This piece illustrates the rich Arabic vocabulary pertaining to Love, with 16 words that can translate as “love”, but with nuances difficult to translate into English. The words at the four corners, with plain backgrounds, correspond to four polarities of this feeling (a subjective classification):
I’zâz إعزاز : Esteem, regard
Mahabba محبّة : Brotherly or universal love
Shahwa شهوة : Lust
Hiyam هيام : Mad passion
The others are combinations and degrees in-between (again, understood somewhat subjectively), that can be decoded through the combination of background and splashes of colours:
Shaghaf شغف : Crazed love, passionate desire
Wal’ ولع : Ardent desire, craving
Ishq عشق : Overwhelming love
Walh وله : Infatuation, amorous rapture
Raghba رغبة : Desire, yearning
Hawas هوس : Infatuation, obsession
Widâd وداد : Fondness, loving friendship
Ghulma غلمة : Lust, desire
Gharâm غرام : Passion, romantic love, desire
Hanân حنان : Tenderness, affection, compassion
Olfa ألفة : Intimacy, affection, friendship
Tafân وفان : Devotion
The words themselves are cut out of white paper and float slightly above the coloured background.
The total size of this piece is 2x2m, but made up of, and shipped as, 16 pieces of 50x50cm each. They are meant to be assembled in framing, or framed separately as preferred.