Achyut Palav, a globally renowned calligrapher, brings every script and stroke to life. Making a special guest appearance at IIJS Signature, he conducted an exclusive session on the theme of the Brahmi script. Captivated by the Brahmi-themed jewelled creations of some Signature exhibitors, Palav shares his insights on the art of calligraphy with Solitaire International.
IIJS Signature is spotlighting the Brahmi theme this year, drawing inspiration from ancient Indian scripts and their artistic essence. As a master calligrapher who celebrates Indian scripts, how do you feel about this initiative, and what are your views about manufacturers who have been enthusiastically incorporating the Brahmi script into their jewellery designs?
To an Indian calligrapher who has immense pride in the both the culture and the scripts of our nation, I am delighted to know that a script like Brahmi, the one considered ‘Mother of Indian Scripts’ is the inspiration for this year’s IIJS Signature.
As a promoter of the artform and Indian scripts, I have always strived to showcase the aesthetic potential of Indian calligraphy through commercial application. Along with architecture, décor, fashion, corporate identity; jewellery design is an excellent medium to incorporate scripts.
I hope many other professionals in various other creative fields draw inspiration from the jewellery manufacturers who have honoured the Brahmi Script through their bejewelled creations.
What inspired you to dedicate your life to promoting Indian calligraphy and its scripts, and how do you see their relevance in today’s digital era?
I have been fascinated by the letters, especially Devanagari since my school days. The journey from blackboards to signboards to canvases was a learning experience involving the beauty of shapes, the technicalities of dimensions, proportions and alignments.
I was fortunate to get guidance from giants like Prof. R. K. Joshi and Prof. Werner Schneider, whose love and admiration for calligraphy was contagious. I discovered the potential of Indian scripts and then it became a mission to bring forth their beauty and applicability while giving them a place of honour on the global platform.
The versatility of application is a key feature of Indian scripts. Though I always prefer original manual work for its originality and uniqueness, I recognise that using digital products the basic designs can be enhanced to further their implementation. Computers and software have helped calligraphy grow and made designing efficient by reducing the time span between the drawing board to the final product stage. The basic handwork / calligraphy can be enhanced and tailored with design software.
Fusion calligraphy is one of your signature styles. Could you share the thought process behind blending traditional scripts with unconventional media and tools?
Performing arts inspire your senses through sights and sound. The movements of a dancer, the notes of music or the tune from an instrument have a unique effect on each mind. Your perception and the state of mind get reflected in the art.
I aspire to find that connection between various art forms and use my skills as a calligrapher to create
‘Aksharchitras’ that create visual representations of sounds, emotions evoked using letters and abstract strokes.
As for tools, I insist on mastering conventional tools during the learning stage. You must absorb the basic shapes, strokes, position and angle of nibs and pens, achieve stability of hand. After the correct angle and techniques of pressure application are learnt, any object becomes a tool, and every surface is a canvas. I often study the medium, the surface, the text or subject of my calligraphy project or the idea in my head to decide on the colours, proportion, alignment, etc… sometimes I choose the tool or surface to suit my idea and other times the space inspires my calligraphy.
Your initiatives like the Achyut Palav School of Calligraphy (APSC) and Callifest have been trailblazing in India. Did you face any challenges initially, and how have they evolved since then?
Awareness about calligraphy as an artform, its Indian avatar, the artistic potency of Indian scripts was very low before I established APSC and started Callifest. My pan- India tour Calligraphy Roadways revealed the state and potential of Indian scripts and laid the foundation for these initiatives. Initially, getting people’s attention, gathering the required support and funding from government and corporates was a challenge.
I used my books and demonstrations, and, with a small team of dedicated calligraphy enthusiasts, began series of workshops and courses that not only taught Indian calligraphy in a methodical and scientific manner but revealed its facets and benefits both in artistic and non-artistic applications.
Today the artform has been recognised as a viable career option, become a key feature in the field of design, therapeutic measure and cognitive learning tool. It has become a subject of school activity and taken up by many artists and working professionals as a recourse to release blocked creativity or enhance performance.
Anything else you may wish to add.
I have always advocated calligraphy to be an ‘art of the common man’ but in a country that is multilingual and multiscript like India, museums, archives, exhibitions and initiatives related to calligraphy are not so common. There is a need to document, preserve, promote and expand an artform like calligraphy that has been an integral aspect of our culture and heritage. By creating museums, archives dedicated to Indian calligraphy, we will not only preserve and enhance a beautiful art, but it will also benefit in or assist in the promotion of native Indian languages, scripts and the literature in it; as all of these are interconnected the promotion of one would lead to the promotion of other.
ACHYUT PALAV’s latest book was inaugurated during the grand opening of IIJS Signature at NESCO on 5th January, marking a significant moment for Indian calligraphy enthusiasts.
Following the launch, Palav conducted an engaging interactive workshop titled Calligraphy: A New Lens for Creative Jewellery Design, organised by GJEPC. The session captivated designers, members, participants, and visitors, as he showcased the creative potential of Indian scripts in jewellery design. Through live demonstrations and hands-on activities, attendees explored the fusion of calligraphy and craftsmanship, gaining fresh perspectives on integrating artistic letterforms into contemporary design. The workshop not only highlighted the versatility of Indian scripts but also reinforced their relevance in modern creative expressions.