Emoting in Devanagari: How this Mumbai artist is taking the Indian script global through his art

Nikheel Aphale in action; (right) Nikheel’s art, which was displayed at the Akshar Mahotsav exhibition at IGNCA, New Delhi

When we visit Nikheel Aphale's website, "Leehkin", we are in awe - the background video for his website is just his pen and hand, skillfully creating. You can't help but trace the way the pen flows and forms the letter so deftly and precisely. His creations are a spectrum - from fine art to graphic designs, Aphale has done it all.

Aphale is a calligrapher who was born and brought up in Mumbai. He graduated from LS Raheja School of Arts, Mumbai, in applied arts, where he had calligraphy and typography as a subject. He learnt different styles and different scrapes, and eventually, he was introduced to the Devanagari script. And what fascinated him the most was how you could emote, without using any graphics or illustrations, but instead with letters. This convinced him to practise calligraphy as a full-time artist. He creates paintings with Devanagari as the core element in his art practice. Why Devanagari? "It is the same as my mother tongue, Marathi," Aphale mentions. "Since birth, I have been exposed to its sound and visuals, and that created a special bond between me and the script. I realised, as I was pursuing calligraphy, that everybody's aware of West and Eastern calligraphy, but Devanagari, and many such Indian scripts, are nowhere in the world of visual art - which made me think, I want to show the potential of Devanagari in a global visual and fine art space."

When asked how he balanced the traditional rules of the Devanagari script with the freedom to express himself, Aphale clarified that calligraphy itself is an act of discipline and precision, which works with a set of rules. And while working on it, mastering a balance, proportion, and the structure of the letters was of utmost importance. "Basically once your foundation gets stronger, then only will it help you go beyond the rules. When I'm adding abstract expressionism, it means that I'm actually breaking the rules, but by staying within the rules," he believes.

Even in these times where AI is ruling everywhere, Aphale is a staunch advocate of the "hand-done" style. "Anything handmade has a special appeal, and being a calligraphy artist means my hand is a crucial factor in my practice," he comments. "It's a reflection of my state of mind. Everything comes together, like the rhythm of my breath or the pressure of my hand, to create one particular piece." He also really admires the variations and imperfections that come with the warmth of the human touch. He believes it's evidence of life behind the art. "I personally relate more to such work than a polished, glossy AI made work."

He does have a really unique set of tools, some pretty unconventional. For instance, Aphale has used credit cards for his art! We couldn't help but wonder about how he even thought to use a credit card, and he mentioned that in his lessons, they were always encouraged to experiment with creative tools. "I can't randomly use any tool and start working. It depends on what the subject demands, and the tone of the artwork," he comments.

Different tools are also used to express different emotions. For instance, if he wants to convey anger as the primary emotion, he can use something edgy or rough, something like a toothbrush or coconut husk. "It gives more justice to my work, using different tools."

His favourite tool, however, is the round brush. "I find that it's a very versatile tool", he says. "And there is a ruling pen. It's like a modern metal pen, as it works for fine lined lettering and bold strokes."