Convent JB hosts first calligraphy contest

Participants from fourteen secondary schools, including three from other states, took part in a Workshop & Calligraphy Contest organised by SMK Infant Jesus Convent Johor Baru, recently.

Top prize winner in the Jawi category by
Noorpazila Ipran of SMK Medini JB

Noorpazila Ipran of SMK Medini JB won the top prize in the Jawi Calligraphy category while Nur Shafina Muhd Saniaziah from SMK Sultan Mohd Shah, Perak, and Foo Jing Xi from SMK IJ Convent JB, clinched the top prizes in the Romanised Alphabets and Chinese Calligraphy categories, respectively.

Speaking on behalf of the 3-member panel of judges, chief judge Mohamad Rosman Rukani, commended SMK IJ Convent JB for their initiative in organising and hosting such an event.  While traditional calligraphy was usually rendered by brush on paper, he was thrilled to see how the participants took this ancient art to new heights of beauty with a contemporary touch.

Prize winners with teachers and representatives from
Johor Education Department at the prize-giving event

The 2-day workshop that culminated with a contest started with lectures on art and calligraphy in three categories.  Mohamad Rosman provided tips on Calligraphy in Romanised Alphabets while Uztaz Hanapiah Sapuan from SK Bandar Baru Uda 2 lectured on Calligraphy in Jawi and Teoh Pak Hiang gave guidelines on the art of Chinese Calligraphy.

“It’s not easy to achieve such high standards in quality but yet the participants have grasped the techniques learnt in the workshop and applied them in their renditions,” said Mohamad Rosman, an art teacher and lecturer with 32 years of teaching experience.  “The panel followed a set of criteria to judge the entries based on the given theme, technique application, creativity and the skillful use of colour,” he added.

The host school's Nasyid choir presented two songs

“I’m confident that this initiative by SMK IJ Convent JB would see the development of new talents in the art of calligraphy from schools that may eventually match the standards of international talents,” said SMK IJ Convent JB principal, Ng Lee Wan.

“SMK IJ Convent has proved to be strong both academically and in co-curricular activities, and I’m glad that they have taken the initiative to develop an interest in the art of calligraphy to increase an awareness of God and Nature through visual perception,” said Johor Education Department Director Haji Aminuddin Adam in his speech read out by Johor Education Department representative, Haji Shaharudin Sharif.

The host school’s cultural club presented a Malay dance while their Nasyid choir and school choir presented several songs at the prize-giving event.

A version of this was published in The Malaysian Insider on 6 Aug 2015