Artists Across Ages Bridge the Spiritual and the Temporal
Ashok Chauhan and Amaan Hussain. (Image Bhawna Malik)
Delhi Art Fest Unites Cardboard Innovator and Islamic Calligrapher in a Celebration of Craft and Spirituality
By Bhawna Malik
New Delhi, November 14, 2025 — The Art Fest in Delhi became a confluence of contrasting yet beautifully complementary artistic worlds—one shaped by a retired professional reinventing himself through sustainable cardboard art, and the other by a young Muslim calligrapher preserving the timeless elegance of Quranic script and Mughal architecture.
For Ashok Chauhan, retirement did not signal rest but renewal. The Noida-based, Amritsar-born commerce graduate found a second life in creativity, transforming discarded cardboard into meticulously crafted matchboxes, miniature beds, almirahs, and architectural models. A self-taught artist, Chauhan says he wanted to use retirement to explore rather than slow down.
“I am not an engineer or architect, but cardboard fascinated me. After retirement, I began experimenting with this medium. I don’t believe retirement means sitting idle—it is the best time to explore,” Chauhan shares.
Beyond its fine craftsmanship, his work delivers a powerful message on sustainability. In a world drowning in fast consumption, Chauhan urges viewers to rediscover value in everyday waste. Showcased publicly for the first time at the Art Fest, his pieces reflect patience, imagination, and a desire to inspire. “I want to create something constructive that brings joy. A matchbox home takes a day, but bigger structures take longer—my focus is always on making the product aesthetically appealing,” he says.
On the other side of the exhibition stood the spiritual universe of young calligrapher Amaan Hussain, who channels Islamic heritage through handcrafted Arabic calligraphy inspired by Quranic verses and Mughal-era domes. Hussain’s vision emerged from a desire to preserve art forms that cannot be carried or reproduced easily.
“I work with Arabic calligraphy and Mughal monuments. These monuments are filled with geometry, patterns, and scripture—but we often miss the 3D illusion in their domes. I try to capture that essence in my art,” Hussain explains.
A fine arts graduate from Jamia Millia Islamia, Hussain experimented with acrylics and oils before turning to Arabic script, where he found creative fulfilment. “Other mediums didn’t give me sukoon. So I began studying Arabic scripts and monuments and merged both,” he says.
His works seamlessly blend calligraphy with architectural form—Quranic verses such as Bismillah Sharif and Surah Ikhlas appear embedded within dome-inspired designs that recreate the illusion of depth. A regular on the Delhi art circuit, Hussain is emerging as a quiet but compelling voice in contemporary Islamic art.
The Art Fest, through Chauhan and Hussain, showcased how creativity can transcend age, faith, and medium—offering both a message of sustainability and a celebration of sacred tradition.
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