Gulgee (Ismail Gulgee) (Pakistani, born 1926)
Oil on silver leaf and canvas; 29 9/16 x 35 1/2 in. (76 x 91 cm)
Image courtesy of the artist
Ismail Gulgee, known simply as his last name, has produced numerous works using the different names of Allah. This is one such work. The thickly applied paint on this canvas spells out Allah in Arabic letters. In these textural works, Gulgee brings the Islamic calligraphy tradition to the modern practice of action painting such as that developed by the American artist Jackson Pollock, whose paintings were made by the movement of the artist dripping paint on to a large canvas lying on the floor. To many of his calligraphy paintings Gulgee adds gold and silver paint, reminiscent of the use of these precious materials in old manuscripts.
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