Calligraphy Practice is a Form of Worship
An interview with Reza Mafi, a contemporary painter and calligrapher, on the occasion of his 7th exhibition at Seyhoun Art Gallery
Mina Asadi
“Calligraphy is a representation of beauty by itself; however, the purpose of calligraphy is not merely to write beautifully. I always achieve new compositions by playing with letters, and this is a pleasant game in which I find new forms.”
Reza Mafi, a 30-year-old Iranian painter who has held seven shows in Seyhoun Art Gallery over the past seven years, says, “My paintings are based on traditional art, and I have strikingly transformed calligraphy in line with the needs of our time.”
Mafi’s calligraphy is based on lovely Persian poetry but is not legible. What enchants one is not the calligraphic aspect of his work but the whole composition as a painting. In this regard, Mafi says, “I do not make calligraphy for its readability; I aim to create a form of beauty with a new concept for today's man. I create calligraphy paintings that do not make sense in the realm of calligraphy but in painting. I draw on calligraphy as a bridge to the territory of painting.”
I said that when words are devoid of meaning in your work, using poetry is unnecessary, especially when the poems are not legible, and the audience cannot perceive the message.
Mafi refers to his devotion to Persian poetry, saying that although these poems are not clear to others, they are replete with meanings and mysteries to him. Therefore, he is obsessed with the choice of poetry, yet he is obliged to pay more attention to the appearance of the words rather than their meanings.
Mafi mainly employs brown color in his works and believes that brown is genuine. He says, “Whatever gets old turns brown, and I prefer this color as it takes me back to the distant past. Brown color smells of experience, tradition, and perfection to me.”
Mafi’s interest in the genuine art of the past and his return to traditional art makes me ask him: Do you take inspiration from the works of old masters in your art?
And he replies: I respect and admire art masters, and fortunately, my work has neither been timeworn nor trapped in modernism.
Where do you find inspiration to create your works?
“Calligraphy, especially calligraphy practice, is a form of worship. I find inspiration in the act of repeating a letter on a calligraphy sheet, rewriting and rewriting, re-stretching the letters as if in fear that my offering may not be accepted, repeating the upward and downward motions that are filled with mysteries and confusion; I find inspiration in poetry, nature, the sound of Azan, the prayer room, and, above all, a sublime power known as God. People may rarely feel how a calligrapher is immersed in a different world through the movement and sound of a calligraphy pen on paper.
