Exhibition to display works of Lucknow calligraphers

LUCKNOW: For those who are fond of Islamic calligraphy, a collection by calligraphers of Lucknow will be put on display from May 3 to 9 at the Lalit Kala Akademi in Aliganj.

A collection of Quran verses written in calligraphic style and painted on canvas will be put up in the exhibition.

Organiser of the exhibition Irena Akbar said, “When I went looking for calligraphers in Lucknow, I could find only three masters of the art form. The art is gradually dying due to digital calligraphy and the masters are living in neglect.”

“I took their works and got them printed to give it a different look,” she said.

The theme is Islamic as verses from the Holy Quran will be inscribed in the artworks. For those who can’t read Arabic, there will also be English translation of the verses. There will also be a small section on Urdu poetry.

Three forms of calligraphy will be on display – Tughra (elaborate and figurative), Thuluth (crisp with neat lines and highlighted vowels), and Nastaliq (simple Persian script).

The artists whose collections will be on display include Mohammed Ilyas, a veteran calligrapher with an experience of 50 years. His career includes stints with Urdu publications in Delhi, Srinagar, Jalandhar and Lucknow.

The works of Syed Azeem Haider Jafri, who is the face of calligraphy in Lucknow, will also be on display. A calligrapher for over 25 years, Jafri specialises in “tughra” calligraphy. His works can be seen at some of the monuments of Lucknow as well.

The exhibition will also have works of Abu Bakar Siddiqui, a self-taught master of the pen. A retired engineer with the railways, Siddiqui has been writing Quranic verses in his diaries for over 30 years.

THREE FORMS OF CALLIGRAPHY WILL BE ON DISPLAY TUGHRA, THULUTH AND NASTALIQ