Uday Al Araji

Uday Al Araji is an Iraqi calligrapher and multidisciplinary artist based in Dubai, with an artistic and professional practice spanning more than three decades. His work bridges the classical heritage of Arabic calligraphy with a contemporary artistic vision, driven by a deep engagement with the structure, rhythm, balance, and expressive possibilities of the letter across both Arabic and Latin scripts.

Al Araji’s journey began with the traditions and classical schools of Arabic calligraphy, later developing through an extensive study of the works of master calligraphers, particularly those of the Ottoman tradition. Following his move to Dubai in 2002, the city’s diverse cultural environment enabled him to broaden his practice and explore the history and structure of Latin scripts alongside his continued development in Arabic calligraphy, shaping an artistic path that moves between heritage and contemporary expression, meticulous craftsmanship and creative exploration.

His practice encompasses classical and contemporary Arabic calligraphy, Latin calligraphy, and abstract works inspired by letterforms, as well as live calligraphy, engraving, and personalisation across a variety of materials and surfaces. He has created works and bespoke projects within cultural, artistic, commercial, and luxury contexts, and throughout his career has collaborated with a number of internationally recognised luxury houses and brands, including Cartier, Dior, Louis Vuitton, Montblanc, Tiffany & Co., Van Cleef & Arpels, Bvlgari, Hermès, Fendi, Piaget, and others.

Beyond his artistic and professional practice, Al Araji is deeply committed to the transmission, preservation, and development of calligraphic knowledge. He was selected by the Dubai Culture and Arts Authority (Dubai Culture) to teach Arabic calligraphy at its art centres, where he served as a calligraphy instructor for more than three years, contributing to the teaching of the art and the transmission of its knowledge and skills to new generations of practitioners and enthusiasts. He has also contributed to the wider cultural landscape of Arabic calligraphy through education, exhibitions, and judging.

At the heart of Uday Al Araji’s practice is a continuing exploration of the letter—not merely as a means of writing, but as form, movement, rhythm, identity, and visual memory. Through this exploration, he seeks to create a living connection between inherited knowledge and contemporary expression, while investigating the spaces in which the letter can move beyond its linguistic function to become an artistic form in its own right.