Artists in Conversation: Nuria Garcia Masip

Yunus Emre Institute in London and the Leighton House Museum launched their joint “Artists in Conversation” series, explaining Turkey’s traditional art with important contemporary artists. The guest artists are invited to discuss their experiences and thoughts as well as to explain the unknown aspects and rituals of their respective art.

In this context, the first event of “Artists in conversation” was held online with Hattat Nuria Garcia Masip on June 16, 2020. In the program moderated by Charlotte Villiers, Masip shared her journey on calligraphy with the audience.

After her university education, she started her journey in Morocco due to her interest in Islamic Arts. Her journey continued in Washington with lessons from Master Calligrapher Mohammed Zakariya with the permission of Master Calligrapher, Hasan Çelebi, in the styles of Thuluth, Naskh and Reqa. Afterwards, on the suggestion of her friend, she went to Istanbul to at the hub of Calligraphy and learned the Naskh and Thuluth styles from Masters Hasan Çelebi and Davut Bektaş. In this process, she shared the teacher-student relationship, educational methods and the curriculum in the traditional calligraphy she learned, with the audience

She learned from her teachers that the most important factor in this art, rather than talent, is to show patience and perseverance. Developing writing skills through practice, Meşki Ameli; the ability to look at and see the art Meşki Nazari, and planning with imagination ,Meşki Hayali, were stages with which she learned.

She stated that she received her qualification in 2007 to write and teach in the types of Thuluth and Naskh with the signatures of three masters, but that she was not the end of learning in this art, and that she worked regularly with her teachers.

The event continued with the verses and surahs written by Nuria Garcia Masip in the styles of Naskh and Thuluth, containing examples from Hadith Sharifs and Hilye-i Sharif which were explained together with their contents.

The live broadcast, from the social media accounts of both institutions ended with a question and answer session.

The event can be viewed at the link below. The second event of the series will be held with Soraya Syed on June 25, 2020.