Upcoming artist pained by neglect of calligraphy

KABUL (Pajhwok): A female artist in Kabul has voiced concern at dwindling interest in calligraphy in modern-day Afghanistan, saying the art has no value for the people.

Husna Joyenda, 24, a graduate from the Faculty of Social Science at the Kabul University, is an enthusiastic calligrapher.

She has been learning the art over the last seven months. She has calligraphed many poems of Maulana Jalaluddin Mohammad Balkhi.

Following the imposition of a ban on girls’ education, Joyenda said she had hired a calligrapher to teach her the art at her home.

After graduation from the Kabul University, she decided to pursue a master’s degree on Afghanistan and took measures in this area. But due to curbs on female education, her dream remained unfulfilled.

“When the restrictions were imposed on girls, I was very upset by the situation and decided to continue my studies from home and build a university within the house to learn new skills. I have used the time. Besides calligraphy, I also make jewelry,” she explained.

“People pursuing arts often feel pained. I also have pain, which has attracted me to calligraphy. The pain has partially resulted from staying at home and the ban on education for females.”

The art no longer had any value in Afghanistan, where no one was interested in purchasing artworks at good prices, she regretted.

Much of her inspiration stems from Maulana’s thought-provoking poems. The reason for choosing his poetry for calligraphy was its meaning and didactic style.

She hailed Amir Sarwari and veteran Iranian calligrapher Amir Khani as her role models.

“When I’m sad and depressed, this art makes me feel better. When I write, my pain goes away. This art is my therapy,” she remarked.

“I don’t have much income, because it has been only three months since I started painting. I get the tools I use by selling my paintings.”

She has not yet put a price on paintings. She likes them very much and does not to put a specific price on them. The highest price of a painting she has received is 2,500 afghanis.

“My message to girls is to focus on their health and not to let the current situation negatively impact them,” she commented.

Joyenda asked girls to take advantage of the restrictions and consider them an opportunity to improve their abilities and skills.

Her teacher Ami Sarwari told Pajhwok she was a talented and brave girl, who used arts to express her feelings.

According to him, Joyenda has been able to succeed in this area because of her diligence, initiative and commitment.

The caretaker government has repeatedly said the restrictions on girls’ education were temporary and it was striving to resolve the problem in light of Islamic teachings.

On International Day of Islamic Art, Minister of Information and Culture Atiqullah Azizi had said his ministry supported artists and architects and accorded them due recognition for their works.

sa/mud