Light, Shadow and Arabic Calligraphy
A Research Archive of Maysoon and Bassam Shadow Art
This page brings together selected works, process notes, research reflections and documentation from the collaborative shadow art practice of Maysoon Masalha and Bassam Ahmad. The work explores how Arabic calligraphy can become sculpture, and how light can reveal a hidden image connected to the meaning of the written phrase.
This archive is prepared and maintained by Bassam Ahmad as part of his MA Fine Art application, and as a foundation for future practice-led research.
About This Research Archive
This research archive is a growing space for documenting the shadow art practice developed collaboratively by Maysoon Masalha and Bassam Ahmad. It brings together selected artworks, process notes, visual experiments, reflections and research material related to Arabic calligraphy, sculpture, light and shadow.
The archive is not only a portfolio of finished works. It is also a place to study how a written phrase can become a sculptural form, and how light can reveal a hidden image connected to meaning. Over time, this page will continue to grow with new artworks, research notes, videos, process documentation and academic reflections.
The Core Concept
The core idea of this practice is that Arabic calligraphy can become more than writing. The phrase is transformed into a sculptural structure made from solid forms, empty spaces, layers and carefully planned angles.
When the work is seen without light, the viewer may first see a calligraphic object or an abstract sculptural form. When light is placed from a specific position, the sculpture casts a shadow image on the wall. This hidden image is connected to the meaning of the written phrase.
In this practice, the shadow is not an accidental effect. It is part of the artwork’s structure, meaning and experience.
Research Question
How can Arabic calligraphy become a sculptural structure that reveals a hidden image through light and shadow?
This question is at the centre of our practice. We are interested in how a written phrase can move beyond text and become an object, a spatial structure and a visual experience. The shadow is not added after the work is finished. It is planned as part of the meaning from the beginning.
Why Shadow?
In our work, shadow is not treated as a simple visual effect. It is the hidden image that appears when the sculpture meets light. The viewer first sees the physical object, then discovers another image through the shadow.
This moment of discovery is important. It creates a relationship between what is visible and what is hidden, between the written word and the revealed image, and between the material sculpture and the immaterial shadow.
Selected Case Studies
This section presents selected works as case studies within our shadow art research. Each work shows a different relationship between Arabic calligraphy, sculptural structure, light, shadow and meaning.
Title: "Ya Rab" (يارب)
Year: 2024
Materials / Medium: 3D-printed, painted with acrylic
Dimensions: 15 cm (Width) × 23 cm (Height)
Arabic phrase: "Ya Rab" (يارب)
Shadow result: hands lifted in prayer
Ya Rab – A Prayer in Light
Collaborative work by Maysoon Masalha and Bassam Ahmad.
Arabic phrase: يا رب / Ya Rab
Shadow result: Praying hands
This work transforms the Arabic phrase Ya Rab into a sculptural form. When light is placed below the work, the calligraphic structure casts the shadow of praying hands on the wall. The shadow connects directly with the meaning of the phrase, turning the written prayer into a visual moment of devotion and reflection.
Title: Alhamdulillah - A Prayer in Light
Year: 2024
Materials / Medium: 3D-printed, painted with acrylic
Dimensions: 30 cm (Height) × 30 cm (Width)
Arabic phrase: “Alhamdulillah” (الحمد لله).
Shadow result: A man in prayer
Alhamdulillah Rabb Al Alamin
Collaborative work by Maysoon Masalha and Bassam Ahmad.
Arabic phrase: الحمد لله رب العالمين / Alhamdulillah Rabb Al Alamin
Shadow result: A praying figure
This work transforms the Arabic phrase Alhamdulillah Rabb Al Alamin into a sculptural calligraphic form. When the light is placed below the work, the shadow reveals a human figure in prayer. The relationship between the written phrase and the shadow creates a quiet visual expression of gratitude, devotion and spiritual reflection.
Title: Love and Peace – A Prayer in Light
Year: 2024
Materials / Medium: 3D-printed, painted with acrylic
Dimensions: 30 cm (Width) × 15 cm (Height)
Arabic phrase: “Mahabba wa Salam” (محبة وسلام),
Shadow result: A mother and child in prayer
Love and Peace – A Prayer in Light
Collaborative work by Maysoon Masalha and Bassam Ahmad.
Arabic phrase: محبة وسلام / Love and Peace
Shadow result: Mother and child in prayer
This work transforms the Arabic phrase Love and Peace into a sculptural calligraphic form. When light is placed below the work, the shadow reveals a mother and child in a quiet moment of prayer. The relationship between the phrase and the shadow connects love, peace, protection and spiritual tenderness.
Title: Ya Kareem – A Whisper of the Desert
Year: 2024
Materials / Medium: 3D-printed, painted with acrylic
Dimensions: 13 cm (Width) × 30 cm (Height)
Arabic phrase: meaning “O Generous One.”
Shadow result: A man resting beside his camel
Ya Kareem – A Whisper of the Desert
Collaborative work by Maysoon Masalha and Bassam Ahmad.
Arabic phrase: يا كريم / Ya Kareem
Shadow result: A desert scene with a figure, palm trees and a camel
This work transforms the Arabic phrase Ya Kareem into a sculptural calligraphic form. When light is placed below the work, the shadow reveals a quiet desert scene with a human figure, palm trees and a camel. The relationship between the phrase and the shadow connects generosity, prayer, desert memory and Arab cultural identity.
Title: Pillars of Love
Year: 2024
Materials / Medium: 3D-printed, painted with acrylic
Dimensions: 40 cm (Height) × 20 cm (Width)
Main Sculpture: A strong man carrying a pillar
Shadow result: Family love captured inside a heart
Pillars of Love
Collaborative work by Maysoon Masalha and Bassam Ahmad.
Arabic phrase: Not applicable
Shadow result: A family image / a protective human relationship
This work explores love as support, protection and responsibility. The sculptural form is arranged so that, when light is placed below the work, the shadow reveals a human relationship connected to care and family. The title Pillars of Love refers to the unseen emotional structures that hold people together.
Title: Al Adham
Year: 2025
Materials / Medium: 3D-printed, painted with acrylic
Dimensions: 30 cm (Width) × 45 cm (Height)
Arabic phrase: "Al Adham" Arabian horse name
Shadow result: A proud rider and his horse
Al Adham – The Spirit of the Arabian Horse
Collaborative work by Maysoon Masalha and Bassam Ahmad.
Arabic phrase: الأدهم / Al Adham
Shadow result: A rider on an Arabian horse
This work transforms the Arabic word Al Adham into a sculptural calligraphic form. When light is placed below the work, the shadow reveals a rider on an Arabian horse. The relationship between the phrase and the shadow connects Arabic calligraphy with movement, strength, heritage and the symbolic presence of the horse in Arab culture.
Title: Silk Road
Year: 2026
Materials / Medium: 3D-printed, painted with acrylic
Dimensions: 50 cm (Width) × 55 cm (Height)
Arabic phrase: (طريق الحرير), meaning "Silk Road,"
Shadow result: A caravan of camels
Silk Road – A Journey of Light and Heritage
Collaborative work by Maysoon Masalha and Bassam Ahmad.
Arabic phrase: طريق الحرير / Silk Road
Shadow result: A camel caravan crossing the desert
This work transforms the Arabic phrase Silk Road into a sculptural calligraphic form. When light is placed below the work, the shadow reveals a caravan of camels moving across the desert. The relationship between the phrase and the shadow connects Arabic calligraphy with travel, memory, heritage and the movement of people and cultures across time.
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Title: Long Live Your Glory, O Homeland
Year: 2026
Materials / Medium: 3D-printed, painted with acrylic
Dimensions: 30 cm (Width) × 45 cm (Height)
Arabic phrase: Long Live Your Glory, O Homeland.
Shadow result: A rider on a camel
Long Live Your Glory, O Homeland
Collaborative work by Maysoon Masalha and Bassam Ahmad.
Arabic phrase: دام عزك يا وطن / Long Live Your Glory, O Homeland
Shadow result: A camel rider and a welcoming figure
This work transforms the Arabic phrase Long Live Your Glory, O Homeland into a sculptural calligraphic form. When light is placed below the work, the shadow reveals a scene of heritage, with a camel rider and a welcoming figure. The relationship between the phrase and the shadow connects Arabic calligraphy with homeland, pride, belonging and cultural memory.
Title: Liwa
Year: 2026
Materials / Medium: 3D-printed, painted with acrylic
Dimensions: 55 cm (Width) × 30 cm (Height)
Arabic phrase: Forming various Arabic letters
Shadow result: Camels crossing the desert
Liwa
Collaborative work by Maysoon Masalha and Bassam Ahmad.
Arabic phrase: ليوا / Liwa
Shadow result: A caravan of camels crossing the desert
This work is inspired by Liwa and the desert landscape of the UAE. The sculptural form is connected to Arabic calligraphy, place and memory. When light is placed below the work, the shadow reveals camels moving across the desert. The relationship between the word, the object and the shadow connects the artwork to heritage, landscape and the quiet movement of desert life.
Title: Your Eyes Are My Home
Year: 2025
Materials / Medium: 3D-printed, painted with acrylic
Dimensions: 15 cm (Width) × 30 cm (Height)
Arabic phrase: Your Eyes Are My Home
Shadow result: two horses gently facing each other
Your Eyes Are My Home – The Horses of Love
Collaborative work by Maysoon Masalha and Bassam Ahmad.
Arabic phrase: عيناك بيتي / Your Eyes Are My Home
Shadow result: Two horses facing each other
This work transforms the Arabic phrase Your Eyes Are My Home into a sculptural calligraphic form. When light is placed below the work, the shadow reveals two horses facing each other. The relationship between the phrase and the shadow connects love, belonging, trust and emotional shelter through a symbolic image of closeness and harmony.
Title: Shining Love Story
Year: 2024
Materials / Medium: 3D-printed, painted with acrylic
Dimensions: 30 cm (Width) × 22 cm (Height)
Sculpture: Seated female figure
Shadow result: Couple leaning together
Shining Love Story – A Romance Illuminated by Light
Collaborative work by Maysoon Masalha and Bassam Ahmad.
Arabic phrase: Not applicable
Shadow result: Two figures in a quiet romantic moment
This work explores love through the relationship between object, light and shadow. The sculptural form does not show the full image directly. When light is placed from the correct position, the shadow reveals two figures leaning toward each other in an intimate moment. The work reflects our interest in how emotion can appear through hidden forms and how light can transform a sculptural object into a human story.
Title: Inner Bloom
Year: 2026
Materials / Medium: 3D-printed, painted with acrylic
Dimensions: 30 cm (Width) × 25 cm (Height)
Sculpture: A meditating man
Shadow result: Lotus flower
Inner Bloom
Collaborative work by Maysoon Masalha and Bassam Ahmad.
Arabic phrase: Not applicable
Shadow result: A lotus flower behind a meditating figure
This work explores inner growth, stillness and spiritual balance. The sculptural form includes a meditating figure with light placed at the centre of the work. When the light is activated, the shadow reveals a large lotus flower on the wall. The relationship between the figure, the light and the shadow connects meditation, inner peace and the idea of a hidden self gradually opening into light.
Process and Method
Our process usually begins with a word, phrase or idea. We study the meaning of the phrase and think about the hidden image that could be connected to it. The calligraphy is then developed as a sculptural structure, not only as written text.
The work is built through drawing, cutting, layering, assembling and testing. Light is used throughout the process, not only at the end. The angle, distance, strength and position of the light are adjusted many times until the shadow image becomes clear and connected to the meaning of the work.
This method depends on a dialogue between material and immaterial elements: the physical sculpture, the empty spaces, the wall, the light source and the final shadow. Documentation through photographs and video is also part of the process, because the artwork changes when light is activated.
Future Research Direction
This archive supports Bassam Ahmad’s academic direction toward practice-led research in fine art. The future research will focus on Arabic calligraphy as shadow sculpture, where light reveals a hidden image connected to the meaning of the written phrase.
Through further study, the aim is to examine the relationship between calligraphic form, sculptural construction, light, shadow, perception and meaning. The research will also reflect on the collaborative nature of the practice with Maysoon Masalha, while identifying Bassam’s individual focus on technical development, light experiments, shadow logic, structure and documentation.