"The installation by Moroccan-French artist Sara Ouhaddou centers on a massive sculptural interpretation of the Arabic word 'al Qalam,' meaning 'The Pen.' The bright yellow structure twists across the lawn in abstract calligraphy inspired by Islamic architecture, resembling an oversized piece of typography dropped into the Financial District."
"The artwork honors the writers and poets of Little Syria, a downtown enclave once home to immigrants from what was then known as Greater Syria, encompassing present-day Lebanon, Syria and historic Palestine. At its peak, the neighborhood stretched along Washington Street near the Battery and became an important cultural hub for Arabic-language literature in America."
"The installation also includes two curved mosaic panels fitted onto nearby stone benches. Embedded within the mosaics are excerpts from the writers' works rendered in Ouhaddou's signature abstract script. Visitors can scan the pieces using an augmented reality app developed by the Washington Street Historical Society to hear poems read aloud in both Arabic and English while learning about the writers themselves."
A new public artwork titled Al Qalam: Poets in the Park has been unveiled in Elizabeth H. Berger Plaza, honoring the literary legacy of Little Syria. This neighborhood was home to Arabic-speaking immigrants from the 1880s until its demolition in the 1940s. The installation features a large sculptural representation of the Arabic word for 'pen' and includes mosaic panels with excerpts from notable writers like Kahlil Gibran. An augmented reality app allows visitors to hear poems in Arabic and English while learning about the writers.
Read at Time Out New York
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