Saudi visual artist Ibrahim Al-Almaai has devoted more than three decades of his life to documenting Al-Qatt Al-Asiri, a vibrant traditional art in the Asir region, according to the Saudi Press Agency.
Known as Al-Qatt, Al-Katba, or Al-Zayan, women in Asir were painting this old art on the walls offering stunning appearance in front of Saudi homes.
In 2017, it received international recognition after being registered on the UNESCO list of Intangible Cultural Heritage.
Al-Almaai stressed that for the past 33 years he was visiting several villages in the eastern, western, northern, or central parts of the Asir region.
He said that his mission was to look for any remnants of this heritage art in homes, indicating that many of which have been lost due to time and weather.
Fortunately, Al-Almaai has documented over 1,200 variations of Al-Qatt patterns and colors despite various challenges.
He further noted that there are four key components of a typical heritage home adorned with Al-Qatt, as follows:
- Al Shabaka (the Network) are single-colored, interlaced lines that create the structural foundation of the design.
- Al-Hanash (the Snake) are serpent-like motifs inspired by the Coluber snake.
- Al-Khatmah or Al-Akhtam (the Seal) represent a form of visual closure at the end of a design.
- Al-Qatt (the Lines) are the horizontal strokes layered under the primary art, generally known as Al-Katba (the Writing), Al-Naqsh (the Inscription), or Al-Zayan (the Adornment) depending on the local dialect.
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