10 August 2012 | last updated at 12:30AM
By OLIVIA MIWIL |streets@nstp.com.my
THE ART OF GIVING:Calligraphers of Jawi script put up their works to raise funds for the less fortunate in this festive season
ISLAMIC calligraphy or khat is not only appreciated by Muslims, but also other art lovers.
At the launch of the Nuqtah exhibition at Galeri Chandan Jalan Gelenggang here, one of the calligraphers, Abdul Baki Abu Bakar, said the artistic value of khat is in the strokes of the Jawi scripts.
"People are impressed by calligraphers' abilities to draw continuous and tidy lines in a stroke without rulers or guided lines.
"Some even thought that the Jawi scripts were prints and not hand- drawn," he said.
Khat, he said, exudes a sense of peace and calm.
"Calligraphers create this effect by concentrating on the meaning of the words while drawing," he added.
Baki also explained that the allure of the calligraphy was how creatively the Jawi letters were clustered to form the artwork.
"The clever use of colours is a another reason why khat is attractive," added Baki who has 15 years of experience in calligraphy.
He said nuqtah means full stop.
"Traditionally, each Arabic word is dotted with a certain number of full stops.
"The art is influenced according to the size of pen," he said, adding that calligraphers usually carved their pens made from bamboo or resam, which carries the scientific name Dicranopteris linearis.
Five other calligraphers, namely Mohd Fadil Sulaiman, Mohd Zulfikri Mohd Sobri, Mohammad Firdaus Mahadi, Muhammad Ekhsan Md Haniff and Mohd Zahamri Nizar contributed 24 paintings and drawings for the exhibition.
The exhibition displays paintings and drawings written in khat diwani jali, khat thuluth, khat kufi murabba and khat shikasteh.
Galeri Chandan is donating half of the proceeds from the sales of the artworks to charity.
The works are priced from RM1,100 to RM60,000. The exhibition ends on Sunday.
"People are impressed by calligraphers' abilities to draw continuous and tidy lines in a stroke without rulers or guided lines.
"Some even thought that the Jawi scripts were prints and not hand- drawn," he said.
Khat, he said, exudes a sense of peace and calm.
"Calligraphers create this effect by concentrating on the meaning of the words while drawing," he added.
Baki also explained that the allure of the calligraphy was how creatively the Jawi letters were clustered to form the artwork.
"The clever use of colours is a another reason why khat is attractive," added Baki who has 15 years of experience in calligraphy.
He said nuqtah means full stop.
"Traditionally, each Arabic word is dotted with a certain number of full stops.
"The art is influenced according to the size of pen," he said, adding that calligraphers usually carved their pens made from bamboo or resam, which carries the scientific name Dicranopteris linearis.
Five other calligraphers, namely Mohd Fadil Sulaiman, Mohd Zulfikri Mohd Sobri, Mohammad Firdaus Mahadi, Muhammad Ekhsan Md Haniff and Mohd Zahamri Nizar contributed 24 paintings and drawings for the exhibition.
The exhibition displays paintings and drawings written in khat diwani jali, khat thuluth, khat kufi murabba and khat shikasteh.
Galeri Chandan is donating half of the proceeds from the sales of the artworks to charity.
The works are priced from RM1,100 to RM60,000. The exhibition ends on Sunday.
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