Ahmed Moustafa, Egyptian b. 1943 The Cube of Cubes

Lot description

Ahmed Moustafa, Egyptian b. 1943- The Cube of Cubes; resin and gold leaf, with accompanying catalogue in Arabic and English 16.7 x 16.7 x 16.7mm Provenance: Sold on behalf of The Al Tajir Trust The subject matter of this work is derived from ‘The Most Sublime Purpose in Explaining the Attributes of Divine Perfection’, the treatise by Abu Hamid al-Ghazzali (450-505AH / 1058-1111AD). The accompanying ‘Cube of Cubes’ artefact measures 16.7 x 16.7 x 16.7cm when closed, and when open raises to 31.7cm, revealing the 99 Divine Attributes. The cube structure is manufactured from synthetic resin, whilst the inner sections are laminated with a 24-carat gold coating. Note: Ahmed Moustafa, born in Alexandria, Egypt in 1943, is a renowned artist, calligrapher, and scholar of Arabic art and design. He graduated with distinction from the Faculty of Fine Arts, University of Alexandria in 1966, where he later taught painting and stage design until 1973. In 1974, he received a scholarship to study advanced printmaking at the Central School of Art and Design in London, earning a master’s degree with distinction in 1978. During this time, he developed a deep interest in Arabic calligraphy, particularly the theories of the Abbasid calligrapher Ibn Muqla. He lectured in Arabic calligraphy at the Central School between 1980 and 1982 and was later awarded a Ph.D. in 1989 by the Council for National Academic Awards for his research on the scientific foundations of Arabic letterforms, conducted in collaboration with the British Museum. In 1983, Moustafa founded the Fe-Noon Ahmed Moustafa Research Centre for Arab Art and Design in London. His international career includes lectures, workshops, and high-profile commissions, such as a piece presented by Queen Elizabeth II to Pakistan on its 50th anniversary in 1997 and in 1998, he was invited to exhibit at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome. He has been based in London since 1974.