A profusion of calligraphic works
By: Anil Datta
Karachi: The Arts Council on Wednesday evening was host to calligraphic masterpieces highlighting Quranic verses and Islamic themes.
Apart from the large number of works depicting the names of Almighty Allah and the Holy Prophet (PBUH), in the most attractive of colours and stylised letters, there are 113 works by 58 artists adorning the walls of the Manzar Akbar Hall of the Arts Council.
These are not just reflective of the profusion of artistic talent that abounds in our society but also indicate the deep-seated religious fervour, especially among the youngsters, the younger generation of artists.
The colour schemes employed in the works were so very apt and in line with the themes of the works. All the artists seemed to be lyrical colourists.
However, before proceeding further, what really needs to be mentioned is a piece of handwork that is unprecedented and unexcelled.
Hollowed out egg shells, including those of ostriches, peacocks, hens and ducks, have been mounted on platforms with multicoloured lights, slowly revolving by means of built-in motors.
On these egg shells are various verses from the Holy Quran embroidered with gold-plated copper wire. These amazing artefacts have been crafted by Adeeluddin.
“I inherited this art from my father,” says Adeel, a police official. There are 21 such works. This innovation is a must-see for all, be they art enthusiasts or electronics buffs.
There were lots of illustrations of the heavenly bodies in the most strikingly appropriate of colours accompanied by verses from the scriptures, a flash of cosmosophy highlighting the glory of the universe and creation, and the omnipotence of The Almighty.
One such work is supposed to have been made from the surface of the moon with the multicoloured earth appearing as a perfect sphere in the distance in space.
The work by Waqar Afzal, by profession a civil engineer, contains Quranic verses depicting the marvels of the cosmos and the glory of God and creation.
There are works by Husna Naz and Shaista Alvi in the most soothing of colour schemes highlighting verses from the scriptures.
Another work by Akram Spaul is the Ayat-ul-Kursi in a really eye-catching colour scheme, with the verse painted in sky blue with a white border against a black background. For some reason, it is this attractive colour scheme that speaks of divine glory.
Sindh Education & Literacy Minister Nisar Khuhro, who performed the opening ceremony, lauded the artists for not only keeping the art of Islamic calligraphy alive but also for giving it impetus.
He lauded the quality of the works and said that they were a happy, though nostalgic, reminder of Sadequain.
Arts Council President Ahmed Shah said the quality of the works was “the essence of the Arts Council”.
Artist Jamal Mohsin presented a specimen of his calligraphic work to the chief guest. The exhibition runs up until July 21.
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