Calligrapher from Haripur wins US award

Calligraphers from 19 Islamic countries participated in competition

HARIPUR:

A Pakistani calligrapher has won the US presidential award.

Syed Zameer Shah, who hails from Haripur, won the Islamic calligraphy exhibition competition in the United States of America, earning a cash prize of $250.

Renowned calligraphers from 19 Islamic countries participated in the competition and presented their artworks, in which Shah’s Islamic work won the first position and has also been awarded a cash prize.

Shah has also previously won competitions for his artworks, which were presented in Islamic exhibitions organised in different countries including Pakistan.

Talking to The Express Tribune, Shah said that the information about winning the competition was received last night. He said that he was delighted that calligraphers from many countries presented their paintings during the online exhibition in the US.

“My black colour artwork has won the first position in the competition which has further motivated me,” the calligrapher said.

Shah is a famous Islamic calligrapher with a distinct identity in Pakistan in the field of Islamic art and his artistic paintings are now getting recognition at the international level as well.

He says that he is a school teacher by profession and is posted as a drawing master in a government school. He expressed his desire to teach his art to the children.

Shah said that he has won several competitions in the exhibition of large artworks held in Lahore, Karachi and Islamabad. “I have reached this position due to the sheer hard work of my late teacher Ellahi Bakhsh Muti, who was a presidential award-winning calligrapher, and taught me this artwork,” he said.

The calligrapher says that it takes a lot of time to create an art piece. “It was also my passion to work as a school teacher so that along with improving my skills, the future generations also get enlightenment,” he said, adding that it has been his hobby for the past 25 years.

After coming back from school I spend time drawing sketches, art paintings, pictures and calligraphy. “This is my whole world! I feel extremely happy after winning the online American competition,” he said, urging the government to pay attention to the field of calligraphy.

“There is a lot of talent in Pakistan that needs to be polished. Steps should be taken at the district level to bring out this art in every city. There should be academies for the teaching of this artwork. Competitions should be organised in schools and colleges so that this art can also develop,” he said.

Shah said he participated in the competition through the Islamic Art Society of Pakistan.

 

Published in The Express Tribune, February 21^st, 2023.