Egypt's Pioneer of Light Calligraphy
Artist Khadija El Ghawas speaks on the comforting and enriching art of light calligraphy and its impact on women.
Known and practiced around the world, light calligraphy uses hand-held light and photographic techniques to capture movements of calligraphy within a real setting. Excited to be pioneer of a unique art blending words, 21-year-old female artist Khadija El Ghawas is bringing her new self-taught experience of modern calligraphy to Egypt. Interested in calligraphy since the age of 12, El Ghawas studies at the calligraphy school, and works as a professional calligrapher at the Bibliotheca Alexandrina Calligraphy Center. In 2011, she won first place in the «Revolution in Arabic Calligraphy Eyes» competition. Here she talks about how she started in this genre of the arts and its impact on women.
Bajec: What drove you to this unusual type of art?
El Ghawas: It’s a good combination of physical exercise and drawing. I think of what I want to express, create my own calligraphy designs, script them with light and my body goes with that. I don’t have to use paper or colour paint. It’s very comforting and enriching.
Bajec: Light calligraphy has been practiced worldwide though it has only recently been introduced in Egypt. How does it fit in Egypt’s artistic scene?
El Ghawas: There are only about five light calligraphers in the world including myself. Recently, many cultural venues have invited me to come and perform publicly. Because my calligraphy art doesn’t need a specific setting or sophisticated equipment, it’s easy for them to accommodate.
Bajec: This new calligraphy is a distinctive mixture between Eastern and Western cultures. Do you find any symbolism that applies to Egypt and women?
El Ghawas: It’s like a beautiful girl who wants to ride a bicycle, however she lives in a closed box due to family restrictions and conservative traditions. One day, she sees another girl from a different country who’s also beautiful and, unlike her, is not restricted by family or social norms. The former girl is then empowered by the latter, and finally decides to ride a bicycle. It’s the same with light calligraphy as a new freeing experience. Through my compositions, I add modern technology to traditional calligraphy so anyone from any part of the world can understand it.
Bajec: What part of the light drawing process do you enjoy?
El Ghawas: The physical work is the most demanding, tiring part. But it’s also the most important one, which I enjoy a lot. Once I decide which words I’m going to use, I devise the shape of the letters, write them down in the seven calligraphy types I know. Then, I practice drawing my calligraphy in the air countless times for 15-20 minutes, in a defined space, in order to finally perform it perfectly for one minute with light and capture the work in a photo shoot.
Viewing the image on camera, seeing the final result is the other part I like the most.
Egypt's Pioneer of Light CalligraphySource: thedailybeast.com