Tanzara Gallery is delighted to announce the opening of “Naghma-e-Besada”, a solo show and a live calligraphy performance by incredibly talented artist Shah Abdullah Alamee.

Abdullah’s paintings corroborate that Islamic tradition venerates the beauty of the written word above all other forms of embellishment. Taking Iqbal, Faiz Ahmad Faiz and Rumi’s poetry as inspiration, he expresses his own interpretation of the written word. His work exudes a quiet grandeur whilst the smooth and elongated calligraphic strokes flow into strong visual compositions. The use of gold leaf along with Siyah Mashq on these vast surfaces creates an atmosphere of ease and calm bringing about a meditative experience.

In this exhibition Iqbal, Faiz and Rumi’s profound and inspirational messages have been translated through the artists’ sensibility to create glorious compositions in Siyah Mashq, a style of Persian calligraphy that was originally used by calligraphers many years ago in Iran as a tool of practice. Siyah means “rough” and Mashq means “practice”.

Shah Abdullah hails from Quetta, and now lives and practices in Lahore. He graduated in Fine Arts from National College of Arts in 2012 and was awarded the prestigious Haji Shareef Award. Abdullah has exhibited at various national as well as international exhibitions. He has served as visiting faculty at School of Textile and Design, University of Management and Technology, Lahore and taught Persian Miniature at Hast-o-Neest, Lahore. Presently he teaches calligraphy, drawing and miniature at Faiz Foundation, Lahore.