Hassan Massoudy blends the essences of the contemporary and the historical by interweaving elements of Eastern and Western artistic traditions.
While maintaining the legacy of tradition, he simultaneously breaks away from its boundaries, promoting an evolution of writing forms. Inspirations for his compositions are drawn from a wide range of sources, ranging from the verses of poets to the prose of writers from different cultures to the eternal wisdom of folk sayings. Each trait in his work reflects his unwavering commitment to exploring the nuances of human experience through art.

WORKS ON DISPLAY

وأطلب العز في لظى ودع الذل ولو كان في جنان الخلود ـ المتنبي ـ القرن العاشر
Lotta per la dignità anche all’inferno e rifiuta l’umiliazione anche in paradiso
Strive for dignity even in hell, and refuse humiliation even in paradise. al-Mutanabbi
2009. Ink on paper. 75x55cm

المرتحل الحق يجهل اين يتجه ـ لي تسو
Un buon viaggiatore è colui che non sa dove sta andando
A good traveller is one who does not know where he is going to. Lin Yutang
2006. Ink on paper. 75x55cm

التقدم لا يعني اتساع الامتلاك انما العيش باتساع _ غاندي
Nello sviluppo non si tratta tanto di avere un vantaggio quanto di essere avanti.
With development it’s not a question of having an advantage so much as to be ahead. Gandhi
2008. Ink on paper. 75×55 cm

لي قلب له اليك عيون ناظرات وكله في يديك ـ منصور الحلاج ـ القرن العاشر
Il mio cuore ha occhi solo per te ed è completamente nelle tue mani
My heart has eyes only for you, and is completely in your hands. al-Hallaj
2006. Ink on paper. 75x55cm

لم اتكلم الا على نصف ما رأيته – ماركو بولو
Non ho raccontato la metà di quello che ho visto
I did not tell half of what I saw. Marco Polo
2024. Ink on paper. 75x55cm

سافر اذا ماشئت قدرا سار الهلال فصار بدرا ـ الاعز بن قلا قس
Viaggia se punti a un certo valore. Percorrendo i cieli la mezzaluna diventa luna piena
Travel if you aim for certain value. By travelling the skies the crescent becomes a full moon. Ibn Qalakis
2005. Ink on paper. 75x55cm

Con l’argilla creiamo vasi, ma il vuoto al loro interno da al vaso la sua funzione.
With clay we make vases, but the emptiness within gives the vase its use. Laozi
2003. Ink and pigment on paper. 27×20 cm

BIOGRAPHY

Hassan Massoudy (Najaf, Iraq, 1944) studied classical calligraphy in Baghdad and has lived in France since 1969 where he pursued art studies at the École Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-Arts in Paris. Massoudy writes large letters in bright colors on paper or canvas to create works that bring traditional Arabic script into a contemporary context. Inspired by Eastern and Western authors, poets and philosophers, he draws the viewer’s attention to the sculptural dimensionality and aesthetic wonder of both the letter form and the process of tracing it on paper. His works are legible, and the author claims that legibility is an element of essential importance in his work. Massoudy has become an important reference point for artists who call themselves calligraffiti. Street artist El Seed, who uses calligraphy in his art, said the work of Iraqi painter Hassan Massoudy was a major source of inspiration for him: “Massoudy’s work was totally different from anything I had seen before, from the shapes of the letters to the use of color. He completely revolutionized the art of calligraphy.”