KOCHI: When a calligrapher wields one’s tools on a medium, each stroke brings forth an expressive style of writing. This ornamental penmanship, or ‘the art of beautiful writing’, has a distinguished place in the world of fine arts, just like painting and sculpting.
In calligraphy, every line or letter in varied fonts and formats has an aesthetic grandeur attached to it. Showcasing the nuances of calligraphy to the world is Narayana Bhattathiri aka Artist Bhattathiri, through the first edition of the International Calligraphy Festival of Kerala, organised by Kerala Lalithakala Akademi and Thiruvananthapuram-based KaCha Ta ThaPa Foundation.
Drawing curious crowds at Durbar Hall Gallery in Kochi, the fest exhibits about 150 works in different languages around the world and features 18 artists, including prominent Indian calligrapher Achyut Palav and international artists such as Hebrew expert Michel D’ Anastasio and Iranian calligrapher Masoud Mohebbi Far, who is also the founder of Honarosta, the first village art gallery in Iran.
Notably, Bhattathiri was the title designer of Padmarajan films such as ‘Novemberinte Nashtam’, ‘Kariyilakkattu Pole’, M T Vasudevan Nair’s ‘Randamoozham’ and M Mukundan’s ‘Daivathinte Vikruthikal’ series. He has also worked with some popular vernacular publications, including Samakalika Malayalam Vaarika.
Setting aside time amid the hectic activity at the fest, he elaborates on his quest to popularise calligraphy in Kerala. “Calligraphy is not prominent in south India,” he says. I have been part of several national and foreign fests. Somehow, calligraphy has not received the patronage it deserves in Kerala.”
Bhattathiri recalls a calligraphy camp in Pune some years ago. It involved several acclaimed calligraphers from across India. “One of them, Santosh Kshirsagar, asked about the calligraphy scene in Kerala, and I replied that the art form had zero prominence here,” he says.
“He was amused that a state with 100 percent literacy was not big on an art form which dealt primarily with letters and words. That prodding inspired me to take up this mission.” Explaining the basics of the art form, Bhattathiri says calligraphy is for the eyes. “The beauty of the free-flowing letters and imagery should strike the viewer first; forget about the meaning. What people usually do is try to understand the letters and words intellectually, instead of appreciating the beauty; the viewer gets stuck in the meaning.”
Where fonts & format meet
A tall pointed nib pen with the words KaCha Ta ThaPa Foundation inscribed on it welcomes the visitors at Durbar Hall. The structure is a prologue to the collection of letters and formats pinned on the walls.
Delhi-based pictorial calligrapher Qamar Dagar vows on the human element involved in calligraphy. “There’s a raw side to it, which one cannot hide, and that’s what makes the art form special,” she says.
A recipient of Naari Shakthi Samman from the President of India and the Women’s International Award, Qamar has exhibited two works here. One is ‘Ya Baatin (You, the Hidden)’ inscribed on a black surface, and the other is her famous piece portraying Hindi letters as fascinating motifs.
“Indian languages are diverse. So as a calligrapher, we have a role to play in promoting various scripts,” Qamar adds. “Calligraphy was once widely used in architecture and publications; now with the advent of technology, opportunities are dwindling.”
French artist Michele D’ Anastasio, however, staunchly believes that traditional calligraphy would never lose its significance. “Traditional calligraphy has an alliance with paper, ink, and pen. We can’t have that relationship with digital technology. I think digital calligraphy does not bring creativity as it is based on predefined models and shapes,” he says.
Michele is one of the major specialists in modern Hebrew calligraphy in Europe. His tryst with Hebrew began in 2004, when he discovered that his Maltese family origins come from a Jewish background.
One of his works speaks about the first chapter and verse of the Bible, Genesis. In brush strokes, he represented the creation of heaven and earth. Another striking work titled ‘Shalom’ represents peace. It is an important word in Judaism.
My personal favourite is a work that highlights a poetic text from ‘Song of Songs’; Michele captures love through the shades of blue. Equally impressive are the works of Iranian artist Masoud Mohebbi Far, who aces in abstract art. The scripts written in his works talk about nature, a message from Prophet Muhammed, and an Iranian poem describing India in its olden times.
Next up is Delhi-based Inku Kumar, who loves experimenting. The work he exhibited reads ‘Akshar’. “For this, I wrapped a wood piece in a sock and dipped it into the paint, and the lines of the sock are the strokes here,” he says. Mumbai-based Nikheel Aphale, meanwhile, is in a more serious mode. He aims to popularise the Devanagari script at a global level. “Devanagari is often associated with old documents. I contemporise it to wipe off this notion,” he says.
The work he has exhibited includes ‘Asatoma Sat Gamaya Tamaso Maa Jyotir Gamaya’ written in the contemporised Devanagari script, with the original letters in the background. Fellow Mumbai artist Akshaya Thombre focuses on Roman calligraphy. “I do scripts developed during the Gothic era,” she says. “The letters themselves are a design. In my work, they are written upside down, and convey emotions that are relatable.”
When letters emote
Calligraphy is a harmonious blend of art and communication. Its name, derived from Greek roots, translates to ‘beautiful writing’. However, its depth surpasses mere aesthetic script; it is a unique form
of fine art