Qazvin and Calligraphy: The Heritage That Has Yet to Become a Cultural Asset of the City

Qazvin – From Mir Emad to today, Qazvin calligraphy remains a magnificent yet dimly visible heritage in the city's landscape. Artists believe this art needs practical support and lasting infrastructure to sustain its historic glory.

Ambassador Arjan of the Provinces Group: Qazvin's name is tied to handwriting and calligraphy; A city that throughout history has introduced great masters to Iranian art and today, with the support of this heritage, holds the title of Iran's calligraphy capital. However, on the eve of the calligraphy week, a serious question is placed before the cultural trustees and artists: to what extent has this historical place been reflected in the daily life of the people, the face of the city and the cultural infrastructure of Qazvin?

The biennial calligraphy event, the activities of the calligraphers' association, and the establishment of art exhibitions and festivals are part of the efforts to preserve this heritage. But have these activities been able to bring calligraphy from specialized circles to the text of society? Do the citizens of Qazvini encounter this art in their urban space, schools, offices and living environment, and are the existing facilities compatible with the historical validity of Qazvin?

Empty place of calligraphy in the face of the city and offices

Qazvini calligrapher Maryam Homan, in an interview with Mehr reporter, emphasized that the title of Iran's calligraphy capital creates a responsibility beyond historical honor and said: Qazvin has earned this title rightly by having great masters such as Mir Emad Hosni, Malek Mohammad Kalhor and Emadal Kitab. But it should be checked to what extent we have been able to achieve the dignity and position of this historical title.

He stated that the calligraphy flow in Qazvin is still alive and dynamic, and added: To maintain this status, influential artists and organizations must come to the field and provide a wider presence of this art in the society.

This artist considered one of the ways to strengthen the position of calligraphy is to use the city's visual capacities and stated: Creating luxurious murals centered on calligraphy and calligraphy, modifying some urban elements and paying attention to the quality of writing in public signs and writings can help introduce this art.

Criticizing the quality of some works and elements in the city, Homan said: Currently, there are no suitable murals that can introduce the art of calligraphy and calligraphy to the people, and some executed works are not in a good condition in terms of the quality of the writing and the level of impact.

He suggested to use the capacity of Nastaliq font and its visual elegance in the design of urban elements so that the appearance of the city reflects the historical identity of Qazvin.

This calligrapher also mentioned the condition of the works installed in office environments and said: In many offices, the walls are empty or there are works installed on them that are not of much value in terms of artistic quality and calligraphy; While the executive bodies can help to beautify the office environment and support the artists by buying great works.

Emphasizing the necessity of creating a mechanism for communication between artists and organizations, Homan added: If a specialized group is formed to introduce works and establish communication between artists and executive bodies, the possibility of fair purchase of works and more effective support for artists will be provided.

He also emphasized the need for calligraphers to communicate directly with the people and said: artists should not limit their activities to specialized exhibitions and meetings, but should go among the people on religious, historical and national occasions and provide the new generation with this art by performing calligraphy live and holding creative programs, especially for students and teenagers.

Calligraphy is alive; But how much is present in the general culture?

Another Qazvini calligrapher, Hamidreza Hakit, in an interview with Mehr reporter, believes that there is a difference between having the specialized capacity of calligraphy and the presence of this art in the general culture.

He stated: Due to the presence of first-rate artists in the past and today, Qazvin has a significant specialized capacity in the field of calligraphy, but it should be checked to what extent this capacity has manifested itself in the daily life of citizens.

Referring to the biennial position of Qazvin calligraphy, Hachit said: This artistic event is valuable and the efforts of its organizers are commendable, but a biennial festival alone cannot be expected to maintain the general connection of people with calligraphy throughout the year.

He added: In the interval between the two-year courses, activities are also carried out in calligraphers' association, cultural centers, mobilization of artists and other groups. From periodic training and exams to specialized workshops, student exhibitions and special programs. Therefore, the issue is not the absolute absence of activity, but the extent of the influence of these activities on public culture.

This Qazvini calligrapher stated: An important part of the existing programs have specialized audiences and attract mostly artists and students who are already familiar with this art. In order to expand the audience, calligraphy should be taken to more public spaces and people should be removed from the position of mere spectators.

Referring to the experience of the presence of some calligraphers in public gatherings during the Ramadan War, Haqit said: This presence was an example of trying to communicate directly with the people; However, such programs will be effective when they become continuous activities and are not limited to a one-time action.

He also said about the reasons for the limited audience of calligraphy: this is not a one-factor issue and the method of education, the performance of cultural institutions and the way of introducing this art to the new generation should be examined side by side.

The truth continued: There should be a difference between specialized training in calligraphy and familiarizing the general public with this art. If the programs are only focused on the technical rules and education of the professional student, some of the enthusiasts may give up before experiencing the beauty of this art.

Emphasizing the need to pay attention to the taste of the new generation, he added: public workshops, performing calligraphy in urban spaces, the presence of this art in schools, exhibitions in non-specialized places and using the capacity of the media can help to expand the audience.

This artist considered the lack of a comprehensive picture of Qazvin calligraphy as one of the gaps in this field and said: To measure the real status of calligraphy, it is not possible to rely only on the number of festivals, exhibitions and prominent masters; Rather, indicators such as the number of active students, their persistence in education, the age range of the audience, and the level of public participation in the programs should also be examined.

The truth emphasized: the statistics of students and schools alone do not show the extent of calligraphy's influence in the general culture and it should be determined to what extent cultural programs have been able to interest new audiences in this art.

Museum and academic field; The missing links of the calligraphy infrastructure

Masoud Mohammadi, Qazvini calligrapher and member of the Qazvin Calligraphers Association, in an interview with Mehr reporter, looks at the issue from a different angle and believes that the historical position of Qazvin in the art of calligraphy does not fit well with the existing infrastructure for the development of this art.

He stated: The historical identity of Qazvin is clear from the point of view of calligraphy and calligraphy, and the presence of masters such as Mir Emad Hosni, Abdul Majid Taleghani, Emad al-Katab and Malek Mohammad Qazvini has made this city one of the important centers of calligraphy in Iran. But the question is to what extent the cultural and artistic relations of Qazvin have progressed according to this position.

Criticizing the lack of specialized infrastructure in this area, Mohammadi said: One of the unfulfilled expectations is the creation of a university course related to calligraphy or graphics in one of the state universities of the province. While those interested in this field have to go to Tehran or other cities to continue studying in some related fields.

He also raised a question about the cultural infrastructure of Qazvin and added: How is it that a city with such a position in the field of calligraphy in the country still does not have a specialized museum of this art?

This calligrapher considered the creation of a space to introduce the history of calligraphy, display the works of masters, and general familiarity with the methods and schools of this art as one of the important needs of Qazvin, and stated: such a space can provide the new generation with the artistic background of Qazvin while preserving the historical heritage of the city.

Emphasizing the role of education in transferring this heritage to the next generation, Mohammadi said: It should be checked what basic programs education is following to familiarize students with calligraphy and create interest in this art in schools. Cultivating a new generation of calligraphy enthusiasts requires continuous planning and providing the opportunity to experience this art.

He also listed the financial limitations of the calligraphers association and insufficient support for artists as significant issues in this field and added: the activities of the association, despite the valuable efforts of its members, alone cannot meet all the needs of this art and the flourishing of calligraphy in Qazvin needs more serious support and infrastructure development.

Referring to the competition of other cities to strengthen its position in the field of art, the artist said: If Qazvin wants to maintain its historical position, it must take seriously the support of artists, the development of infrastructure and the expansion of cultural activities and go beyond relying on its historical status.

In the end, Mohammadi stressed that preserving this position requires practical measures, and noted that calligraphy artists are trying their best to protect this heritage, but turning calligraphy into a large and dynamic cultural flow for future generations requires the cooperation of artists, officials, and educational and cultural institutions.

the capital of calligraphy; A title for honor or a responsibility to act?

What emerges from the perspective of these three calligraphers is not denying the existing capacities or ignoring the efforts made; Rather, the main issue is the relationship between the historical validity of Qazvin and the extent of today's use of this heritage. Biennial calligraphy, activity of associations, training of students and the presence of prominent professors are valuable assets, but to measure the real status of this art, it is necessary to see to what extent these capacities have entered the public life of the people.

The presence of calligraphy in the urban landscape and office environments, creating specialized infrastructure, supporting the economy of art, expanding education and communication with children and teenagers are among the axes that were emphasized in these conversations. Besides that, the lack of a comprehensive assessment of the level of public participation and the impact of cultural programs highlights the necessity of developing clear indicators to measure the state of this art.

Now, during the calligraphy week, the main question is not only how Qazvin became the capital of Iran's calligraphy; Rather, one should ask what is the plan for the continuation of this position and what share will the people of this city take from the legacy that has perpetuated the name of Qazvin in the history of Iranian art.

The answer to this question, instead of repeating the glories of the past, requires examining the performance of cultural institutions, evaluating the existing infrastructure and presenting a clear plan for the future; A program that keeps calligraphy alive not only in the framework of festivals and exhibitions, but also in the context of Qazvin people's lives.