Hazim Numanagić

Beautiful writing

• Hazim is one of the most prominent Bosnian calligraphers
• He decorated the famous Bey's Mosque in Sarajevo
• The name of his studio is Husni Hatt, meaning “beautiful writing”

Hazim Numanagić made his first steps in mastering calligraphy with the help of his father when he was a boy, and he continued to hone his skills by learning from famous Balkan calligraphers. He is now one of the most reputable calligraphy artists in his country, having so far participated in numerous solo and joint exhibitions at home and abroad, including the World Festival of Islamic Calligraphy in Tehran, Iran. During his career, Hazim made calligraphic inscriptions and painted numerous religious buildings in BiH, such as the Bey's Mosque in Sarajevo, the Čaršija Mosque in Stolac and many others. His calligraphy studio, one of the few such places in Bosnia and Herzegovina, is named Husni Hatt, meaning “beautiful writing” in Arabic.

Interview

Haris Čalkić ©Michelangelo Foundation

Haris Čalkić ©Michelangelo Foundation

When did you open your studio?

I opened it in 1999. I have been in this business for 23 years and I live from it, both me and my family. I work alone, but my wife sometimes helps me with sketching decorations. My son made a website for me; I'm not much of a technological person.

Who trained you to do calligraphy?

I learned the first steps in mastering calligraphy from my father Ibrahim. While studying Oriental Studies in Sarajevo, I met the best calligrapher in the former Yugoslavia, Ešref Kovačević, with whom I continued to study this art.

How is calligraphy linked to your country?

Besides Arabic, I can also write in Bosančica (a variant of the Cyrillic alphabet that originated in medieval Bosnia), and arabica (Arabic script adapted to the phonetic system of the Bosnian language). I can also write in Hebrew if I have a text to look at in front of me.

How important is tradition to you?

Through calligraphy, I try to revive the traditional alphabets used in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The most important thing is to keep the tradition alive and return calligraphy to the prestige attributed to it for centuries in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Hazim Numanagić is an expert artisan: he began his career in 1980

Works

Haris Čalkić ©Michelangelo Foundation

Haris Čalkić ©Michelangelo Foundation

Haris Čalkić ©Michelangelo Foundation

Haris Čalkić ©Michelangelo Foundation

Haris Čalkić ©Michelangelo Foundation

Where