Sedaghat Jabbari Kalkhoran and the "Holy Names"

Holy Names by Sedaghat Jabbari Kalkhoran, the artist (Inset). PHOTO: STAR

A professor of Iran Association of Calligraphers and also a faculty member of Department of Fine Arts, Tehran University, Kalkhoran has created a new dimension in the composition of Holy Names, for which he thinks he has been awarded the prize amongst several deserving art works.

Kalkhoran says, "The aim of the exhibition is to create the interaction between traditional and modern approach to art. An artist must be contemporary in views, ideas and presentation, which gives the art a unique tone. The composition of the calligraphy Holy Names is presented like a canvas of contemporary painting."

The traditional environment, decoration and architecture of Iran are created with the golden background on the canvas. The different shades of green, blue and chocolate have created a wonderful composition in Holy Names. Kalkhoran says, "Colour composition is the primary stage of work in an art piece. Delivering messages is important. Iranian art characteristics are evident in my work, but even a non-Iranian can perceive the messages delivered. The messages are relevant to the present world scenario." The alphabets often appear as the images of human beings.

Kalkhoran likes to portray the magnificence of Allah by decorating His names repeatedly on the canvas. In this sense his approach to art is a kind of 'Sufism'. He says, "I like to address spirituality by writing the 'Holy Names' repeatedly in different styles and shades. I never do any 'exercise' before my final work. It comes spontaneously and I won't be able to make copies of my work."

Sedaghat Jabbari Kalkhoran is ecstatic not just because he has won the Grand Prize but rather for his participation in a standard international competition and exhibition. Earlier he has won several prestigious awards in different international exhibitions. He is also the author of many articles on art.