At the shodo art gallery woman artist Nadja Van Ghelue showcases inspiring shodo, beautiful pieces of Japanese calligraphy and Chinese calligraphy.
Shodo is essentially an art of movement. It is the art of giving life to the brushstroke and endowing the characters with movement. In genuine shodo the mind is vividly present. The saying, ‘when the mind is correct, the brush is correct’, expresses in few words the essence of shodo. To endow the characters with life the calligrapher not only has to train to master the brush techniques but also even more important is the training of the mind. A brush without the right mental attitude creates superficial characters that lack strength.
As the Japanese art critic Kitaura says, ‘Nature is the very principle of calligraphic activity, calligraphy is the art of grasping Nature effortlessly’. Shodo is an ongoing process that aims at writing ‘naturally’. This is what is called the writing from the heart, when the calligrapher creates from the very depth of her/his being. Nadja Van Ghelue’s shodo reflects this continuous search for spontaneous writing.
Timeless art
Her shodo artwork and paintings are deeply rooted in Buddhism and Zen and convey vivid abstract beauty born from a burning enthusiasm for the timeless spiritual power of the brush.
In the course of the years Buddhist teachings became the central theme of her calligraphic work. Especially the Heart Sutra has been one of her preferred shodo sacred texts. She has written the Heart Sutra over and over wherever she was and in different styles. Through this repeated ‘molding’ the characters acquired an autonomous life and this inner movement is what is captured in her works of art.
Make art the best gift
We hope you enjoy discovering the shodo art gallery. It is our aim to give you a true aesthetic pleasure when looking at this expressive artwork. If you would like to buy a work or commission your very personal calligraphy please click here to contact the artist.
Enjoy!
Click on the image or on the link below the image for enlarged view and more information about each work.
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| Avalokiteshvara | Buddha |
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| Form Is Emptiness | Mantra Gate Gate |
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| Heart Sutra | Buddha Nature |
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| Prajna | Meditation on Kwanzeon |
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take a deep breath and reach out for the one line. from emptiness bring it down to the paper without hesitation. concentrate your whole being on writing. draw the line and let it go back to the empty space. on the white paper the one line conceals emptiness. the way this happens cannot be put in words. it can only be seen with the heart. |
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| Prajnaparamita |
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