[PhotoSparks] From Kerala to calligraphy — meet Guinness Book of World Records holder Khaleelullah Chemnad

PhotoSparks is a weekly feature from YourStory, with photographs that celebrate the spirit of creativity and innovation. In this photo essay, we feature some of the calligraphic art works by award-winning artist Khaleelullah Chemnad, on display at the Sublime Galleria in Bengaluru on the occasion of Bakr-Id.

In the earlier 150 posts, we brought you a wide range of creative photographs from an art fair, world music festival, painting fair, telecom expo, art museum, mobile showcase, math museum, social hackathon, bookstore, co-working space, ecopreneurs, painter-poets, health activists, eNGOs and digital innovator showcase.

Khaleelullah Chemnad is a calligraphic artist from Kerala who is now based in Dubai. He was born in Chemnad village of Kasaragod district. His father, M. H. Seethi was a poet and writer, and Khaleel used to publish stories, poems and cartoons in children’s magazines at a young age. He was inspired by calligraphy on seeing the artistic beauty of letters in Arabic magazines which his father received from the Middle East.

Khaleel has been in the Emirates for almost 25 years now, and explored new creative frontiers by using Arabic calligraphy to form the subjects of names, words and verses, called anatomic and zoomorphic calligraphy. His drawing of Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum won him an entry in the Guinness Book of World Records in 2010 for largest anatomic calligraphy.

Khaleel’s works are exhibited in a number of countries around the world, from the Kochi Biennale to Turkey. His work has expanded to logo design, personalised engravings, certificate writing, and paintings for commercial establishments.

“God is the ultimate artist,” said Khaleel, during a chat with YourStory at his Bengaluru exhibition launch. For an artist, calligraphy opens up the beauty of something as simple and ancient as handwriting. “The ultimate aim of an artist is beauty and love,” he sums up.

Now what have you done today to find inspiration and upliftment in the world around you?

Got a creative photograph to share? Email us at [email protected]!

See also the YourStory pocketbook ‘Proverbs and Quotes for Entrepreneurs: A World of Inspiration for Startups,’ accessible as apps for Apple and Android devices.