The opening ceremony of an exhibition of calligraphy works by Master Hassan Ghader, entitled "modern calligraphy" was held on Wednesday, 7 October 2015 at ECO Cultural Institute diplomatic gallery, attended by H. E. Mr. Noor Muhammad Jadmani, Ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, members of diplomatic corps based in Tehran, Dr. Mohammad Hassan Semsar, an eminent member of the Great Islamic Encyclopedia, prominent art scholars and a group of calligraphy enthusiasts.
Iftikhar Husain Arif, President of ECO Cultural Institute in his speech at the ceremony, stated: " Calligraphy is the most highly regarded and most fundamental element of Islamic art since it was the primary means for the preservation of the Qur'an."
" To keep the centuries-old tradition of calligraphy alive, ECO Cultural Institute has aimed to better introduce and honor the well-respected calligraphers like Master Hasan Ghader whose practice has extended beyond the traditional approach to calligraphy to develop an abstract style to bond the traditional structure to new concepts. " He added.
Further, Dr. Mohammad Hassan Semsar, an eminent member of the Great Islamic Encyclopedia referred to the history of calligraphy in Iran and said: "calligraphy in Iran goes back to ancient times and was developed later in the Islamic period. Iranians formulated calligraphy rules for the first time. "
"calligraphy has played an important role in the unity of Islamic states. The majority of Islamic culture has been conveyed to the world through calligraphy."
Explaining on his artworks, Master Hassan Ghader said: " manuscripts, monumental inscriptions, glorious pieces of art and so on, all are the memorabilia that reveal our ancestors' understanding of the magic power of writing. But based on the past experiences while looking ahead, today we should create works of lasting value that meet the needs of the present generation. "
"The exhibited artworks are not categorized as traditional calligraphy. These works are a mixture of art and technology. Digi- Calligraphy, is a suitable term to reveal the meaning lied in these works of art."