This small, handmade talismanic book is finished with texts in Arabic calligraphy. The paper was previously dyed with natural dyes. Once the book is bound, each page is treated with the method of ahar paper in order to prepare a surface to be written on. Only natural inks are used.
Length 12 cm
Width 3 cm
Height 12 cm
©Gonou
©Gonou
©Gonou
©Gonou
©Gonou
Irini Gonou
- Calligrapher
- Abram Naxos, Greece
- Master Artisan
- Recommended by Benaki Museum
Contact
Greek, English, French
Hours:
By appointment only
By appointment only
Phone:
+30 6944421974
+30 6944421974
©Gonou
A passion for letters
- • Irini believes that the art of lettering has been neglected
- • For her, natural handmade tools imprint perfectly our inner emotions
- • In her work, she features her deep respect for nature
Irini Gonou is an artist who has worked with letters in many ways and with different materials. She was initiated to the Greek calligraphy by Agamemnon Tselikas, an inspiring professor in palaeography who helped her organise the ductus of different kind of manuscripts and historic scripts that she later reproduced in a calligraphy workshop. “Palaeography has always provided the raw material for calligraphy.” Since 2010, she has organised regular workshops and seminars on historic Mediterranean scripts and Arabic calligraphy, applying the principle of Mindful Calligraphy which “is a kind of handwriting art whose slow and deliberate strokes focus on simplicity, harmony and natural beauty aiming for a mind and body connection.”
Read the full interviewWorks
Photo: ©Gonou
Talismanic book
Photo: ©Gonou
Eucalyptus bark with Vai inscriptions
The script on the eucalyptus bark is the Vai syllabary, a beautiful African writing system. The text is not readable. Irini Gonou reproduced the signs of the alphabet in a purely aesthetic way. The writing here is interpreted as a drawn procedure.
Height 14 cm
Width 10 cm
Photo: ©Gonou
Talismanic tunic
Paper is glued on fine cotton fabric with the marouflage technique to prepare a surface for writing on. The paper is then dyed with natural dyes and tailored in the form of a tunic attached with raffia. The script is interpreted in its ancient healing and protective dimension.The iron hanger is handmade as a display stand for this piece.
Length 85 cm
Width 20 cm
Height 150 cm
Photo: ©Gonou
Inscriptions
Greek inscriptions are written onto Fabriano paper with walnut ink. The piece is inspired by Ancient Greek inscriptions on marble. This piece synthesises some particular qualities and techniques of the versatile walnut ink.
Height 21 cm
Width 15 cm
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