Calligrapghy (Hasan Çelebi)

UNESCO INTANGIBLE CULTURAL HERITAGES

Calligrapghy Art by Hasan Çelebi

What is Calligrapghy?

• Calligraphy is a visual art related to writing. It is the design and execution of lettering with a broad-tipped instrument, brush, or other writing instrument. A contemporary calligraphic practice can be defined as "the art of giving form to signs in an expressive, harmonious, and skillful manner"

Modern calligraphy ranges from functional inscriptions and designs to fine-art pieces where the letters may or may not be readable. Classical calligraphy differs from typography and non-classical hand-lettering, though a calligrapher may practice both.Calligraphy continues to flourish in the forms of wedding invitations and event invitations, font design and typography, original hand-lettered logo design, religious art, announcements, graphic design and commissioned calligraphic art, cut stone inscriptions, and memorial documents.

Who is Hasan Çelebi?

Hasan Çelebi was born in Erzurum in 1937. He began learning calligraphy in 1964 and took lessons from Halim Özyazıcı, Hamit Aytaç and Kemal Batanay. Çelebi received his professional practicing certificate in the scripts of Sülüs and Nesih from Hamit Aytaç in 1971 and in the scripts of Ta’lik and Riq’a from Kemal Batanay in 1980. Çelebi was assigned to produce Islamic calligraphy panels for the Organization of the Islamic Conference in Jeddah in 1981. In addition to it, he went to Medina to restore the calligraphy panels in Al-Masjid al-Nabawi in 1983.

• Çelebi has served as a jury member in the international Islamic calligraphy competitions organized by IRCICA every three years. He was awarded by Dubai and Kuwait Government for his service to the art of Islamic calligraphy. In 2008, he received Service Award from the Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism. In 2009, Çelebi was selected as an honorary member of supreme council in the Hoşnüvisân Encümeni in Tehran. As of today, he continues to work in Istanbul.

"The first requirement is to love the art. Love comes before skill. If someone doesn't desire khatt [calligraphy] they will not succeed"

Hasan Çelebi's Thoughts about Calligrapghy Art

"Today, I can't write the Latin alphabet as my hand shakes too much. When I try to read a book, I can't read more than 15 pages without falling asleep. But with khatt, my hand stays steady and there are times when I can study the art ten hours or more without lifting my head. Because I love it."

It is also necessary to have patience, a good teaching and a good working environment. It is important to be writing everyday, especially when you're a beginner. I tell my students they must put in 30 hours a day!

Thanks!