Charm of calligraphy

The richness, beauty and power associated with calligraphy for centuries and the charm of this relation engages the calligrapher. The calligrapher involve with the art through his moral force. Basically Islamic calligraphy is associated with geometric art. The same arcs and loops, ovals and circles, vertical and horizontal lines are used as designs world over.
The basic geometrical forms remain the same in all works of artists. They choose the most appropriate form they like to use in their calligraphic paintings. Proverbs and passages from the Holy Qur'an are the major sources of Islamic calligraphy. The canvas and the colours together provide a medium to the artist to express himself and create such a work that makes the viewers to ponder.
Modern calligraphy ranges from functional hand lettered inscriptions and designs to fine art pieces where the abstract expression of the hand written piece may or may not supersede the legibility of the letters. In a recent exhibition at Arts Council Karachi Syed Adeel Akhter's expressive and harmonious calligraphic paintings appear in rectangular and square shapes, in red, orange, green, blue, ochre and cloudy white. He gives form to signs in skilful manner while transcribing the Holy Qura'n on the canvas.
Having Bachelor of Fine Art degree from Karachi School of Art in 2002, he learned all forms of art including calligraphy. But when he won first prize for his calligraphy in Sadequain Awards, he realised his love for calligraphy. "I always find myself fascinated from all sorts of calligraphy. Be it Sadequain's work or Qutb minar. May be it was my spiritual side which always made me able to see the beauty of calligraphy," he said.
But creativity is nobody's patrimony anyone can learn and practice thus creates what he wants and so did Adeel. "Calligraphy is a beautiful art form and has its own vast field so that one who is following the form can learn and indulge himself completely in it".
Adeel works in free hand and produce gentle and modest calligraphic paintings that are highly mannered and very much structured with its letters un-dotted and unconventionally joined together, he uses no vowel marks. The intertwining of its letters from top to bottom punctuated and decorated to appear as one piece.
But his calligraphic works show some hesitation in applying colours, as free hand calligraphy is basically balance with bold and beautiful blend of colours which gives proportion, rhythm and unity to the canvas as a whole. His use of colours is bold but lack combination. He uses low tone of shades to give impression of light in the middle of his canvases. Although he has worked in oil on canvas his strokes are gestured and free flowing. He has used calligraphic words and colours in an esthetical manner but need to balance the composition thoughtfully.
He is currently working on his solo exhibition and also learning in the process. "To me calligraphy is a vast subject. I would like to have variety in my subject, techniques and mediums that is why I always experiment with new themes, compositions and different textures in my paintings. The colours blending with every stroke of my brush and the texture outcome surprises and soothes my soul," he said. He draws and paints words freely and creatively without strictly following the traditional style of calligraphy. The viewers appreciate and praise his calligraphic paintings.
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