By Heidi Trautmann
“If we consider Graphic Design as an art form of simplified motifs, images
and symbols with the aim of conveying messages through lines, shapes,
numbers and letters, we have to put the Talisman art in this category. Out of
all believes and doubts, in this exhibition I tried to bring up and give
significance to the artistic and unique values of this forgotten traditional
art form which has been shaded by superstition…..”
This statement above is the conclusion of the following
article Omid Kalantar Motamedi has written to explain the background his
project for the coming exhibition is based on. It is a very interesting and
demanding project and as far as I have been able to follow up his work during
the last few years, it is a most succeeded and well researched project. I am
very much looking forward to see all of his work on the opening evening of May
25, at 19:00 hrs. at the SOL Atelier and Exhibition Hall in Nicosia/Arabahmet
quarter. Viewing times will be daily from 14:00 – 19:00 hrs.
Please take the time to read the article and you will
find – just as I – that we can only agree with his words, not only in our daily
life but in our own intimate history.
Talisman Art
It is happening to all of us that there are
some specific objects in our daily life that exert an enormous magnetic spell
on us. It might be an old wooden box our grandma has left behind or a shell
that we found by the sea, all kind of objects that create strange feelings in
us preventing us to part with them under any circumstances. Having these
objects around us may give us a sort of strong trust in its power, a charm to
bring us luck as long as we have them with us, and who has not had such magical
experience once in a lifetime.
Today, some may consider these kinds of belief
superstitious and some may deeply believe in it, but these kinds of mystical
incantations have been considered a very significant knowledge and discipline
in humanity and its culture in the past. It developed its own language and art form
so that Talisman was regarded as age one of the very significant schools of
those practices. In the Age of Reason only
a rationally justifiable assertion can be scientifically verified or is capable
of logical or mathematical proof, and therefore rejects metaphysics and theism,
so this enlightenment
cultivated the arts and replaced some part of visual culture by the phenomenon called ‘Talisman’.
According to Parviz Tanavoli, Iranian sculptor, painter, scholar and art
collector a Talisman is any object that is imbued with
protective powers, and in all cultures we find the existence of such objects. The
history of Talisman and Amulets goes back as far as the early period of mankind
when humans were wearing animal bones, teeth or ivory pieces for the success of
undertakings such as hunting but also to protect their families from all kind
of threats. There is ample proof that this tradition is still valid in some
remote areas of our globe.
On most of these objects we find engravings, scratchings or drawings of symbols or signs which cover the purpose and the
specific desired aims. Later, with the discovery of metals and the development
of tools, the talismans and amulets became more sophisticated and were worn as
necklaces, bracelets, rings or even clothes. These very special treasures were
kept within the family and handed down from the elder to the younger generation
to protect them from evil, especially among lovers the exchange of such objects
was common practice.
In the world of Islam, they bear Qur'anic
inscriptions as well as images of prophets, astrological signs, and religious
narratives. Many Muslims believe that an object that is inscribed with the word
God (Allah) will protect the person who reads, touches, or sees it and that the
word of God has the power to ward off evil. The surface of a talismanic object
can be covered with prayers, signs, numbers, and decorative motifs, and the
object is carried in a pocket, or rolled and placed in an amulet case; some talismans
are worn as clothing.”
The phenomena of Talisman and Magic appear to
be very similar, however, are completely different in its practice and each
have its own history and a different meaning.
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“Magic is an old human practice. It is sometimes defined as deception
by showing something to an audience, which is contrary to reality. In Islam
this is part of magic power, which is, however, defined as seeking the help
of demons to perform something harmful against somebody.”
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In addition to the fact that Islam
prohibited the learning and practicing of magic, a magician did not have a
place in the general belief of Muslims, and they were to stay away from
witches.
Unlike the act of magic that was based on
deception and lack of scientific foundation, Talisman was based on the study of Occult Science. For this reason,
magic was not as common in the Islamic countries as it was prevalent in Western countries. And while in Islamic belief magic was prohibited and the
practice of it was an obscene act, the rest of the supernatural sciences were
free to study and practice and some of these sciences were practiced by the
prophets.
“The representations by certain prophets
were more efficacious than by others with Solomon being the most powerful of
all. Solomon had the ability to talk to animals and supernatural beings (jinns),
and was renowned for his wisdom; Bilqis, Queen of Sheba, was, by witnessing
this wisdom, converted to monotheism.”
The themes of Talismans are often religious
and despite some similarity to the religious prayer they differ. While prayers
are associated with verses, divine names and the name of the prophets, most
verses for the talismans have been abbreviated and reduced to words, names or
symbols and some parts are constantly repeated. This makes Talisman not comprehensible to everyone and
only scholars and those who have practice in Occult
Science (“Occult Science or knowledge of the hidden is the systematic research
of occult concepts in a manner that resembles the way natural
science researches or describes phenomena and
also refers to knowledge of the hidden. Practices in Occultism are including - but not limited
to - alchemy, extra-sensory perception, astrology, spiritualism, religion, and divination.”) are able to understand and translate them.
In most of the Talismans, numbers were used
instead of letters. This numeral system is called Abjad numerals, the use of which was very common among old Muslims and Greeks. Each
letter in Abjad numerals has a numerical substitute on a predefined chart, which was
known only to the owner of the chart in order to calculate the conformity of
letters and numbers and finally reveal the meaning of the numbers.
One of the common usages of Abjad numerals in
talismans was to write 99 names of God that are mentioned in the Quran. Each
one of these names has a special power and strength which in different
situations and in accordance with different purpose and demands, are drawn or engraved
on animals' skin or metal parts.
In-spite of all the research and studies done
about Talisman and Occult sciences, the knowledge that we have gained and accumulated is not satisfactory and
there is a lot still unknown and will remain so as an unrevealed secret. However, if we put aside matters
of belief, logics and religious concepts connected with it, there is a unique
art in its own value which remains and which is unparalleled in all other fields of the Arts. If we want to
find a place for the Art of Talisman within the Visual Arts, may be the closest
we can get and the best match would be Graphic Design.
If we consider Graphic Design as an art
form of simplified motifs, images and symbols with the aim of conveying
messages through lines, shapes, numbers and letters, we have to put the
Talisman art in this category. Out of all believes and doubts, in this
exhibition I tried to bring up and give significance to the artistic and unique
values of this forgotten traditional art form which has been shaded by
superstition.
Sources:
Tanavoli, Parviz, Talisman, 1982, ISBN, 978-964-96383-4-8
Al-Saleh, Yasmine, Harvard University
"Amulets and Talismans from the Islamic World", Metropolitan Museum
of Art
P.338, Andreas
Sofroniou, ART FOR PSYCHOTHERAPY, Lulu.com, ISBN,
20161326789597, 9781326789596
P.182 Ahmed Shendy Yousef, Islam within Judaism and
Christianity, A Voice From The Past: Shedding Light on the unity between the
Torah, Gospel and Quran Scriptures, AuthorHouse, 2014,
Hanegraaff, Wouter J. (2013). "The Notion of "Occult
Sciences" in the Wake of the Enlightenment".
Retrieved 6
March 2017.
Omid Kalantar Motamedi Biography
Omid
Kalantar Motamedi studied Design and Visual Communication at Soore Fine Arts
University (Iran, 2004). He graduated in Visual Art and Visual Communication
Design, MFA programme from Eastern Mediterranean University (Cyprus, 2015).
Throughout
15 years of professional experience he gained a great deal in business and
management skills as Art director and Senior Graphic Designer which combined
with academic knowledge of Art and Design.
In
2012 he collaborated with Profile, an advertising company and publisher of
3-monthly magazines, and was responsible for advising and generating innovative
concepts, brand designing, page layouts and advertisements. In March 2013
he founded his Cyprus Design Studio and since September 2013 he is faculty
member and senior instructor in the Graphic Design Department of the Fine
Arts, Design and Architecture Faculty at Cyprus International University.