Woodwork marvels: Chiselled magic

Twenty master artisans and craftspeople displayed their work at the three-day woodworks exhibition that concluded at Lok Virsa on Sunday. The exhibition featured lacquer art, wood carved items, and block and spoon making, said a press release.

A one-day product design workshop was also organised during the exhibition. During the workshop Fauzia Asif (graphics designer) and Kausar Jahan (painter) interacted with the artisans and discussed their problems. The two also suggested artisans ways to improve their skills and how to incorporate modern techniques into their products.

The exhibition was organised by the National Institute of Folk and Traditional Heritage (popularly known as Lok Virsa) under joint institutional cooperation between Pakistan and Norway.

The artisans that displayed their work included Muhammad Riaz and Tahir Mahmood Mirza from Silanwali, Muhammad Waseem and Farhat Bibi from DI Khan, Gulmar Jan and Dost Muhammad from Swat, Ali Bukhsh Soomro from Kashmore, Muhammad Suleman from Khairpur, Mitho Khan Bhutto and Imdad Ali from Hala, Rehmat Karim from Hunza and Muhammad Saleem Malik from Kashmir.

Mitho Khan Bhutto

The most prominent craftsperson in the exhibition, and a bona fide artisan in lacquer art (locally known as jundri ka kam), Bhutto had come all the way from Hala, Sindh to participate in the event.

He learnt this art from his father and has a vast experience of over 36 years to his credit.

Very few craftspeople obtain a proper education, but Bhutto is one of them. A graduate, he has participated in many craft exhibitions both within Pakistan and abroad. He was awarded the pride of performance award by the government in 2006.

Muhammad Saleem Malik

A master wood carver, Malik started learning the craft from his forefathers when he was seven. Originally from Kashmir, his family migrated to Pakistan and eventually settled in Rawalpindi.

He has a number of students working under him in his workshop. He uses walnut wood, cedar, teak and shisham to create exquisitely carved furniture, doors, boxes and decorative items. Most of his designs incorporate leaf patterns, animals and floral motifs. Saleem has participated in a number of festivals and exhibitions in the country and abroad.

Farhat Bibi

The 34-year-old Farhat Bibi inherited the art of wood lacquer from her father 20 years ago. Hailing from Dera Ismail Khan, Bibi works diligently to work her magic, but finds it hard to make ends meet.

“I only earn Rs5,000-10,000 in a month,” she told The Express Tribune.

She simply cannot rely on the art of her forefathers for the financial support of her family. So her husband works in a factory. Together, the two of them try to meet the needs of their five-member family.

She added that her family had been associated with wood lacquer for 400 years and
their work is on display in different museums around the world.

Muhammad Riaz

Having worked for more than 25 years, Riaz has excelled in creating different art pieces including jewellery boxes, candy jars and flower vases. He has displayed his work in Bahrain and United Arab Emirates.

With additional reporting by Obaid Abbasi

Published in The Express Tribune, December 27^th, 2010.