Our handwriting is a mirror of our thoughts

The 1st International Exhibition of Calligraphy was opened in Saint-Petersburg. As the organizers explained, it was made to revive the forgotten art of calligraphy in Russia, to make it widely available, and to create conditions for its development. The total number of exhibits exceeds 350 works by the elite representatives of a variety of calligraphy schools from 24 countries. Around 40 Russian and foreign calligraphers gave master-classes within the framework of the exhibition. Moreover, the first handwritten copy of the Constitution of the Russian Federation was presented.

Chen Wenfu, a well-known Chinese Calligrapher, is getting ready for the performance. The process seems to have no limit, to those who are not well-informed. This is a Chinese method, a translator explains. Maximum attention to everything. Here the result is as significant as the process itself. Both of them should be performed perfectly.

Chen Wenfu, a calligraphy master:
“Calligraphy is not only correct hieroglyphs' writing, it is a spiritual practice. A calligrapher must know the history and culture of his country. It takes daily long-term work to achieve something.”

This is a Western version of calligraphy. Measuring by categories of painting, it is something between abstraction and expressionism. Dynamic lines and colour combination are on top, so it is music for the eyes. Calligraphy overstepped the Greek definition of 'beautiful handwriting' a long time ago. Pyotr Chobitko, Presidium Chairman of the National Union of Calligraphers affirms that a handwritten book is even bigger than an artwork.

Pyotr Chobitko, Presidium Chairman of the National Union of Calligraphers:
“Calligraphy is a mirror of the human soul. Through the artworks we can see some internal processes, a human's perfection and imperfection.”

The latest masterpiece made by Pyotr Chobitko is the icing on the cake.. Meanwhile, experts kept in secret the possible price of the handwritten copy of the Constitution of the Russian Federation. This exquisite folio of 120 pages was made by the master with the help of his students for four months. It is written in a unique font and on hand-made paper using organic ink made of cuttlefish. A three-times-smaller size book was amazingly sold for three thousand dollars.

Alexey Shaburov, Director of the Contemporary Museum of Calligraphy:
“ Soul and promise of favourable changes in Russia were put into this masterpiece.”

Moreover, rumors have it that one of three copies of this work is to be given to the presidential library. It might be used for the inauguration oath. Critics generally speak about the renaissance of calligraphy, as a reaction to a general unification. Computer fonts do not reflect the impulses of the soul. Anatoly Karpov, a former world champion compares it to playing chess, where the living movement of a thought counts.

Anatoly Karpov:
“When a man is playing chess, all his combinations are born in imagination and fantasy.”

There is also an inverse process. Graphologists point out that attention to fine motor skills and to the work of fingers stimulates thought processes. That is, it is not only that handwriting is a mirror of our thoughts, but our thoughts are also a mirror of our handwriting.

Source: REN-TV, news agency

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