Secret of
Script

Fall 2023

Secret of Script is a research & speculative project that
transcends the written word, exploring the visual potential
of Arabic letterforms. Inspired by the tradition of Hurufism,
which unveils esoteric and symbolic meanings of the Arabic
alphabet, the project culminates in a series of illustrations,
a card deck, and an animation piece that explore the zoomorphic
and anthropomorphic transformations of letters into flowers,
birds, and humans. The project illuminates the mystical
dimensions of the Arabic script, inviting the viewer to
experience the hidden layers it embodies.

As said by Attar:

Alif was the first one in origin,
It then brought forward a number
of connections:

When it became crooked it was counted as the dāl د
When it put another bend upon itself, it then became rā ر
O ignorant one! When the alif is bent like a reed,
Its both ends then became crooked as the bā ب
When the alif became a horseshoe,it then became a nūn ن

While researching various ways Arabic letterforms were
used to create visuals, I decided to categorize my findings
into three booklets based on: HUMANS, ANIMALS & PLANTS.

The second part of the project consists of
visualzing “The Act of Genesis and its Stages”
a famous diagram by Ibn Arabi that details the
symbolism of each Arabic letter. The result is
a card deck that illustrates every letter
corresponding to its metaphorical meaning.

Illustration Series

- Out on the street I found a letter there was no envelope nothing written inside like a Qalandar dervish it kept hidden its form lost its designation gone the script that gave it life worn from its skin or maybe it’s a Hurufi letter its writing secret its letter on the way as though the envelope enveloped the whole world -Haydar Ergülen

Process & Research

The below publication encapsulates my semester-long research
delving into the intricacies of Arabic script beyond its
linguistic boundaries. My primary focus in this work is on
the phenomenon of Aljamiado, where Arabic letterforms are
employed to express languages such as Spanish, Portuguese,
Bosnian, Albanian, etc. The work delves into medieval sources,
unraveling the techniques used by Albanian writers who
navigate this linguistic fusion. The publication explores
their profound connections to letter mysticism and poetry,
adding to our understanding of this cross-cultural exchange.

All the wisdom of the letters, thirty-two, lies in union with you -Imadeddin Nesimi- All the wisdom of the letters, thirty-two, lies in union with you