Merry Christmas, everyone!
Hasyim Mohamad al-Baghdadi (1917-1973)
Abū Rāqım Hāshim b. Muhammad b. Hājj Dirbās al-Qaysī al-Baghdādī was born in 1335/1917 in the Khān Lawand Quarter in Baghdad. From early childhood, he was strongly attracted to calligraphy, studying briefly under Mullā 'Ārif al-Shaykhlī and then under 'Ali Sābir. Eventually he began practicing calligraphy under the supervision and guidance of Shaykh Mullā ‘Alī al-Fadlī, who gave him an ijāzet (“certificate” of calligraphy) in 1363/1943. In 1364/1944, Hāshim went to Egypt, where he was admitted into the Calligraphy Institute in Cairo. The instructors and administrators there were highly impressed with his work and allowed him to sit immediately for the final examination of the senior class; he obtained first-class honors. He was given a second ijāzet by the well-known Egyptian calligrapher Sayyid Ibrāhīm (1315/1897 - 1414/1994), and another by the calligrapher Muhammad Husnī in 1364/1944. The Institute's administrators asked him to stay in Egypt and teach, but he returned to Baghdad and opened a calligrapher's shop in 1365/1946. He later went to İstanbul, where he became acquainted with the Turkish calligraphers, especially Hāmid Aytaç, who gave him two certificates of appreciation in lieu of an ijāzet, one in 1370/1950 and another in 1372/1952. For four years, as of 1375/1955, he studied with Mācid Ayral who had come from Baghdad to İstanbul and greatly benefited from working with him.Hāshim served as a calligrapher in the Surveyors' Department in Baghdad from 1380/1960 until he was transferred to the Ministry of Education, where he was appointed head of the Department of Decoration and Calligraphy in the Institute of Fine Arts.
Hāshim was deeply influenced by the Turkish calligraphers. He greatly admired the work of Hāfız Osman; Mehmed Şevki; Hacı Ahmed Kāmil Akdik; and Hāmid Aytaç. His admiration for Mustafa Rākım was so great that he named his son after him and began calling himself Abū Rāqım, or Rāqım's father. In İstanbul, he used to visit Necmeddin Okyay, who owned a distinguished collection of calligraphic works.
In the hope of popularizing this art, Hāshim issued a collection of calligraphic pieces in riq‘ah and another in a variety of scripts. He also supervised the publication of Mušhaf al-Awqāf, which was published for the first time by the Surveyors' Department. This is a splendid muşhaf calligraphed in 1236/1821 by the Turkish calligrapher Mehmed Emin er-Rüşdī (thirteenth/nineteenth century). The muşhaf was presented by Pertevniyal, mother of Sultan Abdülaziz, to the Mosque of the Great Imām al-Nu'mān b. Thābīt, known as Abū Hanīfah. Hāshim illuminated the beginning of the Mushaf anew, numbered its verses, wrote the titles of the sūrahs, and the numbers of the hizbs, juz’es, and sajdahs in a manner acceptable to Arab taste.In addition to kıt'as, hilyes, and levhas, Hāshim calligraphed decorative friezes in mosques and other buildings in Baghdad and other cities; these were done on faience or marble, mostly in jalī thuluth. The rarest of his works are in kūfī script, as in the ‘Abd al-Qādir al-Jīlānī Mosque and the Hājj Mahmūd Mosque. Hāshim al-Baghdādī died on 27 Rabī‘I 1393/30 April 1973 in Baghdad and was buried in the Khayzuran Cemetery.
Source: Waleed al-'A'zamī, Tarajimu khattati Baghdad el-Muasirin, Beirut 1977, p.254-75. http://ircica.org
Osman ÖZÇAY
Calligrapher Osman Özçay was born in Çaykara, in the province of Trabzon in 1963. He attended the same school as his brother Mehmet in Gerede and finished high-school there. After studying at the Islamic Institute in Erzurum for two years, he transferred to the Islamic Studies Department of Marmara University in Istanbul. He graduated in 1986.In 1982, even though he did not have a special interest in Islamic calligraphy, he joined his brother when he first visited calligrapher Fuat Başar. He was suddenly attracted to the art and he started lessons in the script Thuluth the same day. He later received his diploma in the scripts of thuluth and naskh from his teacher.
When he came to Istanbul, he met M.Uğur Derman from whom he has benefited greatly throughout the years. Mr. Derman gave him some copies of Sami Efendi`s Jali Thuluth writings which were written for a public water fountain behind `Yeni Cami` (New Mosque) in Istanbul. These sources served as the most important guide in learning the script of Jali Thuluth.
In the first (1986) and second (1989) international competitions organized by The Research Centre for Islamic History, Art and Culture (IRCICA) which serves as the secretaryship of The Commission for the Preservation of Islamic Cultural Heritage associated with the Organisation of the Islamic Conference, he received five awards, gaining second and third prizes in various scripts including Jali Thuluth and Thuluth. He won the first prize at the calligraphy competition organized by the Maktab al-Shahid Kuwaiti institute in 1997.
Osman Özçay has participated in personal exhibitions with his brother Mehmet Özçay in Istanbul (1996), Abu Dhabi (1998), Sharjah (1999), and Dubai (2003). He has also taken part in the exhibitions organized by IRCICA in association with the Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing in Dubai 2003, 2004 and 2005. In 2003, he participated in the calligraphy exhibition in Tokyo and joined some other calligraphers on The Days of Arabic Calligraphy in Tunisia in 1997 and 2006. He has also participated in various exhibitions in Turkey and abroad.
Osman Özçay is producing works in the styles of thuluth, jali thuluth, naskh and muhaqqaq according to the classical approach. Throughout the years his pieces of calligraphy have entered museums and special collections.
source: www.ozcay.com
Mehmed ÖZÇAY
Mehmed Özçay was born in 1961 in the Çaykara district of the province of Trabzon, in Turkey. He completed his elementary and secondary education in Gerede, subsequently graduating from the School of Theology of Atatürk University, Erzurum, in 1986. He studied naskh and thulth scripts with the calligrapher Fuat Başar, whom he met there in 1982. In 1986, he moved to İstanbul where he met M. Uğur Derman, who became his guide in calligraphy; this gave him the opportunity to broaden his horizons and deepen his appreciation for, and knowledge of, this art.In 1986 and 1989, Özçay participated in the first two international calligraphy competitions organized by the Research Centre for Islamic History, Art and Culture (IRCICA), winning six prizes in various categories, most notably First Prize in thulth-naskh scripts. He began to copy the Holy Qur’an in 1986; completed in 1991 and first published in 1992, that work has played a key role in the development of his mastery of naskh script, and more generally in the establishment of his career as a professional calligrapher. Fine art reproductions of his copy of the Surat Ya-Sin, as well many of his panels, have also been published...
Özçay participated in many exhibitions, both in Turkey and internationally—including the Kazema Festival for Islamic Heritage (Kuwait, 1996), the Islamic World Calligraphy Festival (Tehran, 1997), Seven Ottoman Arts that have Lived Beyond 700 Years (İstanbul, 1999), the Riyadh Calligraphy Exhibition (1999), the Holy Qur’an Exhibition (Tehran, 2000), the National Calligraphy Festival (Tunis, 2001), the Tokyo Calligraphy Exhibition (2003), Salam & Calligraphy (Doha, 2003), the Sharjah International Biennal for Arabic Calligraphy (2004), the Dubai International Calligraphy Exhibitions (2004, 2005, 2006), and the Tunis Arabic Calligraphy Days (1999, 2006).
Mehmed Özçay’s first individual show was held in conjunction with his brother Osman Özçay and his sister Fatma Özçay in May 1996 at the Yıldız Palace, İstanbul. He subsequently partook in the “Özçay” exhibitions at the National Culture Foundation (İstanbul, 1998), in Doha (November 1998), Abu Dhabi (December 1998), Sharjah (1999), and Dubai (2003). He has also served as a member of the jury in a number of international calligraphy competitions.
More than 300 of Mehmed Özçay’s calligraphic panels in jali thulth, thulth, naskh, ijazah, and jali diwani scripts are currently in various collections both in Turkey and abroad.
source= http://www.ozcay.com
AKLAM, Calligrapher Association in memoriam
After the long browsing, I reply comment of Imron Aly. Kaligrafer who was also written about calligraphy. There is one interesting tag from his blog. It's AKLAM.
As far as I know, AKLAM is the abbreviation of Associations Kaligrafer Darussalam. A Group of Calligraphy Lover in Modern Building School Gontor. Where, I also had learn calligraphy there, and become members.
Given the means AKLAM remember when we first learn handwriting in the Saudi Building Level III VI. And sometimes must take extra training in night after night absent, to the senior asatidz. Moreover, if Friday night came, rushing we had even centered in the 'markaz', the secretariat studio. Office of the narrow building in Tunis is the usual throng of children who are making mading ....
Yes, from the first AKLAM gave me many things about calligraphy, although it is still raw and basic, but that is the case that gives me spirit to survive to keep my art is taken.
And, thank you, and create a nostalgic AKLAMAN 2001. Wempi, Sofi, Seta, Surya, Angga, Kusna, Hekky, Ruslan and all alone ... I miss U all bro ... when we expedisi again ... Want to go ahead TURKEY guys?!
As far as I know, AKLAM is the abbreviation of Associations Kaligrafer Darussalam. A Group of Calligraphy Lover in Modern Building School Gontor. Where, I also had learn calligraphy there, and become members.
Given the means AKLAM remember when we first learn handwriting in the Saudi Building Level III VI. And sometimes must take extra training in night after night absent, to the senior asatidz. Moreover, if Friday night came, rushing we had even centered in the 'markaz', the secretariat studio. Office of the narrow building in Tunis is the usual throng of children who are making mading ....
Yes, from the first AKLAM gave me many things about calligraphy, although it is still raw and basic, but that is the case that gives me spirit to survive to keep my art is taken.
And, thank you, and create a nostalgic AKLAMAN 2001. Wempi, Sofi, Seta, Surya, Angga, Kusna, Hekky, Ruslan and all alone ... I miss U all bro ... when we expedisi again ... Want to go ahead TURKEY guys?!
The Calligraphy of Anna Zhao
I recently had a lovely visit from Richmond’s Anna Zhao, who studies and practices calligraphy in the Shou Jin style. She came bearing gifts — including this gorgeous fan on which she had written my name.
She gave me this background information: The ‘Shou Jin’ style (literal translation being “slender gold”) was developed by empire Zhao Jie of the Song dynasty from AD1082-1135.
He was a very talented artists gifted in various forms of artwork including water colour painting and stamps. He was also known to have hosted many events promoting and celebrating various forms of art. The ‘Shou Jin’ style was carried on to his son Zhao Gou who further developed the structure and appearance.
Zhao Jie and his son Zhao Gou are regarded as an odd pair in Chinese history because it was rare for a father and his son to become calligraphers when being a part of a Chinese royal family. Although they are well respected and admired by millions of Chinese today for their art, they were both bad with dealing with country affairs. That is the reason for the idiomatic saying “Doing things as badly as the empire of the Song dynasty” we often hear today.
Thank you, Anna!
Unsung Heros, Unsung Scribes
Strangely, it didn’t occur to me that when the Calligraphy Society of Ottawa invited me to teach a two-day workshop, that I’d be meeting Canada’s “national scribes”. Perhaps that was for the best. Had I understood that earlier, I would have been very intimidated by those in attendence at my evening slide presentation and weekend workshop!
Though I had been to Ottawa many times, I confess I had never visited our national Memorial Chamber located in the Peace Tower on Parliament Hill, and was unaware of The Books of Remembrance displayed there.
I had a day to spend in Ottawa, and my excellent hostess, Pat Gregoire, whisked me off to ‘The Hill’ to see the books, chatting to me about the scribes who wrote them and sharing anecdotes about their work. It was a beautiful November day, just several days prior to Remembrance Day, and the green lawns of Parliament Hill were full of visitors. But in the vaulted Memorial Chamber, we grew quiet while examining the books — marvelling at the craftsmanship, but also keenly aware of the larger significance of these massive volumes — each and every name represents one life lost in service to our country.
As a scribe, I can well imagine the enormity of taking on such a task. First of all, nerves of steel are required. Though these pages are intentionally simple when compared to some manuscripts (we’re SO Canadian!), each page still involves painstaking hours of work — including watercolour illustrations, heraldic paintings and illumination.
Pat examined the pages closely, picking out the penmanship of various scribes. We don’t know all the names of the scribes involved, but we do know that John Whitehead, the founder of the Calligraphy Society of Ottawa, was both a scribe and mentor to the calligraphers who work on the books today.
I will be writing more about these books — their depth and historic importance deserve more than one blog post. But I will sign off this post urging anyone visiting Ottawa to take some time for The Peace Tower. If you’re Canadian, like me, your impression of Parliament Hill may be largely set by bickering politicians on the evening news.
Who knew the pride and pleasure of being Canadian could be rekindled by an impromptu visit to ‘The Hill’?!
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Shown above, top to bottom:
The Second World War Book of Remembrance honours over 44,800 Canadians who died in the 1939-1945 war.
The South Africa - Nile Expedition Book of Remembrance contains the names of 283 soldiers killed between 1899 and 1902, and 1884-85 respectively.
The Newfoundland Book of Remembrance honours the 2,363 Newfoundlanders who died during World War 1 and World War 2.
The In the Service of Canada Book of Remembrance, the most recent book added in the Memorial Chamber honours those who continued a Canadian tradition of selflessness and courage and offered the supreme sacrifice in the military service of our country since October 1947.
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