Why It Is Useful To Hand-write

The Artist’s Book, a multi-number exhibition project of the International Craft Guild of Masters has been presented today in the Yugor Center of Cultural Initiatives. Petersburg artists talked to journalists and spoke about how to apprehend literature; explained why a paper book will not become extinct and why it is so necessary, and even fashionable in the capital, to hand-write and be a calligrapher.

At the beginning of the meeting with journalists Elena Pavlova (Potanina) explained that the exhibition was to show the literature in different angles: the text itself; «the artist’s book», i.e. the way he perceives a literary work; and binding, the book’s clothes.

Apollinaria Mishina, Calligrapher, graphic artist presented an unusual side of The Artist’s Book, which is a religious book. The tradition of religious manuscript books existed in Russia for centuries, but in Soviet times religious literature was forgotten. Now the tradition is being revived again.

Apollinaria Mishina noted that the handwritten copy of The Gospel According to Mark, which was brought to Syktyvkar, was made within a secular project called The Sacred Texts by Vita Nova St. Petersburg Publishing House. The Gospel text is hand written in half-uncial style by brush according to the Russian tradition and takes 155 pages. A total of 11 books with original etchings and genuine calligraphy were issued. Each book features 104 gilded miniatures: symbols compiled of the extract from The Gospel, or icons, which correspond to a foreign tradition and consist of texts as well.

Except the book itself, the exhibition presents 24 «rough» sheets, drafts, some of which were not included in the publication.

As noted by the artists, today many schools of calligraphy operate in St. Petersburg and Moscow, providing adults and children the opportunity to learn how to write beautifully. According to Apollinaria Mishina, it is very useful to write by hand slowly; calligraphy helps individuals to get to the roots and even «discover the structure of your DNA», understand who you are.

" One reads consciously only when writing. I had to consciously read the text and for that reason I rewrote it three times to achieve such quality" the calligrapher shared «So calligraphy performs educational functions and is very different from penmanship. Calligraphy is an interrupted way of writing; the hand gets away after each „piece“. Children in schools are now taught to write in fast cursive.»

Why It Is Useful To Hand-write

Source: www.bnkomi.ru