In his native Afghanistan, Hakim Karimzada was a master calligrapher, a fine art professor, and a veterinarian. He moved to Alameda about a year ago with his wife and three of his five children. “This was a long project,” he says. “I wanted to come to the US for a long time, but there were many steps to take to get here.”

Now an English language student at the Alameda Adult School, Karimzada is celebrating another milestone: his first art exhibit on American soil.
 

The exhibit, called “Dancing with Words,” was at Rhythmix Cultural Works last month. It featured Karimzada’s calligraphic artworks, which blend modern and traditional styles in vibrant works of flowing shapes and colors.

 

Some of the paintings transform a single letter into ribbon-like lines and curves. Others interpret a word or phrase.  Some of the letters are from traditional scripts indigenous to the Middle East, such as Nastaliq, Kofi, Naskh and Thuluth; others he created as part of his own modern script he calls Nilofar.

 

“Each word speaks from the soul,” Karimzada writes in his Artist Statement at the exhibit, "evoking the the excitement, struggle, and resilience of human life."

 

One of the most moving pieces features a portrait of poet Nadia Anjuman, who was killed by her husband; in it, he used the words of her poem “Steel Strings” as shading.

The Alameda Adult School, established in 1918, offers English as Second

Language courses, as well as high school diploma, and HS Equivalency (GED/HiSET) test prep  programs. “Ms. Carol is a wonderful and kind teacher,” Hakim says, of Adult School Educator Carol Palecki. “She helps me a lot.”

“It has been a pleasure to teach Hakim and I was amazed by the variety and quality of the art I saw at his show.   Not only are his pieces beautiful, but they are also truly unique.   I hope that his art receives the attention it deserves.” says ESL Teacher Carol Palecki.   

The school attracts adults who come to Alameda from all over the world and from all walks of life. “We are thankful for our students and their wealth of knowledge and experience,” says Principal Joy Chua. “Many have significant accomplishments and have so much to share with our community.”