N A S S E R   A  L S  A  L  E  M




             
              Holy limits


Arabic calligraphy sculpture 
Wood 
11 M X 20 M
Islamic Biennale, Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia 
2023
The work contemplates the physical boundary of the Holy Mosque. The Kaaba is a key element that shapes the identity of Islamic art and architecture and continues to be point of departure for Muslim artists and architects throughout history. Yet, there are no accurate drawings or architectural plans of the Holy building nor the evolution of its spatial dimensions. Researching and looking at sources that document the transformations to the dimensions of the building, it becomes clear that there were several stages through which the Ka’bah was rebuilt.

The building itself went through various conservation and restoration efforts, but in some cases, renovations were done in the interest of space, for the sake of preserving the original dimensions of the building. Due to these multiple restorations, the original dimensions were altered (though none of the sources includes any accurate architectural plans), making it difficult to estimate the details of this alteration. This is despite the diligent work of many historians such as Al Azraqi, and others, who made it their life’s work to study, record and transmit their knowledge of the Ka’bah.Through their descriptions, details and stories, details surrounding the dimensions and transformations are recorded to a somewhat accurate degree, provided through diagrammatic descriptions and rough sketches with dimensions.

Al Salem uses descriptive historical texts and historical records of the differences and changes to the Holy boundary of the Ka’bah, interacting with this content to discover and project the architectural drawing that is always described. The Kaaba takes the form - trapezoid or polygonal, as the amount of deviation is slight, ranging between one and two degrees in ts sid






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