Once you have discovered them all, use the gesture wall at the end of this journey to explore your own creativity.

Remember to follow the turquoise pictograms within the exhibition to help guide you.

Let’s begin!

Tap on the first one you find.