1- Kufic Calligraphy Workshop

Calligraphy is an essential component of visual art in Arabic culture. Many historical and contemporary calligraphers have tried to copy the Quranic verses by using their own styles of calligraphy. Arabic calligraphy has also been used by many non-Arabic cultures. Since Islam has been accepted by many people with different languages and cultures, all these new cultures have tried to develop Quranic calligraphy on parchments, building, coins and other objects. Calligraphy has thus developed very fast as a holistic art.

Kufic was the most ancient form of Quranic writing (more than 1400 years of history and evaluations) and was used as the first method of writing in ancient Quran manuscripts. It is the root of contemporary writing styles in Arabic, Turkish Ottoman, Urdu, Farsi, Traditional Malaya and other languages of Western Asia as well as North Africa.

Workshop Outline: This workshop is intended for those who want to learn how to write in Kufic calligraphy on manuscripts. In this workshop, student will learn forms of alphabets in Kufic script.As the final outcome, students will  able to write directly using a Qalam (reed or traditional Arabic wooden pen).

 

 Timings and duration: 1 day workshop – 30 April 2016

*********

2- Thuluth Calligraphy Workshop

Calligraphy is an essential component of visual art in Arabic culture. Many historical and contemporary calligraphers have tried to copy the Quranic verses by using their own styles of calligraphy. Arabic calligraphy has also been used by many non-Arabic cultures. Since Islam has been accepted by many people with different languages and cultures, all these new cultures have tried to develop Quranic calligraphy on parchments, building, coins and other objects. Calligraphy has thus developed very fast as a holistic art.

A glance at traditional calligraphy reveals the use of different styles for religious texts. The Thuluth script, along with the Naskh script, was applied to a great portion of such texts. Just like other styles, this style was able to find its special uses among texts and writings. This particular style was mostly used for inscriptions of mosques, religious places and architectural monuments in general. Although the Iranian method of this style is very fascinating, especially as used in the inscriptions of buildings, yet it reached perfection under Turkish master calligraphers as an obvious and unique display.

Workshop Outline: In this workshop, student will learn forms of alphabets in Thuluth script and how to write them. Students will be familiarized with different sub-styles of Thuluth script.

About teacher of the workshop, S.M. Vahid M.Jazayeri – Vahid’s study of Thuluth and Naskh scripts began in 1982 and in 1991, after nearly ten years of training, he began his teaching practice.  Within a year, he was developing two complementary fields: historical calligraphy research in a range of media (ceramics, coins, plaster and stone, as well as manuscripts) and contemporary type design. An established calligrapher, researcher, graphic designer, and expert in early Arabic Kufic script, Vahid was born in 1969 and holds a Bachelor of Art in Graphics. He has published extensively, including several well-received books, and held numerous workshops on reviving the early Kufic calligraphic style. Over the past two decades, he has been awarded the “Excellence in Art Certificate” by the ministry of culture, the equivalent of an honorary Ph.D. degree. His experience includes writing and interpreting calligraphic works, particularly of the ancient and traditional styles of calligraphy, as well as modern typography. Throughout his career, his research has enabled him to analyse and provide relevant review critiques on the different styles of calligraphy, with a contemporary perspective.

Timings and duration: 1 day workshop – 2 May 2016