Book Review Muscat International Award for Innovation and Creativity in Crafts

The cover of the publication 'Muscat International Award for Innovation and Creativity in Crafts, Album of the Winning Entries' / Courtesy of IRCICA

The album is a catalogue of all the winning entries of the Muscat International Festival for Arts, Heritage and Creativity. The festival held in Oman earlier this year brought together innovative artisans from around the world. The new coffee table book documents the creativity achieved by leading master artisans in the fields of miniature painting gilding, illumination, carpet and kilim weaving, costumes, embroidery, mosaic, glass and many other crafts. Written in both English and Arabic, it contains more than two hundred color photos of the winning entries, artisans at work and the colourful folk group performances that were also part of the international event.

The festival was organized jointly by the Muscat Municipality and IRCICA. Aimed at encouraging Islamic crafts and craftsmen and women, the event also underlined the positive role handicrafts can play in modern national economies. There was US$100,000 in prize money distributed to ten handicraft categories. Each category offered three awards: 1st prize at US$5.000; 2nd prize at US$3.000; and 3rd prize at US$2.000. Over 212 artisans who participated in the Muscat festival came from a whole host of countries: Oman, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, South Africa, Turkey, Mauritania, Lebanon, Tunisia, Algeria, Egypt, Pakistan, Burkina Faso, Iran, India, Palestine, Morocco, Syria, Uzbekistan, Macedonia, Japan, Russia, Senegal, Mexico in addition to participants from Qatar and Jury members from France.

The winning entries manifest both the authenticity of the traditional Islamic arts and crafts as well as the innovation contemporary artists have brought to them. The pottery, woodwork, metalwork, textiles, leather crafts, bookbinding, traditional costumes and other crafts on exhibit reflect the perfection and beauty of the perennial tradition of the Islamic arts and crafts. The artisans and their work were displayed in pavilions that, all located on a single site, formed a craft village. The public could not only admire the craft products but also experience the tools and techniques used by the craftsmen and women to make them. The occasion also provided a unique opportunity for each participating state to showcase master-artisans representing the most important craft products in the country.

The jury committee consisted of craft experts with a long field experience in the area of developing the handicraft sector. It took into account during the examination and inspection of the submitted works all the characteristics and technical features of each product. In their evaluations, jury members paid special attention to the following criteria: Excellence, Creative Concept Design and Invention in Traditional Technique.The month-long Muscat International Festival for Arts, Heritage and Creativity was a resounding success as a million visitors attended the event.

The Winning Artisans

Miniature

• Miniature, First Prize, (US$5,000) Artisan Kurambay Matmuratopv, Uzbekistan

Artisan Kurambay Matmuratopv, Uzbekistan / Courtesy of IRCICA

Illumination and Ornamentation

• Illumination and Ornamentation, First Prize, (US$5,000), Artisan Malik Muhammad Abdul Rehman Naqqash, Pakistan

• Illumination and Ornamentation, Third Prize, (US$2,000), Artisan Aslihan Guney, Turkey

Artisan Malik Muhammad Abdul Rehman Naqqash, Pakistan / Courtesy of IRCICA

Pottery

• Pottery, First Prize, (US$5,000), Artisan Ibrahim Said Hamed Marei, Egypt

• Pottery, Second Prize, (US$3,000), Artisan Hela Inoubli Labidi, Tunisia

• Pottery, Third Prize, (US$2,000), Artisan Samir Ben Hamad Ibrahim Al-Zajali, Oman

Vases by Hela Inoubli Labidi, Tunisia / Courtesy of IRCICA

Mohamed Shafique, Pakistan, Invention in forming Pottery Crafts / Courtesy of IRCICA

Ceramics

• Ceramics, Second Prize, (US$3,000), Artisan Mohanad Belkacem Sais, Algeria

• Ceramics, Third Prize, (US$2,000), Artisan Mehdi Heidari, Iran

Carpets and Kilims

• Carpets and Kilims, First Prize, (US$5,000), Artisan Musa Kazim Basaran, Turkey

• Carpets and Kilims, Second Prize, (US$3,000), Artisan Ibra Ndiaye, Senegal

• Carpets and Kilims, Third Prize, (US$2,000), Artisan Abdelwaheb Suweihib, Tunisia

Artisan Musa Kazim Basaran, Turkey / Courtesy of IRCICA

Artisan Ibra Ndiaye, Senegal / Courtesy of IRCICA

Woodwork

• Woodwork, First Prize, (US$5,000), Artisan Ben Belfkeih Mohamed, Morocco

• Woodwork, Second Prize, (US$3,000), Artisan Issa Cissoko, Senegal

• Woodwork, Third Prize, (US$2,000), Artisan Ali al-Sabsi, Syria

Artisan Mohamed al-Halabi Ben Mohamed Khai, Syria, Invention in Sadaf and Wooden Crafts / Courtesy of IRCICA

Metal Crafts

• Metal Crafts, First Prize, (US$5,000), Artisan Al Sakhi Idris, Morocco

• Metal Crafts, Second Prize, (US$3,000), Artisan Romuald Ouedraogo, Burkina Faso

• Metal Crafts, Third Prize, (US$2,000), Artisan Katarina Doda, Macedonia

Artisan Al Sakhi Idris, Morocco / Courtesy of IRCICA

Artisan Katarina Doda, Macedonia / Courtesy of IRCICA

Costumes, Embroidery

• Costumes, First Prize, (US$5,000), Artisan Khitam Zaki Amer Khalaf, Palestine

• Costumes, Second Prize, (US$3,000), Artisan Souraya Baba Bakhash, Lebanon

• Costumes, Third Prize, (US$2,000), Artisan Ndeye Deguene, Senegal

• Embroidery, Second Prize, (US$3,000), Artisan Sikat Hisham, Morocco

Artisan Khitam Zaki Amer Khalaf, Palestine / Courtesy of IRCICA

Artisan Ndeye Deguene, Senegal / Courtesy of IRCICA

Artisan Sikat Hisham, Morocco / Courtesy of IRCICA

Textiles, Leather

• Textiles, First Prize, (US$5,000), Artisan Michie Okazaki, Japan

• Textiles, Second Prize, (US$3,000), Artisan Abdul Jabar Mahmed Khatri, India

• Textiles, Third Prize, (US$2,000), Artisan SAWADOGO Sougouri Mamoudou, Burkina Faso

• Leather, Second Prize, (US$3,000), Artisan Omar Diagne Gueye, Senegal

Artisan SAWADOGO Sougouri Mamoudou, Burkina Faso / Courtesy of IRCICA

Mosaic

• Mosaic, First Prize, (US$5,000), Artisan Dana Adada, Lebanon

• Mosaic, Second Prize, (US$3,000), Artisan Rasmi Abdul-Rahman Mahmoud Shaer, Palestine

• Mosaic, Third Prize, (US$2,000), Artisan Ridha Ben el-Habib Hfayedh, Tunisia

Artisan Dana Adada, Lebanon / Courtesy of IRCICA

Mohamed Rashad Mahmoud Abdul-Kareem Jaberi, Palestine, Innovative work in glass mozaik / Courtesy of IRCICA

Mohamed Rashad Mahmoud Abdul-Kareem Jaberi, Palestine, Work in glass mozaik / Courtesy of IRCICA

Encouraging Awards

• Encouraging Awards, Silver Crafts, (US$1,500), Artisan Fatma Shamsi, Sultanate of Oman

• Encouraging Awards, Camel Bones Crafts, (US$1,500), Artisan Buthaina Salim AlRahbi, Sultanate of Oman

Tataristan Folklore Group / Courtesy of IRCICA

The Mexican Foklore Group / Courtesy of IRCICA

The Senegal Folklore Group / Courtesy of IRCICA

The Traditional Costumes Show / Courtesy of IRCICA