A graphic design collection ‘Callidrawing’ by veteran artist Reza Abedini, is on display at Ab Anbar Gallery in Tehran.
A combination of modern and traditional themes, the series includes 89 works of art which lie somewhere between drawing and calligraphy, revealing the artist’s long-standing engagement with the two forms of art, ISNA reports.
In a statement on the exhibition, he said: “Try not to read the words. They are not designed to be read, but only to be viewed.”
Abedini says an individual’s handwriting carries a part of their soul, as does the accent and voice. “If viewers are engrossed with the concept of written letters, they will lose the opportunity to feel (the soul)”.
The collection aims to draw attention to the “forgotten side of handwriting” and make it in some way legible, he added.
The exhibition will run through November 26 at the gallery at No.2, Roshan-Manesh St., Khaqani, Ave., Enqelab Ave.
Abedini, 48, graduated from Art University of Tehran in 1989. Since then, he has been working as a designer, teacher and researcher in the field of typography, graphic design and visual arts.
One of the most renowned post-Islamic Revolution (1979) graphic designers in Iran, he has published several books including ‘Design and Designer’ (2004) and ‘Vision of Design’ (2007).
Since 1996, he has been teaching in different universities and colleges, including the Tehran University of Art and the University of Tehran. He was also the guest lecturer at KABK (Royal Academy of Arts in the Netherlands) and Virginia Commonwealth University of Qatar (VCUQ).
He founded a studio in Tehran in 1993 and his professional focus is Persian and Arabic script and typography.
Abedini has won special prizes at the China International Poster Biennale 2003, the Union of Visual Artists of the Czech Republic Award in Brno (2004), second prize at the 15th Festival d’affiches de Chaumont of France (2004) and Gold Prize at Hong Kong International Poster Triennial (2004) among others.
