Following on from his highly successful visit to Lebanon in 2015, ‘the man with the signature style’ is making his return in 2016, at Beirut Design Week.

Nicholas Ouchenir is Paris’ premiere calligrapher who lists Louis Vuitton, Hermès, Christian Dior Perfumes, Gucci, Miu Miu, Chloé and Cartier among his clients. In a world where beauty reigns supreme, he is a creative force who turns words into and art form. From invitations, to champagne labels and brand logos, he can make the everyday extra special.

Calligraphy is derived from the Greek words for ‘beauty’ and ‘writing’ and the discipline flourished as an autonomous art in the Islamic world between the 13th and 18th centuries. Still as relevant today, and maybe even more so, in a world of quick deadlines, technology and mass production, Nicholas is pushing the boundaries even further.

Curated by Alice Eddé who hosted Nicholas’ 2015 visit, this workshop will focus on ‘Calligraphy without ink’ – an exploration of obscure calligraphy materials and their weird and wonderful uses. Looking past the inkpot, Nicholas will dabble with alternatives such as whisky, tea, coffee and strawberry to realise what is possible to achieve.

2pm-4pm on 21st May at KED, Karantina –  BDW2016