Amal Al Gurg Discusses Ramadan Collaboration with Van Cleef & Arpels in Canvas Interview

In an interview for Canvas magazine, artist Amal Al Gurg details her Ramadan collaboration with Van Cleef & Arpels, titled Harmonious Silence. The project draws inspiration from moments of stillness before prayer during Ramadan, using the Arabic calligraphy accent Sukoon to represent silence. Al Gurg explains that the collaboration was influenced by a 3D animation campaign created by Burcu & Geoffrey for Van Cleef & Arpels, which inspired her to visualize solar concepts of silence. Her artistic process involves ink, reed, and paper, with colors derived from desert scenes after sunset, including silver ink for starry nights and green for palm trees. Storytelling and mindfulness are central to her practice, emphasizing consistency and reflection. Al Gurg notes that working with Van Cleef & Arpels is a full-circle moment, as her teachers Majid Al Yousef and Wissam Shawkat have previously collaborated with the Maison. Her background in graphic design informs her approach to letterforms, allowing her to see shapes within Arabic calligraphy. Mirroring and repetition play a meditative role in her work, contributing to a growing body of art. The interview originally appeared in Canvas 117: The Maghreb Issue.