“Varying degrees of self-awareness seem to mark the calligraphic process. Wissam Shawkat’s work has that refreshing feeling and sensitive originality. He is self taught. His friendly and courteous association with various contemporary calligraphers is an important contribute to his remarkable development. His sense of composition and scrupulous attention to detail reflects current achievements in Arabic calligraphy.”

“Among the new generation of calligraphers, the one I admire the most outside of those practicing in Istanbul is Wissam Shawkat. He is well known among his colleagues for his gentle disposition and unpresuming demeanor. In addition to his calligraphic panels in the classical mode, his large Jali Thulth exercises (Tamrin)[which indicate the proportions of each letter by the dot system] adorning new buildings fill me with admiration every time I visit Dubai. Perhaps it is his engineering background that inspires these graphic designs, which blend so well with modern constructions. The feel of his letters would delight the souls of Sami Efendi (1838-1912) and El-Hajj Nazif Bey (1846-1913), two monumental (Jali) names of Islamic calligraphy. My most sincere wish is for Wissam Shawkat to continue to add grace to these immortal letters for many years to come.”

“Wissam Shawkat is an enormously gifted and versatile artist who excels as much in contemporary graphic design as in classical Arabic calligraphy. He is an important shaper of the Gulf-centered renaissance in both graphic arts and calligraphy, and his work bears watching very closely.”

Mohamed ZakariyaCalligrapher – Arlington, Virginia, USA

“I came to know Wissam Shawkat at calligraphy exhibitions in Dubai and was instantly struck by the quality of his compositions, as well as the clean lines of his execution. His work is both muscular and sensitive. Hasan Celebi has pointed out many fine qualities in his work, as well as his excellent personal qualities, which we have all come to admire and rely upon. Mr. Shawkat is also a master of other arts, including advertising, production, and book design, and is an accomplished airbrush artist. In short, I am very pleased to consider Mr. Shawkat one of the outstanding calligraphers of our time and also to think of him as a friend.”

“Wissam Shawkat combines the best of both worlds: a deep understanding of the traditions of Arabic calligraphy and an innovative spirit that uses those traditions in new and refreshing ways.  Mr. Shawkat is clearly at home both with reed pen and digital media, which allows him to integrate his skills as a calligrapher with his understanding of modern design requirements.  This combination of skills is hard to find in Europe and the States, and gives his work a force and clarity that is rarely seen outside Japan.”

Emilie FaureCollection & Exhibition Manager – The Farjam Collection

“I have had the pleasure of working with Mr. Wissam Shawkat on many occasions. Wissam, alongside Dr Venetia Porter and Ms Rose Issa, participated in a panel I organized in March 2009 to explore the influences of Islamic art on Contemporary Middle Eastern art practices. Wissam’s talent as a calligrapher combining traditional practice with contemporary aesthetics was instrumental in making the panel a success. I later worked with Wissam in the context of an exhibition he organized on contemporary calligraphy hosted by The Farjam Collection. His passion for the subject, his curatorial eye, as well as his managerial skills shone through and the exhibition was applauded by experts and the general public alike. In addition to these professional collaborations, I have also had the privilege of frequent encounters with Wissam’s work. With one work in particular, which I pass every morning and every evening. The work is a large-scale piece displayed on a wall in the DIFC’s Gate Village. It has become one of the fixtures of my commute, and yet each time I pass it, I rediscover it. The energy in its lines and the fluidity of its composition lend itself well to a place like Dubai. But what draws me to it each time is not the ease with which the piece fits into it an ever-changing environment, but rather the words that inspired it and now feed imaginary stories. What makes Wissam’s work so awesome to me is its affirmation that calligraphy is not only about making words look beautiful, but also about making them speak to those who cannot read them.”

“There are few professionals outside Landor I would truly consider a partner. Wissam is one of the very few – and working with him always results in the most superbly crafted and creative work. He is my first point of contact for any branding program where calligraphy is involved. Wissam strives for perfection and aspires to achieve calligraphic identities that are true the past yet feel of today.”