Jerry Kelly

The Calligraphy Revival, 1906–2016 Jerry Kelly

Published to accompany the eponymous exhibition, held at the Grolier Club May 17-July 29, 2017. Preface by Jerry Kelly, Introduction by Christopher Calderhead, followed by a catalogue of the 88 items in the exhibition, all presented as full page color plates. The word calligraphy comes from the Greek kaligraphia-kallos "beauty" + graphein "to write." It is an art with a long and noble history, going back centuries and spanning many cultures. Exhibitions and collections of Asian, Islamic, and Medieval art have always included examples of beautiful writing, yet modern Western calligraphy has seldom been recognized as an art form. This catalogue aims to correct that oversight. Curator Jerry Kelly, an award-winning book designer, type designer, typographer, and calligrapher, presents major examples of calligraphic art by over 80 artists spanning the years 1906-2016, demonstrating that in the computer age the art of beautiful writing not only lives, but thrives.