CALLIGRAPHY is invariably the first thought that comes to most non-specialist minds when Islamic art is mentioned. Some old-timers might conjure an image of a carpet, but floor coverings have long since been superseded. The written word is what it’s all about, and definitely not something to defile with your feet.
The second universal thought about Islamic calligraphy is that we will be heading in a faith-based direction. This is the root of the art form’s pre-eminence, but there have been many digressions since the script was developed in the early years of the Islamic empire.
As the latest exhibition at the Islamic Arts Museum Malaysia shows, the art of the pen has been extended in as many directions as there are writers. The possibilities are as endless as the purposes to which writing can be put.
The exhibition An Introduction to Islamic Calligraphy is, fortunately, very disciplined. It starts with an inescapable verse from the Qur’an and then illustrates highlights of all types: “Nun. By the Pen and the (Record) which (men) write” — Surah al-Qalam (68 :1)
There are few inventions that have shaped the world as decisively as Arabic calligraphy. From it are derived regional variations such as Farsi in Iran and Jawi in the Malay world. For religious inscriptions, it almost invariably means Arabic words in Arabic script.
It’s a relief that the curators have not propagated the usual distinctions between the various styles of script. They are important but often just a distraction from looking at the marvels that have been embellished by the use of calligraphy.
SPIRITUAL ELEMENT
Instead of dwelling too much on the details, the exhibition is divided into four comprehensible sections: The Word of God, The Art of Calligraphy, Beauty in Diversity and Contemporary Calligraphy. These range in size from nano-works to the fabulous prize of the museum known as a Sitarah.
This curtain was commissioned by Ottoman ruler, Sultan Abdul Majid (r. 1839-1861 AD), as a gift for the Prophet’s tomb in Medina. With its gold and silver thread, the size of this massive item is matched by the richness of its decoration.
Looking at the big picture of calligraphy, rather than just the largest works, the exhibition has a useful ally in the Arabic expression, “Purity of writing is purity of the soul”. The spiritual element is never far away from even the most mundane items on display.
This isn’t about content but about the associations that calligraphy has acquired. Its unalterable state in the Qur’an is enough to give the written word a status that is not found in any other major religion.
Calligrapher is also a science, though. Its foundations were determined by three great calligraphers: Ibn Muqla ( 886-940 AD), Ibn al-Bawwab and Yakut al-Musta’simi (d. 1298 AD). Their names are not widely known, except perhaps Ibn Muqla, but their contribution to the supreme art of Islam is as decisive as that of Monet or Picasso to Western art. Western art became world art while Islamic calligraphy has remained pretty much the preserve of Muslim societies.
POWER BEYOND WORDS
Islamic calligraphy is a continuous story, of course. As it was not fossilised at some point in the past, there are works as diverse as those by contemporary masters such as the Chinese Muslim calligrapher, Haji Noor Deen Mi Guang Jiang, and Malaysian calligrapher Allahyarham Haji Omar Rahmat.
What they tell us is that the tools are of vital importance to an art that to the outsider might seem remarkably uniform. Haji Noor Deen achieves a liberating fluidity with the traditional Chinese technique of using a brush rather than a more rigid reed pen.
Going one step further is the Jordanian artist Nassar Mansour, who turns words into sculptures. This might seem to go against traditional Islamic proscriptions, but there is nothing of the graven image about his works.
Arabic calligraphy exists on a multitude of objects as a decorative device. The exhibition features inkwells, watchcases and jewellery. The category that seems to excite all lovers of decorative art is ceramics.
The large dishes that were produced in Iran and Central Asia around the 10th century are such a superb vehicle for messages of goodwill, most viewers ignore the meaning and focus solely on the aesthetics. There is something utterly beguiling about the way the attenuated letters transform an unpromising piece of clay into a transcendent delight. All of this is managed without recourse to any scriptural references.
Simple, homely blessings upon the owner (or maybe the guest) were the original purpose. Over time, however, they have become the defining example of how applying something that looks like black ink onto what looks like a white-ish page has a power that goes far beyond words.
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WHAT: An Introduction to Islamic Calligraphy
WHEN: Until April 30, 2020
WHERE: Islamic Arts Museum Malaysia, Jalan Lembah Perdana, Kuala Lumpur