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I Wish: calligraphic mural by Seb Lester pays tribute to Persian poet Hafez

When you're seeking inspiration for your creative work, just finding something you like isn't always enough. Something you love, something that makes a real emotional connection, will work much better in spurring you to create something special yourself. And lettering artist Seb Lester, one of the best-known calligraphers in the world, offers a great example in the form of his new print and related mural, 'I Wish'.

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Seb Lester's calligraphic mural on a white wall featuring ornate cursive text reading "I wish I could show you, when you are lonely or in darkness, the astonishing light of your own being

"Sometimes the starting point for a print is that I read a piece of poetry or prose, and it moves me to the point that I feel a need to produce a piece of art, something that attempts to interpret and accentuate the meaning I find in the words," he explains. And this time he found it in the form of Hafez (aka Hafiz), the celebrated Persian poet of the Middle Ages.

"His timeless poetry transcends cultures, borders and politics because it's about the human condition," explains Seb. "Writing about love, loss, spirituality and protest, he powerfully expresses the intensity of life, in all of its beauty and suffering."

Seb produced the 'I Wish' mural for the London Mural Festival, which runs throughout September; you can find it at 10 John St, Holborn, WC1N 2EB. It's also available as two limited edition prints, signed and numbers by the artist, at his website.

Seb Lester's calligraphic mural featuring decorative black lettering spelling "I wish" on a white wall, with a Georgian building visible to the left
Seb Lester's ornate calligraphic mural on a white wall beside a London street, featuring Persian poet Hafez's verse in flowing script with decorative flourishes
Close-up of gold calligraphy on dark background with text including "are lonely or in" and "omishing light" by Seb Lester
Ornate gold calligraphy on a dark surface reads "I wish I could show you, when you are lonely or in darkness, the astonishing light of your own
Golden calligraphic text on dark background reading "I wish I could show you, When you are lonely or in darkness, the astonishing light of your own being
Ornate calligraphic text in gold lettering on a dark background, featuring passages from Hafez's poetry including "Show you," "in darkne" and "of your ow
Close-up detail of gold calligraphy on dark background from Seb Lester's I Wish mural, showing ornate lettering with decorative flourishes
Close-up of gold calligraphy on dark background featuring Seb Lester's flowing script from the 'I Wish' mural
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