Calligraphy Item Number: 3601/1 from the MOA: University of British Columbia
Calligraphic work on paper; done in vertical orientation. Design consists of white characters interwoven at different angles across surface; right half of print is dark grey, left is light grey. Sides of paper, around central design, are undecorated; faint pencil lines from erased grid throughout. Inscription written along bottom centre; manfacturer's mark blind-embossed in top left corner.
These works were given as a gift to the donor's mother, Amina Mirza, in Lahore in 2017, by the artist. The artist states: "The rhythm of dark and light calligraphy depicts the two types of water, one is saltish and the other is sweet, owing miles and miles together and is not mixed up with each other as there is a partition created by Almighty Allah which cannot be seen by human eyes which are mentioned in the Ayat of Surat Rehman. He released the two seas, meeting (side by side); (19) Between them is a barrier (so) neither of them transgresses."
Qalam's work is done free-hand, on a pencil grid.