Tunisian multimedia visual artist Nja Mahdaoui (b. 1937) is one of the most prolific and notable contemporary artists of the Arab world. Celebrated as a choreographer of letters and explorer of signs, he is one of the pioneers of abstract calligraphy. His unprecedented approach, based on what he refers to as free ‘calligrams’ or ‘graphemes’, emptied of any dialectic content, allowed him to express the intrinsic aesthetic qualities of Arabic letters and has inspired many followers. His works can be found in many private and public collections such as the British Museum, the Smithsonian Institution, the Institut du Monde Arabe, MATHAF, MACAM Tunis, IAMM Kuala Lumpur and the Dubai & Sharjah Collections...