Remembrance: Folk artisan mourned

His forte was that he took small pieces of wood and created portraits of well-known personalities.


APP May 06, 2013
In recognition of his talent, the government awarded him the Pride of Performance in 2008. ILLUSTRATION: JAMAL KHURSHID

ISLAMABAD:


Khalifa Muhammad Irshad Beg, eminent craftsman, died on Monday. He was 80. He was a master artisan in wood inlay work from Punjab and contributed not only towards keeping the dying art adrift but also transferred his skill to the younger generation.


In recognition of his talent, the government awarded him the Pride of Performance in 2008.

While paying homage to the fallen artisan, Lok Virsa Executive Director Khalid, said “Khalifa Irshad was among the few artisans who dedicated their lifetimes to the propagation of their crafts.

His forte was that he took small pieces of wood and created sceneries and portraits of well-known personalities. This art, being intricate, is rare in Pakistan.”

The art of wood inlay work is a unique form of craft, relatively new but based on the old traditions of wood mosaic work. This art of “pieced wood” is achieved by arranging small pieces of wood, collected from different regions of the country over a passed 50 years, which is then refined, processed and polished with a variety of traditional tools to be given various shapes and forms.

The frames and designs are drawn on tracing paper and cut out.

These paper cutouts are then used as stencils to cut wooden pieces with saws of various degrees of fineness into intricate patterns. Later the wooden pieces are glued and hammered together in a frame.

Instead of using artificial colours, the natural shades of wood are enhanced.

Beg participated in the artisans-at-work festival at the annual Lok Mela for 24 years. He was honoured with cash awards and certificates multiple times. 

Published in The Express Tribune, May 7th, 2013.

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