Hurouf A Group Show of
Calligraphy 2013
Satrang Gallery is an initiative of Serena Hotels Pakistan to encourage and promote talented artists in their pursuit of excellence
Participating Artists Ahmad Khan Arif Khan Bushra Habib Khursid Alam Gohar Qalam Musarrat Arif Rasheed Butt Tahir Bin Qullander Tajammul Hussain
Hurouf The works presented in this exhibition are informed by the highly complex metaphysical, mystical and geometric concepts inherent to Islam and balanced by a stress on form and elegance. At the same time some of the works are pure, minimalist but also timeless and some are decorated within the norms of a language of illumination unique to the Holy Quran. Timelessness is the one main criteria of a Sacred art. However, before the works are discussed in detail it would be absolutely crucial to understand the importance of calligraphy and the “Word” in the context of the civilization of Islam. The very raison d etre of the art of Islamic calligraphy is the Holy Quran, a Book which is central to the lives of 1.5 billion or so people of the Islamic world today. The impact of this Book cannot be overestimated since throughout the centuries it has promoted the integration of very diverse societies stretching from Spain to parts of China and inspired an art form centered around the written word. Once the Quran was revealed, there arose a paramount need to record and hand down to future generations every syllable of the Holy Book with exactitude since human memory was and is at best fallible. This was the impetus which led to the sacred art of Islamic calligraphy. In other words, there being an absolute necessity to record the Holy Quran in such a way so that it was not only an auditory but equally important a visual experience. This was due to the sheer beauty of calligraphy which inscribed the Sacred text. It seems that the impetus was as much to say “ Since we have no choice but write down the Revelation, then let the written record be as powerful an experience for the eye as the memorized record is for the ear when the Verses are spoken or chanted”. One also needs to bear in mind the extensive emphasis to reading and writing in the text of the Quran and that too would have had a tremendous impact on the artists of the Islamic world. For indeed the very first Revelation was “ Read, in the Name of the thy Lord (96:1) “ to the Prophet in the cave of Hira. Hence the precise tenor of the Revelations on the art of reading and writing and ideas such as those of Abu
Abbas al Bhuni who wrote that “the Arabic letters arose from the light of the Pen which had inscribed the Sacred Tablet or Lawh al Mahfouz; after wandering through the universe, the light transformed into the letter Alif from which all other letters arose”, had a tremendous impact on the Islamic artists over time. Thus one can state that for these above reasons many great styles of calligraphy developed. The earliest period saw the transformation of the Hejazi scripts from the time of the Orthodox Khalifas to the Kufic group of scripts which held their ascendance in transcribing the Holy Quran till the mid Abbassid period. In the 9th century AD, the Abbassid Prime Minister Ibn Muqla who himself was an expert geometer and calligrapher developed precise rules cursive calligraphy which were codified in his landmark book called the Khatt Al Mansoub. These rules were based on sacred geometry of which one of the crucial elements is the circle. So the Ba, Ta letter forms are derived from the diameter of circle. The circle itself is subdivided into 8 rhombic dots vertically which form the Alif while the Ha, Jeem, Ayn letter forms are three quarters of circle and so on. Ibn Muqla laid the rules for the six main cursive scripts such as Muhaqqaq, Thuluth, a, Naskh and which are still in usage today. These rules which have been adhered for well over a millennia are reflected in the exhibition and where the Sacred art of the Quran is concerned, the notion of inventing another script by the artists to demonstrate their skills as a result of their egos is not only unacceptable but defeats the entire purpose of a Sacred art. Thus in summation it is these essential but highly complex metaphysical, mystical and geometric concepts inherent to Islamic art, so clearly understood and which are implemented in these pristine example of the Sacred Art of Islam. In giving a visual expression to these underlying and highly sophisticated concepts which makes these calligraphic paintings on offer as some of the greatest masterpieces of Islamic art of all time. Syed Tajammul Hussain Professor at The Prince’s School of Traditional Arts, in the UK and overseas.
Hurouf
Celebrating the holy month of Ramadan, Satrang gallery, presents Hurouf- a calligraphy exhibition of eight exceptional artists. We are honored to present the works of internationally reputed artists- Ahmad Khan, Gohar Qalam, Rasheed Butt and Tajammul Hussain, along side great emerging talents - Bin Qullander, Arif Khan, Mussarat Arif and Bushra Habib. Hurouf, which in Arabic means ‘letters’, in the context of this exhibition, means the Art of the Letters. The title of the show has been illustrated by Professor Khurshid Alam Gohar Qalam. Asma Rashid Khan Curator
Zahra Khan
Calligraphy or Khushkhati is a part of most cultures and languages. It is deeply embedded in Islamic traditions, perhaps because of the emphasis on writing, reading and knowledge seeking in Islam. In addition, Islamic Arabic calligraphy was originally used to write out the Quran, religious prayers and the names of God. As the Islamic empire expanded over the centuries to include the Ottoman Turkey, Iran and India, the Arabic calligraphy script absorbed new influences. The Ottoman, Persian and Mughal dynasties celebrated and explored the practice of calligraphy, and held calligraphy in high esteem. Eventually different styles of calligraphy became identifiable, the Kufic, for example, is a more geometric and distinctly rhythmic form that was preferred in the Arab peninsula. In Iran the famous scribe Muqlah Shirazi developed a cursive technique called Nashk. Other varieties such as the diwani style of calligraphy which was invented by the ottoman scribe Housam Roumi during the late 16th century were also popularized. However, despite the changing methods and scripts calligraphers continued to adhere to the strict guidelines, including the geometric proportion to the Arabic letter which is measured by Alif. The artists in Hurouf, each, have a distinct signature or manner in their artworks. Rasheed Butt has the distinction of his works being in the collections of many Heads of State, in Mecca and Medina and international museums. His plain black canvases that are the perfect backdrops for the thick, gold painted Quranic verses. His work is minimal and text-like. Tajammul Hussain is a London based Pakistani artist, whose works are a part of prestigious collections and international museums. There is often a striking simplicity about his work
which he developed from his earlier interest in geometric designs, before moving on to a keen appreciation of various kinds of papers and textures. James Allan, professor of Islamic art, Oxford University says about the work that “Tajammul’s aim is to give visual expression to the Verses of the Holy Quran. For this purpose he uses traditional and contemporary approaches… ” Ahmed Khan, a Master of Pakistani art, presents complicated and perfectly rendered red, gold and green canvases. Visually, his paintings reflect the splendor of sun-lit clouds upon the earth, and are passionate in their praise of God. Professor Khurshid Allam Gohar Qalam is one of Pakistan’s distinguished calligraphers or khattat. His works can be found in the collections of the British Museum in London and the Ashmolean in Oxford. His script vacillates between large sweeping stroke and jali-like portrayals over translucent back grounds. His canvases are overlaid and interspersed with bright patches of color, coaxing the viewer’s eye. Mussarat Arif and Bin Qullander use traditional arabesque or spiral-like patterns in their pieces. Arif reminds her audience of the history of successful and talented women calligraphists. She paints in the Kufic manner and utilizes vivid colors to offset the thick black lines of her writings. Bin Qullander who was originally trained as a miniaturist, works in the Diwani style. His work is particularly striking since he creates intricate representations of visual patterns within his larger framework or dramatic red and blues. Arif Khan’s art is reminiscent of musical scores where energetic, thick swipes of raw paint are used to create beautifully crafted delicate script. Bushra Habib, has after experimenting with numerous forms of art, found comfort in a religious adherence to the geometric styles that are a signature of the Islamic art. We want to extend our gratitude to Mr. Aziz Boolani, CEO of Serena hotel for his unwavering commitment to supporting Pakistani art. We thank all the artists for their participation in this unique exhibition, with a special recognition to Tajammul Hussain for writing the foreword. Asma Rashid Khan Curator
01
Ahmad Khan
Untitled 24” x 24” Gold and Silver on Board
Untitled 24” x 24” Gold and Silver on Board
02
Arif Khan
Allah Mixed Media 15” x 14”
If painting is music, then I play it on my canvases. My calligraphic symphonies run in low keys, Smoothly. Suddenly, they move into a higher pitch. With thick strokes to surprise.... and then, just as suddenly, they resume their soothing melodies. This is how I work on my canvases. I subtly divide space by writing small pieces around the focal point and fill the focal point with a large word.
Alif Laam Meem Mixed Media 15” x 25”
03
Bushra Habib
Allah in Gold 26� x 42� Mixed Media
I work in Kufic calligraphic expressions blended with contemporary art moods. After dealing with various mediums and art forms for last 10 years I eventually found my love in Calligraphy.
Quranic Ayat 24” x 36” Mixed Media
04
Khursid Alam Gohar Qalam
Title Oil on Canvas 24 x 24 inches
Title Oil on Canvas 24 x 24 inches
05
Musarrat Arif
Untitled 18� x 18� Oil on Canvas
The journey of self-discovery motivated me to the creative world of painting. I preferred Kufic calligraphy using various types of mediums, including oils, acrylics, watercolours and pastels. I incorporate various patterns and geometric designs in my work which interwoven with the words of the Holy Quran emits a soul touching aura.
Untitled 23” x 23” Mixed Media
06
Rasheed Butt
Envoy of Wisdom “Iqra” was the first word of Allah’s divine revelation to the Prophet Muhammad PBUH. Ever since, the written word has held a position of primacy in the Islamic religion. The divine revelation is called the Quran, which, in written form, is about the length of the New Testament. It is considered to be the direct word of Allah, preserved in Heaven and transmitted to Muhammad over a period of some 23 years. Beautiful writing – calligraphy – celebrates the sounds and meanings of this sacred text and preserves its accuracy. In the Islamic world, of course, calligraphy had always been as much an art as an occupation, and men of letters delighted in coining phrases to describe it. “If it was a flower,” one early writer said of calligraphy,” it would be a rose; if a metal, gold.” Another said, “The pen is the ambassador of intelligence, the messenger of thought, and interpreter for the mind.” But perhaps the best of these classical Arabic metaphors is this: “Calligraphy is music for the eyes.” Calligraphy is one of the oldest art form of the world. The moment human hand tried to express emotions, that the surroundings, environment and life around evoked in his mind and heart, in figures, symbols and later in calligraphic lines, the art form started talking shape. Written word is used primarily to express feelings, emotions, thoughts, wishes, desires, commands, pleas and so on. It is, such, a strong component of the communicative vehicle. Shape of the word, in all the known written languages of the world, is governed by strict rules. Observance of these rules enables the word to achieve its utilitarian function, that is to communicate. In the hands of an artist, however, the rules are imbrued with a subjective aesthetics and this subjective aesthetics is an important element in the art of Calligraphy. During different Civilizations, in different geographic spheres of our planet- in China, in Iran, in Arabia, in Asia and in Europe, the art of calligraphy flourished much before the advent of Islam. This inspired religion, however, gave greater importance and above all greater sanctity to written word inducing, encouraging, fostering the creative mind towards this form of Art. The writing of the “Holy Quran” has been a challenge and the calligraphists have, all along, been accepting this challenge. The grammar, aesthetics and devotion are the three pillars on which the calligraphists have been erecting the whole edifice of beautiful art pieces. This artistic outburst has not been restricted to writing the “Holy Quran” alone, it has embodied so many other forms of expression such as handicrafts and architecture. The “Calligraphic Line” has become a bonafide component of the Fine Art’s grammar. The diversity of this art form may be gauged from the statements of our outstanding exponents of Calligraphy who claim that, in South Asia alone, there are three hundred styles of writing, whereas each style has over three hundred variations of its own. To study, promote, perpetuate and to preserver such a complex and diversified art form is an uphill task. Combined, concentrated efforts of Government and Non-government agencies, private sector and above all the Calligraphists themselves are the dire need of the day.
Allah with 99 attributes Black somerset paper with 23 1/2 ct Gold, calligraphy with ink on Gold and gauche floral pattern 36 x 48 inches
07
Tahir Bin Qullander
4 Qul 36� x 36� Silver Leaf with Mixed Media
My work is my communion with the Almighty. If my inscriptions are able to salvage me on the Day of Deliverance, then I shall reckon I have accomplished what I was meant to do. I would represent the pure thought of an artist, in my work as a calligrapher, that art is unlimited in different ways. As I studied especially about Arabic calligraphic alphabets I learnt that each word has its own identity and anatomy so I decided to accept the challenge of trying to achieve the hidden truth of art in calligraphy. As of now, it is my achievement that numerous contemporary artists, now, accept my point of view that calligraphy could be an art form rather than only a craft.
3rd Qalimah 36” x 60” Silver Leaf with Mixed Media
08
Tajammul Hussain
Surah Rahman 12.5� x 17� Mixed Media
As a contemporary artist, my interest lies in illustrating the Holy Quran in such a way as to bring out the mystical meaning of its verses. Historically the Quran has never been illustrated with pictures. I, therefore, use other techniques to capture the meaning of the verses that I choose. These include different styles of calligraphy, various types of traditional, Islamic pattern or design, and particular choices of colour. The result is to affirm the meaning and stress the significance of the texts in a way which is visually striking and full of symbolism.
Square Kufik in Spectrum of Height 16” x 26” Mixed Media
Satrang Gallery Asma Rashid Khan- Director Schezre Syed- Gallery Assistant
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