More than Words: The Art of Calligraphy across Asia

Spanning Armenia to Japan and drawing on the Nelson-Atkins and a small number of private collections, this exhibition explores the roles and aesthetic qualities of writing in Asia from 4 BCE to the present. The installation will introduce calligraphy and how it is made, and then will present four thematic sections:

• Faith and Knowledge, including sacred writing from Buddhist, Islamic, and Christian traditions
• Word, Image and Poetry, including examples of writing combined with illumination and illustration and calligraphic transcriptions of poems
• Word and Authority, demonstrating how calligraphy and writing transmit power and authority

Writing from different traditions will be juxtaposed to illuminate similarities and/or also contrasting styles. Contemporary works will demonstrate the innovative way calligraphy is used by artists today.