Local artists, artisans celebrated

Showcase promoting indigenous arts & crafts attempts to put local entrepreneurs in contact with potential buyers

ISLAMABAD:

After completing her intermediate and some technical short courses, Hafsa decided to join a local marble mosaic centre in her vicinity. “I saw it as a good opportunity to make use of my free time and learn something new,” says the teenager, who has learnt the art of making marble mosaics, both, by manually gluing them together, and by using heavy-duty machinery to create stand-alone pieces. Hafsa is among the artists and artisans who participated in the four-day arts and crafts showcase, which concluded at Centaurus Mall on Thursday.

There are few regular occupational prospects for girls in her native village Thanda Pani, located in the suburbs of Islamabad. But with the newly-acquired skills, she plans to hone her creative streak and pursue a full-time career, taking her craft to the next level. Hafsa says the training she received was useful, and that she was comfortable communicating with her female instructors. Having graduated from a three-month workshop, she is now moving towards enterprising her products and carving a niche for herself in the industry.



The showcase, which displayed around 35 stalls, brought together individuals like Hafsa from different parts of the country. With its truck-art décor, complete with a vintage rickshaw parked on a side, the diverse stalls featured embroidered homeware and accessories, handmade jewellery, precious gemstones from Northern  Areas and Afghanistan, pottery from Multan, shawls from Kashmir, traditional dolls and miniatures, and brass and plaster of Paris interior decoration pieces.

Not only did the exhibit highlight local emerging entrepreneurs but also put them in direct contact with potential buyers. “The aim is to provide them market access, especially in the wider market,” says Aijaz Shahid, founder of the e-commerce marketplace mohejoz.com, which organised the fair at the mall.  “Our tourism industry suffered a huge blow following the 9/11 attacks and, as a result, the associated industries began vanishing,” he laments.

However, he notes that since nearly 40 per cent of the country’s population has internet access, it seemed like a reasonable idea to create an online platform, where buyers and sellers could have one-on-one interaction with each other. The direct platform connects buyers and sellers. “Artisans get value as they sell directly to the buyer, and the buyer also gets the product at a cost lower than the market rate. So, it is a win-win situation,” he explains. “Our crafts’ sector has not developed a lot, mainly because the middle-man is strong and, subsequently, the average artisan cannot break into the main market.”



The showcase, which aimed at promoting indigenous arts and crafts, attracted people from all walks of life. “I got a beautiful marble inlay for my mother and I told her that it was prepared by our local women, as opposed to the imported variety you find elsewhere,” said Mahreen, a visitor at the exhibition.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 6^th, 2015.

Like Life & Style on Facebook, follow @ETLifeandStyle on Twitter for the latest in fashion, gossip and entertainment.