Ziad El Kasemy

Sharjah, UAE
Contemporary Abstract Hurufiyya, Expressionist Letterism.

Awards & Honors

Selected Awards & Institutional Honors

  • 2025: The Al Burda International Award for Contemporary Calligraphy (Ministry of Culture, UAE).
  • 2023: Emerging Middle Eastern Artist of the Year (Emaar Art Foundation).
  • 2021: First Prize Laureate, The Sharjah Biennial for Contemporary Islamic Art.
  • 2019: The Dubai Honorary Prize for Innovative Fine Arts.

Artist Biography

Contemporary Abstract Hurufiyya, Expressionist Letterism.
Sharjah, UAE

Raised amidst the rich cultural and architectural topography of the United Arab Emirates, Ziad El Kasemy developed an early fascination with the sacred geometry of Islamic ornamentation and the rigorous disciplines of classical Arabic calligraphy. Observing the historical manuscripts and the timeless shadows thrown by traditional wind-towers (Barajeel) in Sharjah, he sought to decode the structural rhythm of heritage. His subsequent formal training in Fine Arts and Visual Design allowed him to bridge the gap between rigorous traditional craftsmanship and modern architectural minimalism. Today, El Kasemy is recognized as a pioneering vanguard of contemporary Middle Eastern abstraction, synthesizing historic legacies with global spatial contexts.

Artistic Vision & Philosophy

“The Arabic grapheme is not a mere vehicle for linguistic translation or literal communication; it is an autonomous living visual entity possessing innate spiritual, mathematical, and kinetic energy. My philosophy centers on the ’emancipation of the script’—liberating the letterform from textuality and functional readability so it may exist as pure visual rhythm. My canvases are programmatic fields where precious raw mediums, such as 24K gold leaf and oxidized silver, interact with visceral, stormy expressionist strokes. Each piece forms a meditative, silent bridge between sacred heritage and modern architectural space.”

Signature Style

El Kasemy’s oeuvre possesses a distinct visual signature celebrated within the international art market, defined by:

  • The Multi-Layered Impasto Technique: The structural topography of the canvas is built using thick, heavy layers of textured acrylic paste mixed with raw linen fibers. This creates physical, tangible reliefs on the surface that trap and cast actual shadows depending on the room’s ambient light.
  • Arabesque Fusion Architecture: A meticulous, fluid convergence of abstract calligraphic arcs and complex geometric tessellations, transforming the flat canvas into a dynamic, endless spatial pattern.
  • Precious Metallurgical Alchemy: The calculated application of 24-Karat genuine gold leaf, oxidized silver sheets, and platinum foils as foundational structural components. The artist engineered these metals to react shiftingly to both daylight and targeted gallery lighting.

Artistic Maturity

The portfolio of El Kasemy charts a mathematically strict trajectory of growth, which serves as the bedrock of his investment-grade market valuation:

  1. The Sovereign Opulence Phase (Classical Foundation): Focuses on absolute geometric symmetry within grand gilded mandalas. These massive works are designed specifically to command the vast architectural scales of palace foyers and main residential entryways.
  2. The Transitional Continuum Phase (Emancipation of Grapheme): A shift toward luxury minimalism and sequential canvases (Triptychs). The calligraphic elements are rendered in matte charcoal hues, breaking through physical frames to flow continuously across multiple panels.
  3. The Expressionist Zenith Phase (Nocturnal Silence): A total, masterful rebellion against readable forms. The script dissolves completely into dense, sweeping, moody monochromatic compositions accented by oxidized silver and platinum, tailored specifically for high-end home cinemas, private lounges, and royal master suites.

Exhibitions & Art Residencie

  • Solo Exhibitions:
    • The Pulse of Black Gold, Dubai Opera Exhibition Hall (2025).
    • Beyond the Readable Grapheme, Alserkal Avenue, Dubai (2023).
  • Selected Group Exhibitions & Biennials:
    • The 60th International Art Exhibition — La Biennale di Venezia, National Pavilion of the UAE (2024).
    • Contemporary Arab Abstraction, Institut du Monde Arabe, Paris (2022).
    • The Sharjah International Art Biennial (2021).
  • Art Residencies:
    • Selected Resident Artist (6-Month Tenure), Cité Internationale des Arts, Paris, France (2022).

Exclusive Previews

Commissioned Projects

  • 2025: Monumental Calligraphic Wall Sculptures for the Royal VVIP Terminal, Al Maktoum International Airport.
  • 2024: Private Gilded Triptych Commissions for Royal Residential Palaces in Abu Dhabi and Dubai.
  • 2023: Deep-Relief Sculpted Marble Installation, Main Atrium, Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC).

Press, Interviews and Art Criticism

  • Critical Review: “Ziad El Kasemy fundamentally recalibrates the visual philosophy of Arabic calligraphy, elevating the letterform from a linguistic signifier into an architectural organism suited for the stark lines of global modernism.”Harvard Journal of Middle Eastern Art & Architecture, 2024.
  • Media Features: Documented extensively in Architectural Digest Middle East, Canvas Magazine, and Harper’s Bazaar Art.

Public & Corporate Collections

The artist’s works are permanently acquired by major sovereign collections and public museums, including:

  • The Etihad Museum, Dubai.
  • The Barjeel Art Foundation, Sharjah.
  • The Sovereign Royal Collection, Abu Dhabi.
  • The Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art (MACAM), Beirut.

Facets of the Artist's Life

“Beyond the serene sanctuary of his atelier and the meticulous world of ink and calligraphy, Ziad Al Qasimi’s life unfolds in a masterfully balanced rhythm, seamlessly blending a passion for dynamic adventure with a profound reverence for his Emirati heritage in Sharjah. Driven by a quest for mental clarity to fuel his artistic vision, he begins his mornings embracing the vitality of outdoor fitness and the tranquility of nature. Yet, this reflective calm effortlessly gives way to a vibrant, spirited persona—whether he is navigating the majestic golden dunes of the desert or enjoying spontaneous coastal drives with close friends. Remaining deeply anchored in his cultural roots, Ziad embodies traditional nobility astride an Arabian steed at dawn, or walks as a discerning cultural figure through heritage souks and intellectual forums. Ultimately, his lifestyle stands as a testament that true artistry is never detached from daily existence; rather, it is continuously enriched by its raw humanity and profound depth.”

Philosophy of Artworks at M ART GALLERY

Techniques & Mediums

Every artifact curated under Ziad El Kasemy’s name on M ART GALLERY is a certified, singular masterwork executed to rigorous archival specifications. The mediums utilized comprise lightfast, non-fading mineral oil pigments, warp-resistant Belgian linen, and chemically sealed metals designed to resist coastal humidity, salinity, and oxidation for multiple generations.

Featured Collections (Platform Classification)

Curated Investment Collections

The gallery offers global investors three distinct tiers corresponding to the artist’s developmental phases:

  1. The Sovereign Opulence Collection: Large-scale monolithic statements (170×170 cm) fusing gold leaf symmetry for high-ceiling entrance halls.
  2. The Contemporary Continuum Collection: Multi-panel minimalist triptychs featuring organic plaster textures designed for grand corridors and modern beachside villas.
  3. The Nocturnal Silence Collection: Moody, highly tactile silver and platinum expressionist works calibrated for custom home theaters and private executive salons.

Some of the artist creations

Filter

Showing all 3 results

Active FiltersReset FiltersPainting

Collaborate directly with the artist

To create a masterpiece tailored to your spatial dimensions and aesthetic vision. Guided securely by our curation team.

Commission Artwork
Ziad El Kasemy
Mart Gallery

Dissolution of Borders

The Interplay of Light and Charcoal Shadows

Bold, matte charcoal strokes course with majestic self-assurance across a highly tactile, hand-sculpted white plaster terrain, meticulously reminiscent of the timeless weathering found upon ancient fortress walls. From the stark, dramatic juxtaposition of deep black and pristine white, an effusion of liquid gold leaf emerges. It functions not as a mere ornamental device, but as a luminous, pulsing artery of pure light that tethers heritage to destiny. This golden vein gracefully guides the viewer’s gaze on a cosmic visual pilgrimage, flowing with absolute seamlessly across the three panels.

The Sublime Radiance of Emancipation

In this pivotal creation, Emirati contemporary artist Ziad Al-Qasimi transcends the rigid, geometric archetypes of classical Arabic script, venturing into a fluid, ethereal cosmos where physical boundaries dissolve. The triptych captures the precise, volatile moment of spiritual liberation. The letterforms break free from their singular, structural anchor points to cascade across three physically independent canvases. Though separated by space, they remain deeply intertwined by an uninterrupted, invisible current of soul-stirring energy. It is an intellectual invitation to the discerning collector to contemplate the profound philosophy of “the legacy”—how it births from the deep core of the self, extends outward, interlocks with the world, and ultimately abolishes all artificial borders.

Read More »
Ziad El Kasemy
Mart Gallery

Golden Letters

Golden Cadences and the Living Script

This canvas is not merely an artwork to be mounted; it is the physical manifestation of a contemporary philosophical identity. Arabic letters flow in hypnotic, orbital movements and organic, free-form undulations bursting with vitality. They intertwine in an eternal embrace with gilded, contemporary Islamic arabesques, intentionally liberated from literal text or specific scriptural dictation. This is the realm of “Absolute Hurufiyya”—an approach that invites the eye to navigate the pure, unadulterated beauty of sacred geometric composition. The lustrous, active reflection of the 24-karat gold leaf interacts dynamically with the shifting ambient light of the room, bathing your foyer in an aura of legendary opulence and a visual depth that resonates with cultural wealth and timeless heritage, perfectly harmonizing with open maritime vistas and vast architectural horizons.

The Pulse of Contemporary Heritage

Hailing from the profound, ancestral roots of Emirati culture and realized through a breathtaking visual synthesis, master artist Ziad El Kasemy unveils his latest monumental narrative: a transcendent, ultra-luxury canvas measuring 170 × 170 cm. This piece has been meticulously envisioned to crown the grand foyers of stately palaces, coastal villas of modernist architecture, and expansive spatial volumes.

Read More »
Ziad El Kasemy
Mart Gallery

Rebellion Series

Nocturnal Labyrinths

The Emergence of Platinum Arteries

Out of the heart of these dense, heavily stratified embryonic dark clusters—wrought with intense, dramatic impasto brushwork—sharp, luminous fractures of hand-oxidized silver and shimmering platinum leaf forcefully break through. These precious metals do not exist as superficial ornaments. Instead, they act as living, pulsing arteries that split the darkness of the Belgian linen substrate. Interacting dynamically with ambient illumination, they offer the discerning collector an ever-evolving, kinetic visual experience that shifts mesmerizingly with every viewing angle, rendering the piece highly captivating within elite home cinemas and formal residential salons.

The Transmutation

The Serenity of Night and the Gale of Rebellion

In this monumental panoramic creation, Emirati contemporary artist Ziad Al-Qasimi delivers the absolute zenith of his artistic maturity and expressive revolution, defining his definitive “Late Period.” This masterpiece represents his deepest philosophical dive into the realm of the post-letterform, where rigid orthographic and alphabetical structures completely dissolve into tempestuous, kinetic masses that encapsulate the eternal struggle between night and light. This is far from being a mere dark-toned accent wall canvas; it is a calculated visual embodiment of the final dusk. Here, ultra-heavyweight acrylic textures—drenched in midnight blue and abyssal black—merge seamlessly to articulate a sweeping cosmic energy, masterfully anchored by a rigorous, deliberate composition that firmly rejects chaotic or aimless visual clutter.

 

Read More »
error: Content is protected !!