I am a victim of modernity. I love abstract colorful artwork. Something to match my decor at home. Some glitter, some color, no particular design.
So what draws me to classic Islamic art like Arabic calligraphy, geometry, and Islamic biomorphic patterns? Its form, its process of creation.
Calligraphy. It’s not only about the artwork, it’s about the art itself. Thousands of hours of patience and practice. The illumination of God’s words, the constant remembrance of God that goes into it. From the reed qalam (pe) to the handmade paper. Each line formed precisely. A connection to the Divine. Something that’s value is lost today.
I’ve just started my journey. It takes years to master. I’ll be posting more soon!
I saw a video in which when the calligrapher starts, he always starts by saying bismillah. He started by seeking forgiveness from Allah for any mistake he would make. Others write while listening to the Quran. In the claustrophobic fast-paced modern world that relies on technology, it’s a breath of fresh air.
Can I write an Arabic phrase using graphic design with no mistakes? Or draw it out? Yes. And that’s what I have usually done for my canvases, but then the focus is the product, the artwork, and the fastest most practical way to create. I want to slow down and focus on the art itself. Each letter in classical calligraphy has a measurement, and a particular way to write it. The art itself makes you pause and focus on it. Do I own a business? Yes. But I’m a creative at heart.
It took living in a society where poetry, recitation, and calligraphy is common for people and scholars to realize its value. Society in the east itself is laid back and somehow more connected to God and nature. Not to say that modern issues are not prevalent and plaguing the world, but you can see through culture, customs, art, and architecture what the values were and what they stemmed from- religion and God.
More to come soon.
