Expocaligrafia International – 2019

On the 24th of October 2019, the ExpoCaligrafia International event has been officially opened. The Romanian Cultural Institute hosted a diplomatic opening ceremony at which representatives of Foreign Embassies in Romania have expressed their profound admiration for the valuable calligraphic art pieces exhibited.

Mr. Krizbai Béla Dan, Vice-President of the Romanian Cultural Institute and Ms. Oana Șiclovan, President of the “Freedom for Education, Culture and Sport” Association opened the event by holding inaugural speeches and setting the atmosphere of the exhibition.

The aim of the ExpoCaligrafia International project has been perhaps best described by one of our honourable guests, Ms. Merry Miller, Counselor for Public Affairs of the U.S. Embassy in Romania, who stated that :

“What you are doing here is keeping alive this unique art, calligraphy”.

Two Romanian professional artists have performed a demo session in which our guests could admire the dance of the letters.

What is Calligraphy? by Cristina Mocan

Enjoy the event: ExpoCaligrafia International by Raluca Luca

MEDIA:

• Lucrări semnate de renumiți caligrafi români şi străini, la ExpoCaligrafia Internațional 2019

• Regal de caligrafie, în Sala Mare a Institutului Cultural Român

• ExpoCaligrafia Internaţional 2019 - de joi, la ICR

• ExpoCaligrafia International 2019 la Radio Trinitas

Starting with the 8th of November until the 15th of December 2019, the ExpoCaligrafia International event has received thousands of guests at the “Grigore Antipa” National Museum of Natural History, Bucharest. Here, the outstanding calligraphic exhibits have made a refreshing contrast with the natural sciences items on display.

During the opening ceremony of the event, the winners of the 3rd edition of the National Contest of Calligraphy have been awarded for submitting the best artwork to our organisation’s yearly contest which encourages all age groups to indulge in the art of elegant penmanship.

We were honoured to receive the undivided support of : Ms. Irina-Sanda Cajal-Marin, Undersecretary of State at the Ministry of Culture and National Identity, Mr. Louis Popa, Manager of “Grigore Antipa” National Museum of Natural History, Ms. Mio Sekiya, Third Secretary (Cultural Attaché) at the Japanese Embassy in Romania Mr. Viorel Isticioaia-Budura, Ambassador-at-Large for Asian Regional Affairs.

We have ended the cycle of exhibitions of the ExpoCaligrafia International event at the Museum of Art in the second largest city in Romania, Cluj-Napoca. As a fortunate coincidence (or not), the opening ceremony has taken place on the same day as the Worldwide Day of Handwriting and the UNESCO International Day of Education.

During the first day of the exhibition, the public had the opportunity to participate in demos and lectures about interesting aspects of the gestural calligraphy (also known as expressive calligraphy), Ottoman, Chinese and Japanese calligraphy and also learn about both practical and health benefits this exquisite form of art can bring.

In order to make the ExpoCaligrafia International event possible, we have benefited from the artistic genius of numerous people from 23 countries around the world, listed below in alphabetical order:

represented by the renowned artist Claudio Gill, teacher, designer, artist and calligrapher from Rio de Janeiro and the talented artist Thiago Reginato, Calligrapher & Graphic Designer from Sao Paolo. with their fine calligraphic works described below:

represented by the the skilled calligrapher Jorge Pulido, Calligrapher and Graphic Designer from Bogotá, whose distinctive calligraphic art pieces are described below:

represented by Anežka Peroutka, experienced Calligrapher at Kaligrafuji,  and the artist Jana Janek Svoboda, whose exquisite calligraphic art pieces are described below:

represented by the talented Artist Calligrapher & Painter Garance-Dominique Simond and the Lycée Français de Bucarest "Anna de Noaille" along with their unique artworks, which is described below:

represented by the National College “Samuel von Brukenthal”, German Educational Institution in Sibiu, Romania with a range of captivating calligraphic art pieces, as the co-product of several talented students and skilled teachers - their description below:

represented by the Artistic Calligrapher and founder of Seagull Calligraphy Maria Genitsariou and the very talented experimental calligrapher, combining various calligraphic styles, Lena Septemvri whose exquisite calligraphic works are described below:

represented by the Hungarian Educational Institution in Bucharest “Ady Endre” Theoretical High School, with numerous mesmerising works – co-products of several talented students and their teachers - their description below:

represented by the Calligrapher and Graphic Designer; Director of Reykjavík Lettering Ingi Vífill along with his distinctive calligraphic artwork, described below: 

represented by the distinguished Sanskriti Foundation presenting a range of exquisite calligraphic art pieces described below.

The Sanskriti Foundation, established in 1978, is a registered Public Charitable Trust based in New Delhi. Its role can be perceived as one of a catalyst that facilitates the process of revitalising the interest in culture during these modern times. More explicitly, the Sanskriti Foundation sets out to preserve the Indian cultural traditions and encourage their advertising so as to keep alive the distinctive ways of artistic expression with which India contributes to the global scheme of diversity.

The Sanskriti Kendra (campus) was established in 1993 by the Sanskriti Foundation. In 1989, five acres of barren and arid land have been transformed into a green oasis with over 150 species of exotic plants and trees. This unique environment houses three certified museums , as follow: the Museum of Everyday Art, the Museum of Indian Terracotta and the Museum of Indian Textile.

These museums reflect Sanskriti’s commitment to preserve and nurture the inspiring vitality of the Indian art and culture. Kendra also serves as the place where people can pursue paths of artistic and cultural achievements by studying and interacting with people who share the same artistic ambitions, during a special residency programme for artists and writers.

What is more, people have the opportunity to take part in a pottery training programme, thanks to a fully equipped ceramics centre opened in partnership with the Delhi Blue Pottery association, where they can also gain an insight into the arts of block printing and enamelling.

represented by the skilled calligrapher Cosmas Adrian whose outstanding artworks are described below.

Cosmas Adrian, Calligrapher & Designer - teaches Italic Calligraphy, Brush Calligraphy, and Blackletter Calligraphy.

The collection titled “The Story of a future Indonesia” reflects the profound concern for the environmental issues Indonesia is currently struggling with.

The story found in one of the collection’s calligraphic works is one that seems to be addressed to the people from a future Indonesia, who want to learn about the natural wonders their country has once fostered. To add to the intended atmosphere of the art piece, the rhino, the sea turtle, the Sumatran tiger and the orangutan illustrated on a dark background carry the symbol of their very seemingly imminent extinction.

On a different note, the Javanese script illustrated in another art piece of Adrian’s, represents a unique part of the Indonesian heritage of writing systems. It derived from the Kawi Script, which in its turn derived from the Brahmi India Script. Impressingly, the Javanese script still ranks among the 100 complementary writing systems that have been preserved and locally used besides the official language – Indonesian (bahasa Indonesia). That is why, it is common to spot the Javanese script only around prestigious institutions such as the Kraton (a type of royal palace in Indonesia), Government offices or temples. Also, during a visit in Yogyakarta or the Central Java it is highly probable to spot street signs written in the Javanese script, but as we turn to the West Java, however, the Javanese script is very likely to be substituted by the Sundanese Script.

The title of “endangered” can also be applied to these traditional writing systems, as there are few Indonesians left who can write and understand them. Fortunately, as of late, there seems to be a growing interest in preserving the endangered cultural values of Indonesia, such as these writing systems. That is why numerous Indonesians are now keen to discover the original writing system of their place of birth and to start learning it, as a way of keeping alive the valuable traditions of Indonesia.

Thus, the text in Adrian’s art piece is a way of introducing these Indonesian values to the global public - through a proverb written in the Javanese script.

represented by the skilled calligrapher Izzy Pludwinski and the renowned artist Gila Milleralong with their captivating artwork, which is described below.

Izzy Pludwinski, Professional Calligrapher in both Hebrew and English calligraphy, revealed that:

“I chose trees as my subject because of its utmost importance to sustaining life on this planet.

Unfortunately, and specifically in Israel, we have been subject to cruel terrorism, where incendiary balloons and kites are being "flown" over the border and are burning down trees as well as agricultural fields. 2500 acres of forests have already been destroyed. Israel has also lost thousands of trees due to arson terrorism.

The text I chose to highlight is from Deuteronomy. It's a commandment that even in time of war one is not to cut down trees. The surrounding text in smaller letters is a midrash (Rabbinic commentary) comparing the cutting of trees to the departing of the soul of man. In poetic imagery it goes on to say that when a fruit producing tree is cut, its voice cries out from one end of the word to the next - but its voice is not heard. “

Gila Miller, Artist who work in drawing, painting, woodcut and textile materials.

"Consider the work of God; for who can make that straight, which He hath made crooked?" Ecclesiastes Chapter 7, 13

"Look at God's work - for who can straighten what He has twisted? (Ecclesiastes 7:13). When the Blessed Holy One created the first human, He took him and led him round all the trees of the Garden of Eden and said to him: “Look at My works, how beautiful and praiseworthy they are! And all that I have created, it was for you that I created it. Pay attention that you do not corrupt and destroy My world: if you corrupt it, there is no one to repair it after you." Kohelet rabbah 7:13

represented by the very talented calligraphic artist Fernando Lembo di Pino and the proficient calligrapher Giorgio Gaetani with their exquisite artwork described below.

Fernando Lembo di Pino - Ou An, Scribe, Calligrapher and Painter

Giorgio Gaetani, Calligrapher

represented by the profesional calligrapher Kazuko Tanzawa, the expert Keiji Hirayama and the great artist Ildi Ogasawara whose captivating art pieces are described below.

Kazuko Tanzawa, Profesional Calligrapher - manages the TANZAWA Calligraphy & Penmanship School with an expertise of over 20 years in calligraphy.

Keiji Hirayama, Calligrapher at the Tokyo Imperial Hotel

Ildiko Ogasawara, great calligrapher specialised in Illumination Calligraphy

represented by the very talented Calligrapher Bakhyt Kadyrova and her captivating calligraphic artwork described below:

represented by the profesional Calligrapher & Graphic Designer Alexandru Codimschii and his enthralling artwork described below:

represented by the skilled calligrapher Gerson del Águila along his beautiful work described below:

represented by the renowned calligrapher Barbara Galińska with her exquisite calligraphic art piece, which is described below:

represented by:

Her Majesty Queen Elisabeth of Romania (1843 - 1916)

Ildiko Ogasawara, Calligrapher born in Cluj Napoca, Romania - specialist in Calligraphy and Illumination

George Marin, Artist Penman & Painter

Cristina Mocan, Text Artist & Textile Designer

Raluca Luca, Calligraphy artist

Denis Foca, awarded with 1st place (40+ age category) at the 3rd edition of the Romanian National Contest of Calligraphy, 2019

Teodor Sotu, awarded with 1st place (40+ age category) at the 3rd edition of the Romanian National Contest of Calligraphy, 2019

Anastasia Gafiiuc, awarded for Exceptional calligraphic work (20 - 39 age category) at the 3rd edition of the Romanian National Contest of Calligraphy, 2019

Maria Croitoru, awarded 1st place (20 - 39 age category) at the 3rd edition of the Romanian National Contest of Calligraphy, 2019

represented by the profesional calligrapher from Sankt Petersburg, Alexandr Boyarsky along with his exquisite calligraphic work, which is described below:

represented by the very talented Calligrapher & Calligraphy teacher at the “Artiya Calligraphy School, Ann Yegorova, and her mesmerising calligraphic artwork described below:

represented by distinguished Master Penman & Engraver John DeCollibus and by the briliant Rick Paulus, Chief Calligrapher of The White House during the administrations of President William J. Clinton and President George W. Bush with their exquisite art pieces described below:

represented by the skilled calligrapher Cecile Walters and her outstanding calligraphic work, which is described below: