Johan

I thought I would start writing merely about my work, setting up so to speak, some kind of "directions for use" or "glossary". But it seemed to me more appropriate to write also about myself and some of my views on the world, about my personal and professional career and finally about my work, especially bearing in mind those who would like to understand my work so that they can also fathom some of the concepts inspiring their creation. All along the centuries and throughout the civilisations, with no distinction of race or belief, scribes and copyists, silent and attentive, with dexterous, faithful and patient hands, transmitted us - with the help of their calligraphic instruments - sacred texts, historical facts, love stories and poetry, unforgettable legends, peace treaties, sciences and laws. They are the pillars of human knowledge, keys to the wisdom necessary to understand our existence, enabling us, with an attentive eye peering into beautiful manuscripts of the past, to prepare the future or travel into a world of dreams... even for just a few moments. It was with that kind of reflections that, one day, while I was contemplating some ancient manuscripts a few years ago, I decided to initiate this trip back to the past (but without return) which I am accomplishing today, between reality and the imaginary, passing through all the different eras of human knowledge; rewriting what has been written already, designing once more ideas already gone by but impressive to me, thinking through what has already been thought, trying to feel inside me the same sensations my predecessors would have felt, not without a certain nostalgia. I am sailing endlessly through dozens of texts, venturing through phrases, sometimes without immediately feeling them but after a deep reflection I do feel the presence of a superior wisdom which gives me the sensation that I am a thirsty child craving for knowledge. Also, since I have my doubts on everything in this life, including myself and my limits, I am curious to understand the unknown and discover other versions of our existence, since I would like to know the various aspects of one single question, the secrets of this life, I dive into the past through the manuscripts, through the books, trying to discover inside them all their details; copying out the questions, enigmas and replies; transcribing the thoughts of other people more audacious than myself. And since I do not know how many more years I will live - I believe that when you do not think about death you are being irresponsible with life, you are forgetting to make plans worthy of our sojourn on earth - I keep busy everyday studying books and their sometimes long but entrancing texts. I bury myself inside them, intensely, attentive and dedicated. I scrutinize them with quiet eyes: context after context, line after line, I slowly feed upon the knowledge they are handing over, I absorb them while trying to feel the essence of these eras and their ideas, trying to apply certain teachings of the past to the present reality, to my time, or sometimes I just transport myself in imagination to be able to represent these ideas in my work afterwards. All of these texts, these beautiful texts, I look for them, fascinated by all of these places where they still have their own space; and I admire them, I transcribe them: in French, in Latin, in Portuguese, in English and so on... comparing one to another, trying in my thoughts to stand besides their authors and understand how they were elaborated. I do this with no consideration for time, as if time were my dwelling, my only place of inspiration. This is all fascinating to me, it involves my whole body, my whole soul, my whole time. And once my study is over, I draw on a piece of paper the space where the chosen text will be received, that valued text of which I will be the interpreter. I imagine the text once finished - comfortable in its place, sometimes illuminated, later admired - that I am about to transcribe. And this is how I start writing in calligraphy with simple and involved movements, on the support with my quill, in the alphabet I have imagined for it. What type of letter do I chose for my calligraphy? I chose the one that answers best my inspiration at the time, the exact letter, the exact size; a letter that talks as my hands copy the words, the whole sentences. I consider this a spiritual approach. Johan. http://www.johancalligrapher.com ou http://www.facebook.com/johancalligrapher