Calligraphy is the most intimate, private, and spontaneous expressive means. Like a fingerprint or voice, it is unique with every person.
– Hermann Zapf
The thickness of strokes, switch of pressure and letter spacing adapted by the calligraphers add contrast and enhance the visual appeal. There are countless flairs of calligraphy, each with its exclusionary topographies and styles. Kannada, one of the oldest Dravidian languages of Karnataka, has a script with an intriguing play of curls, arches and slants. The amalgamation of curved and straight components makes it stand out visually.
A month-long exhibition of Kannada calligraphy, along with a demonstration, by the artists Animesh Naganuru, G Harikumar, Mohan Kumar Erappa, Suresh S Waghmore and TB Kodihalli was held at Bangalore Art Gallery, Bangalore as a part of Karnataka Rajyotsava and Dakahavisada in November 2023. The exhibition hall displays not only the flow, splashes and brushwork of inks and colours, but also the artworks ranging from traditional, and transitional to contemporary. The styles and forms interestingly modified for individual expressions echo their continuous practice, passion, understanding of the concept being expressed, dexterity and creativity, all intermingled aesthetically in constructing striking and mellifluous lettering.
Experimentations with Calligraphy can be witnessed on different planes such as stainless steel cut in a slant and hung artistically as a sculptural form; script layering mirror to show one’s reflection, telling the story of reality and illusion; inscription on copper plate to hold onto the heritage; and multiple acrylic sheets placed in front of each other with digitally levied script creating three-dimensional effects. Calligraphers have inscribed ligatures as a single connected entity with serifs or finials at the ends of alphabets to emphasize the decorative trait, whether it’s the conventional, neatly written parallel lines or randomly spread rhythmical metaphors.
The creative compositions are conceptually conceived with old poetries of renowned poets, philosophies of life, nature, mother and child, silence in chaos, single alphabets defining some meaning with the empty and engaged space; and even symbolic depiction where a rug has tassels of Kannada, making it a part and parcel of everyday life. An extensive use of broad-tipped, hinged, rigged and even grooved handmade tools, brushes, pens and other implements is evident for an apt and desired appearance.
All this can become a stimulus for reviving traditions, upgrading mindset, being open to new approaches and transporting calligraphy as an art form into modern practice. The calligraphers adhere to particular rules and conventions, but for their atypical alphabetical utterances, they have dared to enter the realm of creative possibilities. The thought-provoking letterforms and compositions are loaded with personal touches, literary inclinations variations, and artistic ornamentations, which grants uniqueness to the finished artwork.
These framed fonts go beyond the practical and conventional aspects of writing, turning them into well-composed artistic compositions. Overall, calligraphy embraces ‘n’. Several themes like spiritual or philosophical messages, prose and poetry stand as an attestation to the allure of the corresponding word.
CS Krishna Setty- Former Chairman Lalitkala Akademi, New Delhi; Ravindra S Deshmukh- Assistant Editor Vijayavani; Dharmendra Rangain- Member of Managing Committee- ‘Yuvaka Sangha’ were the Chief Guests at the inauguration of the show. The special invitees of the programme included KC Janardhan- a renowned handwriting and calligraphy expert; and eminent artists- Ganapathi Hegde and Babu Jattakar.
Image Courtesy – Bangalore Art Gallery
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Alka is an artist and art writer with a diverse career spanning teaching, e-learning projects with the Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD), and editorial work. An alum of the Government College of Art, Chandigarh (BFA) and Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi (MFA, PhD), she has been recognised with numerous prestigious awards and honours.
