The written text has always had sacred connotations for me — the never-ending debate between shabd or word and bimb that is image notwithstanding! “Calligraphy” drawn from the Greek words “killi” meaning beautiful and “graphos” meaning writing that virtually creates a painting out of a word or alphabets, is an important step in the direction to making words matter.
Qamar Dagar — with lineage of the Dagar gharanas of Dhrupad firmly part of her aesthetic and intellectual experience — has been passionately involved in creating these images using both Hindi and Urdu alphabets. I have fond memories of an evening many moons ago, when she shared her works with me at a quiet dinner at their family home where her brother, the scion of the Dagarbani, Ustad Wasif-ud-Dagar, regaled us with anecdotes from the music world and her mother with absolutely delicious food. The glint in Qamar’s eyes when she spoke about calligraphy was indication enough that this was not merely a passion. She has taken this love to the next step by doing something about it – forming the Qalamkaari Creative Calligraphy Trust and holding a week-long International Calligraphy Fest Qalam-Aatma.
Qamar has managed to bring together artists from India, France, China, Japan, Morocco and the US to participate and showcase creative and traditional works by calligraphers in scripts and languages as diverse, including Arabic, Avestan, Chinese, Japanese, Hindi, Roman, Sanskrit and Urdu. In addition to the beautiful exhibition, there were workshops, a panel discussion and film screenings to highlight the nuances of various forms of calligraphy.
As I walked into the striking show where photographic works, three-dimensional works in carved wood and of course paintings created out of words vied for attention, I recalled that in her home Qamar had pointed out works of Late Amir Abdullah Khan known as Mastaan Baba, who was a special master of Quranic Calligraphy. Mastaan Baba also specialised in creating “Tughras” a traditional form of writing wherein a combination of several aayats are written together as a form of remedy and therapy for protection. His works were treated as a tabarruk (prasad) by followers and connoisseurs alike. I was touched that she shared these prized works at the show.
The 12 participating artists include Ashok Sharma, Francoise Rio, Anis Siddiqui, Danish Aagha, Irshad Farouqui, Michele Archambault, Jyoti Naoki Eri, Mohammed El Baz, Perin Pudumjee, Zhang Lung Yan and of course, Qamar herself. “I am fascinated and moved by the fact that a few strokes or sometimes one stroke can create a lifelike image. To me that is music,” says Qamar.
Mohammed El Baz of Moroccon origin agrees, “For a very long time, calligraphy in Arabic was confined to names of God, but when it collided with abstract art in modern times, it began to evolve into a non-figurative art form that uses, colour, shapes, structure and movement to express a concept.” Viewed from afar, one of his works at the show is like dancing dervishes. For Michele Archambault, who has studied Chinese calligraphy in New York under the maestro Zhang Lung Yan, whose works were also part of the show, “This remarkably spontaneous yet premeditated act of self-expression embraces artistic tradition and epochs of philosophy, religion, and culture where a single stroke or dot can reflect a calligrapher’s talent and learning, intuition and insight that encompasses the inner spirit”. Jyoti Naokri Eri of Japanese origin feels that writing is a special gift given to human beings. “Calligraphy for me is an attempt to bridge the one and many, and the brush a magic wand to reduce the light years of distance.”
Paris-based Francoise Rio studied at the National School of Fine Arts in Paris. Widely-travelled and inspired by her varied experiences, Rio’s works reflect her rich and vast impressions. She integrates Roman and Greek alphabets beautifully in her works. Her judicious use of colour and composition makes the word an intrinsic part of her artistic expression. “The meaning of words is the key to start a painting; there is no limit to creation, and possibilities are infinite,” she says.
Perin Pudumjee of Parsi origin has explored English, Devnagari, Avestan, Gujarati, Hebrew letters and Chinese brush calligraphy. Her publications include Zarathustra kusti prayers with calligraphy and translation in English.
Even as Jaipur-based Ashok Sharma demonstrates his considerable skill, one can’t help marvel at the seeming ease with which he wields the kalam. Obviously it is deceptive for it comes with years of practise. He has written the Hanuman Chaalisa, Gayatri Mahamantra, Namokar Mahamantra, and Ram Raksha Strotram. He calligraphically revived photographs of Rajasthan Polo Club, Jaipur. But the show stopper is definitely Irshad Farooqi, who hails from Sikar in Rajasthan. Irshad is a rare artist, who uses various types of wood as a medium to carve out magnificent calligraphic works in Urdu and Arabic text. The clarity of each embellishment and flourish is breathtaking, as is the detail. Neatly encased in transparent acrylic boxes, the sheer beauty of the works reverberate in me as I recall the images in my mind’s eye.
Alka Raghuvanshi is an art writer, curator and artist