ARCHITECTURE AND MEMORY: LIGHT CALLIGRAPHY IN PUBLIC SPACE / SAID DOKINS AND LEONARDO LUNA AT THE 11TH SHARJAH CALLIGRAPHY BIENNIAL

The participation of Said Dokins and Leonardo Luna in the 11th Sharjah Calligraphy Biennial in the United Arab Emirates with Heliographies of Memory invites us to reflect on the act of writing and its relationship with public space, memory, and history. In a series of ephemeral interventions, the artists trace inscriptions with light that vanish as soon as they are created but are captured through long-exposure photography.

This dialogue between the visible and the invisible, the permanent and the fleeting, deeply impacts how we understand inscription, the central theme of the biennial. Light, which draws symbols that fade in the air, becomes a metaphor for the transient nature of the city. Dokins and Luna remind us that memory is a living process, continuously rewritten.

Calligraphy, in its purest form, is an act of inscription loaded with meaning. Here, light replaces ink, and air becomes the canvas where words and symbols briefly materialize. This performativity of language transforms architectural space into a dynamic stage where history and identity are continually negotiated.

In places like the Monument to Resistance and the Khorfakkan Amphitheater, these light interventions highlight the monumentality of the space while offering a new layer of meaning, intertwining heritage with contemporary experiences.

Sharjah

Sharjah has evolved from a coastal village with origins dating back to 5000 BCE to a modern city that, unlike other emirates, has prioritized the preservation of its cultural heritage. Its growth, driven by its strategic location and an influx of expatriates, has been marked by an attempt to balance the hypermodernization present in the Emirates with the preservation of its architectural and historical legacy.

As the city expands, it faces challenges like improving public transportation and reducing its carbon footprint while protecting its cultural identity. This makes it fertile ground for such explorations. Here, architecture is not just a passive witness of the past but a repository of memory that actively interacts with the present. A relevant question arises: How can we preserve the authenticity of historical memory without sacrificing the adaptability of space for future generations?

Said Dokins and Leonardo Luna. Veil of Salt Water and Stone, Khorfakkan Amphitheater, 11th Sharjah Calligraphy Biennial, 2024

Tradition, Innovation, and the Ephemeral Nature of Memory in Public Space

Contemporary architectural projects that seek to integrate tradition and innovation, ranging from Aljada Central Hub or BEEAH Headquarters by Zaha Hadid to the House of Wisdom by Foster + Partners, exemplify how spaces can become bridges between the old and the contemporary, allowing heritage and nature to merge into new narratives.

In this context, Heliographies of Memory proposes a work where the notion of architecture and public space is in constant flux. Yet, each moment leaves an inscription—whether of stone or light—a permanent mark that, over time, slowly erodes, much like the ever-changing and enduring desert. As Walter Benjamin notes, “Knowledge comes only flashlike. The text is the long roll of thunder that follows”. Each stroke of light is a fleeting instant that captures the essence of a place and a moment, but also leaves room for new interpretations to emerge.

Dokins and Luna invite us to rethink the concept of heritage, not as something fixed or immutable, but as an ongoing dialogue between what we remember and what we choose to forget. Architecture, calligraphy, and photography merge in their work to transform public space into a living archive where memory, like light, never stops moving.

Said Dokins and Leonardo Luna. History Stands Guard, Kalba Fort, Sharjah Calligraphy Biennial, 2024

About the 11th Sharjah Calligraphy Biennial

The Sharjah Calligraphy Biennial, now celebrating its 11th edition, has since its founding in 2004 been a platform for the promotion of calligraphy in its purest form, as well as a space for artistic experimentation and reflection on its significance in the contemporary world. This year, under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Mohammad Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah, the biennial has brought together more than 260 artists from around the world, highlighting the diversity and richness of calligraphic art on a global scale.

The Heliographies of Memory exhibition at the Sharjah Art Museum is part of the contemporary art section related to calligraphy and will be open until November 30 of this year.