Calligraphy: Pakistan

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Calligraphy By Qurat ul ain Siddiqui, Jan 25.
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Calligraphy of the attributivenames of Allah is quite popular amongst many local and international artists.However, the exhibition of upcoming artist, designer and sculptor, Maroof Ahmedrecently held at the Arts Council in Karachi showed all the 99 namescalligraphed in a rather unprecedented manner.

Maroof has developed these ninety-nine different works of art in ninety-ninedifferent colour schemes, materials and combinations of materials, which makeshis display rather unique and unparalleled. It took him over two years tocomplete this project. Not only has Maroof employed traditional art media, suchas marble, metal, plastic, cloth, plaster of Paris, fibre glass et cetera, buthe has also made use of media which are not traditionally used in art. Some ofthese are rosary beads, peacock feathers, herbs, coal, chaliya etc. They havebeen employed in such a manner that they aptly serve the artist’s expressivepurpose. For example, Ahmed makes use of cuttings and clippings from newspapersin his frame which expresses God’s attribute of being ‘aware and all-knowing’(al-Khabeer), for no other reason but that it perfectly highlights thisparticular attribute of the Almighty. In another frame focusing on God’sattribute of being ‘the hidden one’ (al-Batin), he makes use of an X-ray filmto reinforce and concretise his expression. In yet another frame, he employspieces of glass bangles which not only beautify the corresponding work but alsoserve to facilitate the depiction.

It is almost surprising to see an artist as young as Maroof produce exceptionalwork on an individual scale by employing different media in varying ways aswell as the painstaking efforts he has made for the preservation of some of thematerials used which usually lose their original outlook and texture over time.

The inspiration for Maroof Ahmed, to state the obvious, comes from religion andGod, and clearly reserves an important place for the young artist in the areaof sub-continental Islamic Art. Maroof’s work shows a lot of talent and promiseand he is sure to make a name for himself in the years to come.