The fine art of calligraphy enters the boxing ring
Fighting to Be Heard, a unique exhibition held as part of Bradford’s City of Culture programme, brings two unlikely disciplines together
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Boxing and calligraphy make for an unlikely pairing, but for calligrapher Razwan Ul-Haq, there are more similarities between the two disciplines than you might think.
“Both require a lot of discipline,” says Ul-Haq. “Both also require a level of precision and focus. There is a relationship between the master and the student, the coach and the boxer, and neither allows room for error.”
In Fighting to Be Heard, a new exhibition at the Cartwright Hall Art Gallery in Bradford, Ul-Haq brings the two worlds together. The works on display offer a unique exploration of those similarities, through the eyes of a group of British South Asian Muslim boxers and trainers from Bradford.
Co-curated by Ul-Huq, world champion boxer Tasif Khan and members of his boxing academy, it will run until 27 April as part of Bradford’s UK City of Culture 2025 programme.
“Opening with an exhibition that features boxing, sportsmanship, calligraphy, and discipline shows how sports and arts can coexist in the same space, creating something truly impactful,” says Shanaz Gulzar, creative director of Bradford 2025.
The items featured in the exhibition have been selected from the Arabic and Urdu collections of the British Library, as well as historical and contemporary items from Bradford District Museums and Galleries. The boxers had the opportunity to pick the items, several of which brought up deep emotional responses from the group.
“It was a really meaningful moment for them,” says Ul-Haq, adding that some of the men were moved to tears. “There was a real fascination among the group for the oldest Qur’anic scripts. Imagine standing over a manuscript that’s thousands of years old.”
Visitors can view an ancient Qur’an dating back to the ninth century, handwritten Sufi poetry in the Gujari language dating back to 1590, and artwork by the late Palestinian artist Dia Batal. Batal’s work explores how modern calligraphy can serve as a form of protest and self-expression.
Alongside the historical items, visitors can also learn more about the men’s personal stories and their reactions to the collections via video installations and visual displays. They can also attend a workshop led by Ul-Haq including a practical calligraphy session.
For Ul-Haq, the aim of Fighting to Be Heard goes beyond simply highlighting the skill and dedication at the heart of both calligraphy and boxing, it is about merging disciplines to craft something entirely new.
“I hope audiences go into the exhibition with a real sense of wonder and leave feeling like it’s unlike any other they’ve visited,” he says.
The show also provides a chance to highlight the rich culture of the city in which Ul-Haq has lived and worked for many years.
“There is something unique here. I don’t think there’s ever been an exhibition like this,” he says. “This is a great city. It has contributed so much to the country. Free school meals started here. The Labour party began here. There is so much more to Bradford than people realise.”
Fighting to Be Heard runs at Cartwright Hall Art Gallery until 27 April 2025 as part of Bradford 2025.
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