Calligraphy

The results of my experiments with calligraphy and traditional Sakha elements. 

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Words are sacred. In Sakha culture words are believed to have healing power as well as destructive properties. Hence why words are chosen and spoken carefully. There are no cussing words in the Sakha language. We believe that ill speech creates an ill mind that then leads to unhappiness in people and the world. 

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Before the arrival of Russians and Christianity in the area, it was taboo to depict people in traditional art. Instead, a rich library of ornaments was developed. There is a saying in Sakha that a human is a child of nature. This statement highlights our strong bond with the natural world. As a nation that lives in one of the most extreme environments on the planet, we have developed a deep understanding and possess extensive knowledge of our environment to ensure a harmonious existence and survival. Our ornaments are a reflection of that. They depict the world around us. Each ornament has a meaning behind it and it comes with a set of rules for application and usage. 

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The combination of calligraphy and ornaments is somewhat unique in the Sakha graphic art that I've developed. Words and ornaments are two sacred elements that I wanted to unite in one visual language. The ornaments I use are usually applied on metal, clay, wood and fabrics. Some of them were specifically designed for those materials. It was challenging for me to follow the rules and at the same time to create something new. Digital art is a new direction so a lot of contemporary Sakha artists hesitate to use ornaments on such an unconventional medium. The calligraphy and ornaments combination is my way of keeping our traditions relevant and popular. I believe that people should respect them but also it's important to move forward with time. Stagnant culture is a dead culture. Art should always reflect the time we live in. ​