Poet and renowned typographer Robert Bringhurst, in his book, The Elements of Typographic Style, said, “Calligraphy is the dance in the tiny stage of the living, breathing hand.” If we go by this definition, artist Salva Rasool has set the perfect stage for a colourful dance of the Arabic alphabets.

In her first solo show in Delhi and second in India, Rasool is exhibiting her artwork on Arabic calligraphy at the India Habitat Centre. The exhibition, titled “Elahiya” or Divine Words, showcases Rasool’s paintings of sacred Koranic texts stylised in calligraphy, and the works will be on display at the Experimental Art Gallery till December 20.
The scriptural palette goes beyond decorative inscriptions and is an epithet of Rasool’s deep Islamic faith. The 32 paintings, which are on display, capture some of the most meaningful and important verses of the Koran, like Bismillah Hir Rehman Nir Rahim (In the name of God, the beneficent, the merciful), La Yu Kalle Fullahu Nafsan Illa Wus Aha (On no soul does Allah place a burden greater than it can bear). Rasool’s works also include the Ayatal Kursi (The Throne verse), which is one of the most widely memorised verses in the Koran due to its emphatic description of God’s qualities and power, and Asma al-Husna that describes the 99 attributes of God. The four verses of Surah Al-Ikhlaas, which are a short declaration of tawhid – doctrine of oneness of God — are also one of the exhibits.
Rasool’s calligraphy of the holy verses make them come across as mystical images, regardless of whether the text can be read or not.
“My paintings are not just meant for Muslims. I have sold them to many non-Muslims as well, since they have a universal appeal. For instance, the Asma al-Husna describes the 99 attributes of God, and many of these attributes are common in other religions too,” Rasool explains.
Her works reflect her thirst for innovation. Rasool stylises the Arabic script with deftness as she experiments with modernity, although there is a visible influence of traditional calligraphy in her paintings. She draws her inspiration from early calligraphic styles such as Kufic, Diwani, Thuluth and Naskh. Some of her works on display are inspired by the famous Arabic calligrapher, Al Qundusi.
“The beauty of calligraphy is that it can be moulded in any form. The Arabic script is read and written from right to left, but in calligraphy you can use it in any way — top to bottom or left to right. You are not restricted to one direction and hence you can be free in your imagination,” she says.
Her use of myriad colours, styles, textures, art techniques and customised tools creates unique art that finds a regal place in the walls of homes as far as South Africa, West Asia, the UK and the US. The use of stripes and bright reds, oranges and yellows in her calligraphy of the sacred verses is particularly interesting. The paintings exhibited are of mixed medium on canvas, which includes acrylics, oil and other textures. “I love to play with colours and textures. Stripes bring a touch of modernity to an ancient genre, symbolising the union of the old and the new,” she says. Moreover, the vibrant and bold colours in her works add a touch of quirkiness and eccentricity to an otherwise serious subject of calligraphy.
Although many consider calligraphy to be the soul of Arabic art, it was not always infused in the language. “Before the coming of Islam, Arabic was just a spoken language; its script was based on a form of Aramaic used by the Nabateans (100 BC-AD 100). It was the revelation of Islam to Prophet Mohammed in the early 7th century in Arabia that brought a dramatic change in the Arabic script. Since then, there have been many famous calligraphers, some of the oldest ones being Ibn Muqla, Ibn al-Bawwab, Mir Ali Tabrizi, Hafiz Osman, Al Qundusi, among others,” Rasool explains.
Besides calligraphy, Rasool, whose works were exhibited alongside the paintings of legendary M.F. Husain in an art show in Dubai in 2007, is known for her creative use of unconventional materials like terracotta, ceramics, pottery, beads and sequence. A graduate from Sir J.J. School of Arts, Mumbai, Rasool was always passionate about art. At a time when people considered conventional professions, Rasool’s parents let her decide for herself, which gave her the wings to pursue art as a career. Her breaking point came when an art dealer in South Africa purchased her works for his showroom in 1992. There was no looking back.