Seminar Series: Abstract

Islamic calligraphy: Piety, creative art, and professional career A study of the work of H.D. Sirojuddin AR (b. 1957)
Prof Virginia Hooker

Islamic calligraphy is inextricable from the Qur’an, the sacred revealed scripture of Islam. For Muslims and non-Muslims, the calligraphic representation of verses from the Qur’an (on architecture, decorative ornaments, weapons, head-bands and book covers, to name but a few examples) immediately identifies the object as ‘Islamic’. Developed as a highly structured art-form in the great Islamic cultures of the world, the practice of calligraphy in Indonesia has received little attention despite the fact that increasing numbers of Indonesians are learing ot read and write the Qur’an.
The seminar will approach contemporary Indonesian calligraphy through the work and achievements of internationally recognised calligrapher, Didin Sirojuddin.
The research is in preliminary stages and a general discussion and suggestions about the following points will be warmly welcomed: - How do researchers most effectively appreciate and evaluate personal piety expressed through Islamic art forms? - Balancing artistic aesthetics and commodification of Islamic art - Identifying the inter-action between works of calligraphy and their socio-political contexts - Assessing the attraction of ‘performed’ Islam for contemporary Indonesians through participation in Qur’anic recitation and calligraphy competitions.