Kifah Abdulla, Mark Jamra, and Neil Patel

October 8, 2021-January 7, 2022

Painter Kifah Abdulla’s work merges Modernist abstraction with Arabic calligraphy, bringing script into a place of intense visual expression. Originally from Baghdad, Iraq, Abdulla is a Maine-based painter, poet, and educator.

The design collaborations of Mark Jamra and Neil Patel, of the Portland-based design firm Jamra Patel, use clarity and elegance to make African alphabets accessible and precise. Their groundbreaking “Kigelia” project has brought beautiful, functional typefaces to a number of African languages. The power of written communication spans a wide range in this show, from the beautifully obscured to the balanced and pure.

Learn more about Kifah Abdulla.

Learn more about Jamra Patel.

Programming with UNE’s Global Education Program and Kifah Abdulla will expand the message of this show to the UNE community; stay tuned for details.