The story of Alif - Aga Khan Museum, Toronto

‘alif ’

THE STORY OF writing and the muslims

A TALK & WORKSHOP AT THE AGA KHAN MUSEUM, TORONTO

AUGUST 12, 2016 ALL MATERIAL © SHEERAZWANIA Presentaion based on the gallery collection of the Aga khan museum. toronto

sheerazwania.com sheerazwania@me.com

Opposite Page : Quote by Pablo Picasso Leaf with Calligraphic Composition, Turkey, 1800s, 13.5 x 28 cm

‘ If I had known there was such a thing as Islamic Calligraphy,

I would never have started to paint.’

Tile Panel, Central Asia, 56 x 39 cm, 14th century

Dish, Iznik, Turkey, Diameter 34.3 cm, height 7.4 cm, 1570–80

ARABESQUE PATTERNS [FLORA & FAUNA]

GEOMETRY

ARTS OF THE MUSLIM CIVILIZATION

FIGURATIVE FORMS

Firdausi and the three court poets of Ghazna, folio from Shahnameh (Book of Kings) of Shah Tahmasp I Tabriz, Iran, 47 x 31.8 cm, 1532

CALLIGRAPHY

Qur’an leaf, Near East or Iran, 14.9 x 20.9 cm, 900s

‘Where there are Muslims, there is calligraphy.’

Mohammad Zakaria

Qur’an folio India, about 1400

Qur’an folio Valencia, Spain, about 1200

Qur’an Folio Iran, mid-12th century

THE DYNAMICS OF LANGUAGE EVOLUTION

THE ‘ALIF’ MODULE

Metaphorically, its slim straight stroke stands for a straight virtuous path, unity and uniqueness of Allah.

SYSTEMS AND GUIDELINES

Pen Box, Iran, 26.8 cm, 1863–1865 Papier-mâché, paint, and varnish

Pen Box, Northwest Iran 9.4 x 4.5 cm, 1300 Bronze, gold and silver inlay

COLOUR

Inkwell, Iran, 1200, Bronze

SCHOOLS & STYLES [typology]

KUFIC

Bowl with kufic script Neshapur Iran, 10th century Earthenware, underglaze slip-painted

Dish Northeast Iran 10th century Earthenware, underglaze slip-painted.

Funerary stele Egypt or North Africa, 10th century Marble, carved.

Folio from the ‘Blue’ Qur’an, 9th-10th century. Ink, opaque watercolor, silver (now oxidized) and gold on blue-dyed parchment.

THULUTH

Tile, Iznik Turkey, 16th century, Underglazed,panted fritware

Double folio from a Qur’an possibly Yemen, about 1300–1350 Opaque watercolour, gold, ink, paper

Bowl Egypt or Syria, 1293–1341 Brass inlaid with silver

NASKH

Beam Syria , 1100s–1200s 11.2 x 122 cm Wood, carved

Page of Calligraphic Exercise Turkey, 17th century Ink and gold on paper

Manuscript of a Qur’an India , 1681 Opaque watercolour, gold, ink, paper

BIHARI SCRIPT [India]

Qur’an folio India about 1400 Opaque watercolour, gold, black on paper

The Maghribi [North AfricA]

Qur’an folio Valencia, Spain about 1200

NASTA’LIQ

Manuscript of Khamsa (Quintet) of Nizami Shiraz, Iran, 1527 Opaque watercolour, gold, ink, paper

Beggar’s Bowl (Kashkul) Iran, Length 61 cm late 16th century, Brass

DIWANI

Leaf with Calligraphic Composition Turkey, 1800s 13.5 x 28 cm

THE TUGRA

[ROYAL SIGNATURE/CALLIGRAM]

Tughra (Official Signature) of Sultan Süleiman the Magnificent (r. 1520–66)

CONTEMPORARY IRANIAN CALLIGRAPHY

Aghighi Bakhshayeshi (born in Qom in 1968)

KASHYA HILDEBRAND - Zurich

MOMAYYEZ, Morteżā (b. Tehran, August 1936; d. Tehran, November 2005)

MOMAYYEZ, Morteżā (b. Tehran, August 1936; d. Tehran, November 2005)

WORKING IMAGES FROM THE WORKSHOP

SOME TUGRAS CREATED BY PARTCIPANTS

REFERENCES: http://blog.29lt.com/2007/07/17/arabic-glyphs-proportions-andguidlines www.agakhanmuseum.org http://www.smashingmagazine.com http://www.metmuseum.org http://www.iranicaonline.org http://www.arabiccalligraphy.com http://www.graphicdesign.com/article/arabic-calligraphy-in-design http://islamic-arts.org/2012/the-qur’an http://www.sakkal.com/ArtArabicCalligraphy.html