Renowned Arabic calligrapher, Mohammed Mandi graduated from the Arabic Calligraphy Improvement School in Cairo 1977 and continued his training in the 1970s under renowned Turkish calligrapher, Hassan Chalabi. For four years, starting from 1982, he worked at the Ministry of Information, inscribing Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan’s poetry. He has since become a leading calligrapher in the United Arab Emirates. His designs can be found on passports in the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait and Oman, as well as, on banknotes of the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Syria. Mandi teaches the intricate art of traditional calligraphy to all level of students who are free to choose the style of calligraphy they wish to learn at the Cultural Foundation, Qasr Al Hosn in the capital. Based in Abu Dhabi Mandi's works have been recognized and showcased at solo exhibitions throughout the Gulf region. (Khushnum Bhandari/ The National News)
