South African calligrapher, Andrew van der Merwe, has pioneered a new and very different form of calligraphy. In this illuminated lecture he will show and tell how it all began, how it affected his usual calligraphy practice and how it affected him spiritually. “The beach calligraphy is a wonderful enigma. As calligraphers we go to great lengths to make our work archival. We use pH neutral paper, expensive vellum, good pigments and even real gold, but here is a form of calligraphy which, at first glance, looks like it has been carved in stone, but it is as fleeting as a shadow. Why do calligraphy which you know will be gone with the next wave? Why spend years exploring and developing it as an art form?”

Presented by the Friends of Calligraphy and Book Arts & Special Collections. For more information please contact bookarts@sfpl.org / (415) 557-4560.