Watermedia Monotype

Watermedia Monotype by Pranav Prakash

Printed during a workshop led by Brian Shure at the Anderson Ranch Arts Center, Snowmass Village, Colorado, US
August–September 2021

Copyright ©2021 Pranav Prakash

gōdhūlī / गोधूली

biyābān / बियाबान

śahar-band / शहरबंद

mehnatkaś / मेहनतकश (see note 2 below)

kaśiś / कशिश

alpanā / अल्पना

bāgbānī / बागबानी

'iśq / इश्क़ (see note 1 below)

musāfir / मुसाफिर

baserā / बसेरा

chāp / छाप

nigāh / निगाह

tasvīr / तस्वीर

cāh / चाह

Note 1: This Arabic expression appears in verse 54 of sura 5 (chapter 5), al-Māʾidan (The Table), of the Holy Qurʿān. It refers to a people "whom He loves and who love Him” (yuḥibbuhum wa yuḥibbūnahu). Here "He" refers to Allāh. This Qurʾānic expression has been calligraphed in the Muḥaqqaq style. I came across this specific Arabic inscription in Omaya Michelle’s article, “The History of Arabic Calligraphy,” that was published by The Modern East on April 23, 2020. The photo credit for this inscription's image has been attributed to ismail özturk.

Note 2: Pablo Casado, also known as Khalid, is a Spanish calligrapher, who studied under Hassan Çelebi, Ferhat Kurlu and Nuria Garcia. Inspired by his calligraphic piece The Journey (2019), I have recreated the Arabic proverb to convey my profound fondness for this popular saw. The Arabic proverb, as translated by Casado, avers, “Who strives will inevitably gain.”