THE AESTHETICS OF THE LINE ELEMENT IN CONTEMPORARY IRAQI GRAPHIC ART

Abstract

Abstract

Line is a fundamental element in visual art in general and graphic art in particular, as it reveals the artistic vision and highlights the importance of the subject matter. Its application varies, whether using soft or rigid lines, or a combination of both, to achieve harmony and creative expression. A work of art is incomplete without its lines. The emergence of printing was linked to seals in Sumerian civilization, then spread to later civilizations, evolving from flat to cylinder seals, eventually reaching modern states and preceding civilizations such as Japan, India, China, and the Islamic world, and finally Europe in the eleventh century. This development was not a return to primitivism but rather an advancement towards a contemporary culture, where twentieth-century artists drew upon ancient experiences to forge a renewed aesthetic and technical concept. Thus, printmaking has become one of the most prominent arts of the modern era due to its ability to spread and its intellectual and cultural influence. With the unique character of graphic art, which has given calligraphy a distinguished place, making its study a fundamental pillar for understanding this art and its development, the current study, entitled "The Aesthetics of Calligraphy in Contemporary Iraqi Graphic Art," comprises four chapters, as follows: Chapter One: The methodological framework of the research includes a review of the research problem, which revolves around the following question:

What are the aesthetics of calligraphy in contemporary Iraqi graphic art? The study then addresses the importance of the research and the need for it, and the research objective, which included identifying the aesthetics of the line element in contemporary Iraqi graphic art. The study then defines the scope of the research, including the thematic, spatial, and temporal dimensions. The researcher chose the period from 1960 to 2018 to encompass the research problem from its beginnings. The list of terms that were defined is then provided. The second chapter is the theoretical framework of the research, which includes three sections: the first section: the value of expressive lines and their symbolic significance in composition; the second section: graphic techniques and their role in shaping the line element; and the third section: the environment and its role in formulating the visual discourse of contemporary Iraqi graphic art. The second chapter in the theoretical framework then yielded a set of indicators that helped the researcher in guiding her analysis of the research sample. The third chapter includes the research procedures, which consist of the research population, the research sample, and the methodology used in the analysis, which is the descriptive method. Then the analysis of the research sample is followed by the fourth chapter: the results, conclusions, recommendations, and suggestions. The researcher reached a number of conclusions, the most important of which are:

1.    Line is important in the artistic composition of graphic art, due to its fundamental role in defining shapes, separating spaces, diversifying textures, and harmonizing the artistic elements.

2.    Line represents a fundamental axis in the structure of contemporary Iraqi graphic art, as it constitutes an indispensable aesthetic and expressive element.