ISLAMABAD: A contemporary calligraphy exhibition opened at the Nomad Art Gallery on Tuesday where 32 works by Mian Athar and Shahzad Zar were on display.

Some pieces are very simple, yet effective, while others are more intricate and decorated.

The painters have managed to amalgamate words into something beautiful and lasting. The works range between Rs12,000 and Rs40,000.

“Contribution of the Muslim world to a wide range of arts, sciences and academic disciplines is often overlooked or taken for granted. While drawing reference from the traditional art of calligraphy, this exhibition is part of the recent efforts to modernise Islamic calligraphy and, at the same time, to ‘Islamicise’ modern art or such constructs as calligraphic-art,” said Director Nomad Art Gallery Nageen Hyat, who is also the curator of the exhibition.

With a master’s degree in Painting from Punjab University, Mian Athar is fully involved in artwork, focusing on calligraphy and landscape painting.

“I view calligraphy in a different way, to express myself,” said the artist, explaining how he spent his early days learning the rules of the genre.

“It is my ambition to create some good calligraphic art for myself and the art lovers,” said Mian Athar, on the opening day of the exhibition.

“There is a balance within the characters, a balance between the characters and a balance throughout most of the works,” said a visitor to the show.

Shahzad Zar, who has been exhibiting in solo and group shows all over the world since 1999, has used acrylic with dry leaves on paper.

He has been guided by the legendary painter and visionary S. Ali Imam.

For Zar, calligraphy is one of the highest art forms, with artistic and expressive qualities that are independent of written words and meaning.

According to him, paintings are like soundless poetry, which capture an artist’s mood and portray narratives and emotions with heightened feelings. a Like Athar, Zar’s work also illustrates beautiful Islamic calligraphy.

Writing and words make beautiful and evocative art in his painting especially because of his combined fascination of paper and distinctive use of dried leaves, which touch human nature.

The exhibition features beautiful and intricately detailed traditional Islamic paintings, using calligraphic brushstrokes on paper and leaves.

The display will continue till June 30.

Published in Dawn, June 18th, 2014