Fathurrahman shows his natural flair for calligraphy

Agus Maryono, The Jakarta Post/Banyumas, Central Java

For people in the Central Java towns of Cilacap and Banyumas, Fathurrahman, 29, is probably no stranger.

He has become well-known as an Arabic script calligraphy artist whose work is collected by not just local, but also national public figures.

Yet, as a painter who spent most of his teenage years in a pesantren (Islamic boarding school), his creative output just keeps on flowing. It seems not to bother him whether people will buy it or appreciate it.

"I entrust everything to Allah's will. He is the one who arranges this life and livelihood," Fathurrahman said, calmly.

Speaking to The Jakarta Post recently at his home in Karanglewas Kidul, Karanglewas subdistrict, Banyumas, Central Java, Fathurrahman said he felt attracted to calligraphy as third-year elementary student.

"I used to paint the calligraphy of syahadat (the belief that there is no God other than Allah and that Muhammad is His Messenger) in many forms," said Fathurrahman, adding that such paintings had often won him first place in local painting competitions.

After finishing elementary school, Fathurrahman's parents sent him to Darul Ulum Islamic boarding school in the East Java town of Jombang. It was there that he could no longer hide his talent after amazing others with his calligraphy during a ceremony held at the boarding school.

"Since then I kept painting almost non-stop; not only was my room full of calligraphy paintings but also my friends', too," Fathurrahman said.

Even after he moved to another boarding school in Kesugihan, Cilacap, Central Java, his painting continued. This time, not just fellow santri (pesantren students) gave him support. There was also support from his teachers, who continued to encourage him to continue with his hobby. Cilapcap therefore became a magnet for other calligraphy painters.

So popular was Fathurrahman that then regent Hery Tabri was moved to buy one of his paintings. For that he was paid Rp 5 million.

Since then, many, including local and national public figures, began to buy them up. They would often notice them while visiting pesantren Al-Ihya Ulumaddin, in Kesugihan, Cilacap.

Collectors include former minister of cooperatives Subiyakto Cakrawerdaya, former minister of health Ahmad Sujudi and the eldest daughter of former president Soeharto, Siti Hardiyanti Indra Rukmana.

"I don't know why they were interested in my work. They just said that they were amazed while looking at my paintings and they were moved to buy them," Fathurrahman said.

After finishing his studies at Al-Ihya Ulumaddin, Fathurrahman continued to develop his art at his home village of Karanglewas Kidul. All of it, however, is the product of trial and error, with nature as his teacher.

What is also interesting about Fathurrahman is the way he has spurned the portrayal of living creatures, including animals and people. He said he was doing so to maintain his special character as a painter.

"It does not automatically mean that I think less of those who paint living creatures. I just want to maintain my character, as my religious teacher has advised me to do. Besides, as a Muslim I am not allowed to paint living creatures," Fathurrahman explained.

Fathurrahman's love of Arabic letter calligraphy is indeed beyond question. So deep is his love that whatever he paints he always uses calligraphy to describe it. So, he uses calligraphic writings to depict the flow of water in a river or trees.

Regarding ideas on his subjects, Fathurrahman said he often got them while praying. In fact, he said, painting for him often became very spiritual and that he often got carried away by the object he had painted.

"I once was so carried away that I started crying while painting," he said.

Sometimes, he said, he also realized later on that what he painted on a canvas sent a particular message to him that he only became aware of after he had finished it.

Once, for example, while working on a painting his fingers were moved to add a gravestone. Not long after finishing that painting he got news that his beloved father had just passed away.

Fathurrahman said he did not ask a high price for his calligraphy, although local colleagues considered it expensive.