Statera explores the rhombic dot system behind the Naskh script, from the verb nasakha, ‘to copy,’ a small, round script commonly used to write administrative documents and transcribe books.
In Arabic, this system is called “Mizan Al Horof”; (balance of letters). Statera shows each letter’s specific structure, which is built of a significant rule: the number of dots. The 28 letters are printed in Naskh script with vibrant red color, over regular handwritten text by ordinary people. Different styles, signatures, seals, notes, and markings from legal ledger paper contrast with the Naskh script rules. This contrast reveals an engaging perspective hidden between the balanced letters and aged documents. The fourteen rhombus pieces of camel bone are engraved with a letter on each side, echoing the book’s interior.