Hearing the words history, records, archive or ancient chronology, we immediately create a visual image of a document or an artifact in a decorative scripted, in other words -
CALLIGRAPHY.
cal·lig·raphy
[kəˈlɪɡrəfi]
The art of producing decorative handwriting or lettering with a pen or brush
What began as an experiment with lines, alphabets and words, became a movement in the literary world quickly securing its place as momentous than discovery of gold. The skills of a writer have, at moments, blurred lines between recording and intricate beauty of calligraphy, however the historical periods of architecture marvels and designs has clearly established the dominance of Calligraphy as Fine Art.
Calxpression is a celebration in the form of an Exclusive Exhibition at Picasso Art Gallery, curated by Jesno Jackson which showcased works by 12 Master Calligraphers from Middle East and Asia. On show from 2nd till 9th Nov 2022, highlighting the beautiful styles, composition & rich traditions.
Encapsulating Islamic Calligraphy are the works of Soheila Ahmadi, a business management graduate, with an inclination towards art especially in the field of calligraphy. She is a Brand Ambassador of Pakistan in Iran and has exhibited her works in the Middle-east, USA, Canada, Russia & Spain. The exhibited collections are on 120 x 80 cm canvas, a clever blend of abstract vocabulary & geometric design augmented with angular & gracile Kufic (خط الكوفي) Calligraphy. The leftmost painting is created with resemblance to a tunnel using black strips opening outward (or inwards, based on your perception) in an endless stream uncovering a citation of Ayat-Ul-Kursi
Similar to the above artwork, the rightmost painting is also designed using acrylic and ink in black and white monotone. However, the calligraphy on the black strip, swirling from the bounds of the globe, resembles the waves of fabric from its dense binding. The style of calligraphy and the negative spacing further enhances the flow the artist has brought about on the canvas.
The centrepiece became the highlight of the collection. Unlike the neighbouring paintings flowing with the movements of its base design, this work has more definitive, stationed lines and structure. This contemporary art weaved with the traditional style of writing acts as a link to distinct segments across the canvas. The theme behind this artwork from the artist is ‘Cry for Freedom’. The framework of the painting is shades of grey, apart from the area in the centre turning to be the most intriguing section of the painting, a stroke of brush liquidating the words in the centre. The red, black and grey shades are deliberately chosen by the artist to express the hidden anger.
Arabic calligraphy being one of the oldest art form, the artists has managed to add a touch of modernism to their collections. Some art pieces blends with a mix-media and installation, expresses the beauty, form and discipline in the meaning behind the script.
No Form of Art Escapes the Progression Towards Modernisation.This stands true in the collection presented by Sheikh Saifi, where the art of penmanship sings the rhythm of the future. As a calligrapher and visual artist from Pakistan based in Dubai, Saifi has integrated the traditional script style with technological advancement creating his innovative style of calligraphy giving us a contemporary & effective collection, appealing to aesthetics and pragmatism
On entering the exhibition, you will be greeted with a Scroll encrypted with Japanese Calligraphy - Shodo (書道). Shodo dates back to the 6th century taking inspiration from Chinese calligraphy. The skill and harmony in creating these works is beautifully narrated by confident strokes, use of traditional ink for balancing the shades, with right placement of characters. These beautiful hangings with intricate brushstrokes on flexible backing Kakejiku or Kakemono (掛軸) is created by master calligrapher Junko Fujita also known as Fujita Kouka. Unfortunately she passed away in 2022 and this art, as family heirloom, is carried by Yoshimi Fujii.
The art of penmanship and calligraphy in China is considered superior to Visual Arts. This form of art was embraced in articles of decorative and daily use, thus becoming an integral part of the lifestyle and culture.
Calligrapher Leo Lee has showcased the fluidity of script correlating with the articles such as wooden table-top decoratives, folding fans, handscrolls and other traditional paper styles used for the craft. His artwork brings eccentricity to the exhibition displayed.
The exhibition showcases calligraphy from regions that plays a prominent role in bringing records, legends and traditions that continues to shape our cultures. This form of art allows the artists to experiment with its visual appeal, keeping basic principles of forms entirely. With each stroke of pen or brush, the thickness of the ink, flow and blotches on the letter, helps us trace the technique & artist's skill which they have taken years to master.
The article is based on the opinion of this writer.
The images of the artworks are used with consent from the organizers and solely used for this article
Comments