ANWAR JALAL SHEMZA (1928-1985)

These two works are eloquent examples of Shemza's calligraphic abstraction developed in the mid-1960s in London. The plethora of influences from East and West are distilled into a language of seemingly simple abstracted geometric forms. Disciplined use of modular shapes and lines construct architectonic totems, imbued with gestalt and primitive purity. Shemza has created his own formal building blocks fusing calligraphy and geometry. These blocks adhere to a strict visual code whereby the Roman letters 'B' and 'D' are the basic modules. These B/D building blocks of subtly abstracted geometries in blues, reds, oranges and greens sprout from sturdy foundations. Whilst foundations and roots would preoccupy Shemza's later work, it is this transnational and transcultural language of the B/D series which produces such a striking and decidedly modern aesthetic of experimentation and personal exploration.