The third edition of a calligraphy exhibition jointly curated by three well-known painters and graphic designers is underway at Dena Art Gallery in Tehran.
Titled ‘Calligraphers at Work ‘ the exhibition is co-organized by Mohammad Fadaei, skilled painter, Babak Etminani, veteran contemporary painter and Mohammad Ali Bani Asadi, painter, illustrator and graphic artist, Honaronline reports.
Fadaei rued the lack of attention to calligraphy by veteran artists.
“Calligraphy is not given the place compatible with its status in the field of art, although it has evolved over centuries through studies and research on ancient texts, and is still in the process of evolving.”
The current project is aimed at linking art critics and calligraphers as they are aloof to each other’s work. “Calligraphers are unusually uninformed about the history and philosophy of contemporary art and art critics do not know much about calligraphy,” he noted.
The multiple-section art display is “research based” presenting works of calligrams, (a word or piece of text in which the design and layout of the letters creates a visual image related to the meaning of the words themselves).
“However, I’ve focused on the aesthetic dimensions of the field, and the reason why I chose two visual artists for cooperation is to focus on the concept of calligrams. Like paintings, calligraphy could be abstract.”
Etminani and Bani Asadi are mostly known for their paintings; but they have also combined calligraphy in their works.
Etminani first started his works in figurative painting. He later combined calligraphy in his abstract paintings with eastern calligraphic motifs.
The current exhibition features the hierarchical process of moving toward abstractism in using calligraphy in painting works by Etminani, and “highlights the similarity between the spiritual dimension of his works and the sanctity of calligraphy in Iranian-Islamic culture,” Fadaei added.
Bani Asadi, whose works are also exhibited at the gallery, started his profession with works from nature and later in the mid-1980s, was influenced by the ‘Coffee Shop’ ancient Iranian painting style.
“He actually started using script as a figurative element,” Fadaei said.
Bani Asadi, in his later works, was inclined to abstract style, combining calligraphy, as a national identity, and ancient painting methods.”
Explaining his own artworks displayed at the gallery, Fadaei said: “My works are created based on my belief that we can make works of calligraphy that introduce the idea of contemporary aesthetics to the viewer.”
Fadaei, 38, has a bachelor’s degree in philosophy and press graphic from the Bureau of Media Studies and Planning, University of Tehran.
The current edition has 18 paintings from the three artists and will run through February 15 at the gallery, located at No. 4, Sousan St., Qarani Ave., Tehran.
