Financial Tribune- A solo exhibition of calligraphy paintings by the renowned Iranian artist Ali Shirazi is underway at Abaci Sanat Gallery in Istanbul.

The exhibit presents contemporary Persian art of painting and calligraphy in Turkey which is a country of high importance in Islamic art, Honaronline reported.

Calligraphy master Shirazi has showcased 11 calligraphy paintings which he has created with Nastaleeq script. All the works are in large scale which is a feature of most of Shirazi’s style.

Nastaleeq is one of the main calligraphic styles used in writing the Persian script. It was developed in Iran in the 14th and 15th centuries and has extensively been practiced in Iran, Pakistan, India, Afghanistan and other countries for written poetry as a form of art.

The exhibit has been warmly welcomed by a large number of visitors, from the public and artists to TV channels.

Omar Abaci, the gallery manager, expressed pleasure in cooperating with Iranian artists saying “It is our honor to have Master Ali Shirazi in our gallery. This is a major event for us and I would like to continue working with Iranian artists”.

Shirazi has a wealth of experience in various techniques and materials. He has received the first degree art certificate from the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance.

His works are usually part of national and international auctions. Last year in April one of his artworks was sold at Bonhams sale of modern and contemporary Middle Eastern art in London for $47,000. Earlier this year in September, another piece fetched $6,000 at the Baran Auction, the first special event on calligraphy masterpieces in Iran.

Shirazi’s artworks are archived at several local museums, namely Tehran Museum of Contemporary Arts, National Museum of Holy Qur’an, Imam Ali Museum in Tehran, Sanati Museum of Contemporary Arts in Kerman, Astan Qods Razavi Museum and Sa’dabad Palace in Tehran.

The calligraphy paintings are on display at the Turkish gallery through November 20.

Dastan’s Basement Gallery

Earlier, the 11th edition of Contemporary Istanbul was held November 3-6 at Istanbul Congress Center and Istanbul Convention and Exhibition Center, where Dastan’s Basement Gallery from Iran presented works by an Iranian artist.

It was the second time Dastan took part in the event. This year it showed paintings by Shahriar Ahmadi.

Ahmadi, 37, is a member of Iranian Society of Painters of Iran and Visual Arts Society of Iran. His works have been exhibited in over 50 solo and group exhibitions in Iran, China, the UK and the US and garnered a number of awards.

Established in 2012 in northern Tehran, Dastan’s gallery was founded on the idea of exhibiting the artworks of the new generation of Iranian emerging artists. So far, it has attended several international events including London’s second annual START Art Fair in 2015 and Art Dubai 2015 and 2016.

Founded in 1997, the Contemporary Istanbul (CI) brings together both established and emerging art galleries, artists and collectors from Turkey and other countries from across the globe. It seeks to support the arts and deliver artistic excellence and diversity, as international and regional interest in the art fair continues to grow.

The event showcases artworks of different mediums including painting, illustration, photo, sculpture, installation and digital art among others.

This year, the CI presented 1,500 artworks by 520 artists, exhibited by 70 leading and emerging galleries from 20 countries including Germany, Russia, Spain, France, Italy, Poland, South Korea, Singapore, the US and the UK.