Strokes of tradition
Ali Shirazi pays tribute to one of the oldest calligraphic styles
Iranian artist Ali Shirazi's latest exhibition, titled Improvisation, features contemporary Persian and Arabic calligraphy inspired mainly by the Siyah Mashq calligraphy style.
With a career spanning more than 35 years, Shirazi is a master calligrapher and is known as the best exponent of the Nastaliq style of calligraphy in the region. But although he takes inspiration from classical styles, his forms, compositions and execution are entirely contemporary. His style is instantaneous, spontaneous and expressive. His quick strokes, the soft movement of his pen, the highlights in his lines and the unpredictability of his compositions are what make his art unique.
"The traditional practice of calligraphy, where the artist first draws the outline with a fine, light-coloured pencil and then fills it in with pen and ink, is more a craft than an art. But I believe that like all other forms of art, calligraphy is also meant to be a mirror of the artist's soul and should reflect his feelings. Hence I like to work quickly and spontaneously and break boundaries by exploring new ways to express my creativity," Shirazi says.
This series is based on the Siyah Mashq style, which is one of the oldest styles of calligraphy and involves repeating letters, words and sentences over and over again to create mystical compositions. "The words I choose are very important, because the entire composition is based on that. I always select words that I feel a connection with. And then I create the composition and choose the colours that complement the mood and the meaning of the words to obtain an abstract, harmonious image with a powerful visual and graphic content. In this series, most of the paintings feature verses from the Quran. But I have also used some poems by well-known Emirati poet Sultan Al Owais, because I wanted to show my appreciation to the Al Owais family and to Abdul Rahman Al Owais for their support for art and especially of calligraphy," Shirazi says.
Improvisation will run at Totals Arts at the Courtyard until May 9.
