Crafts from India’s Kashmir valley are famous across the world and to give further impetus to the industry, young artists and designers are incorporating new designs and techniques to create unique art pieces. One such artist is Shahnawaz Ahmad Sofi, who for the first time has merged the silk carpet calligraphy craft with Kashmir’s famous walnut wood art.&nbsp;

While Srinagar has been listed among the most creative cities in the world, the artisans and craftsmen from Kashmir have been innovating with the traditional arts of the valley. In Srinagar’s downtown area of Noorbagh, the artist is designing unique art products with the amalgamation of two Kashmiri crafts -&nbsp;the calligraphy silk carpets with the famous Kashmiri walnut woodwork.&nbsp;

After completing his graduation from the Institute of Music and Fine Arts, Shahnawaz started experimenting with new designs. He not only started using calligraphy for the first time but also merged the two arts together, creating unique products for markets across the world.&nbsp;

“I have been thinking about innovation from the very beginning of my career, our craft was going through a bad phase. I thought of making something unique and new. I wanted to club two crafts together and I thought of making products using Silk carpet calligraphy on top of walnut wood art. Walnut wood is extremely famous in the Valley and merged the two crafts. As you can see the products behind me, the base is walnut wood and carpet craft weaving on top of it. That is what I created, and it will help the two crafts. The weavers and artisans can benefit from this. These pieces can be used as wall decorations,” said Shahanwaz, craftsman and innovator.&nbsp;

Shahnawaz has also been training his artisans to use these new techniques. He has held workshops with artisans where they were taught how to merge the two crafts together. Shahnawaz says that by doing so, he will be helping artisans from two different arts and help save the heritage as well.&nbsp;

According to Shahnawaz, the art pieces created by him have yet not been put out in the market, but he is already getting a great response from his buyers and orders for these products are pouring in from across the world,&nbsp;especially from the middle east.&nbsp;

“The innovations will always benefit us. I am already getting a huge response for these products. It will help all of us, the weavers especially. I am getting a great response from Gulf countries. The walnut never used to go to the gulf countries but after these products are made, we are getting a lot of great response from those countries. We need to create new ideas. We have to keep modernising the crafts,” said Shahnwaz, craftsman and innovator.&nbsp;

The artist says that the main idea is to revive the various art forms in the Kashmir Valley and see the scope of amalgamating various arts with each other. &nbsp;He feels that through new designs and techniques, the younger generation will get attracted towards the art and it will help to save these crafts.&nbsp; 
 
&nbsp;

WATCH WION LIVE HERE

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe>

You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us <a href="https://www.wionews.com/content-contribution-registration-form">here</a>.

Crafts from India’s Kashmir valley are famous across the world and to give further impetus to the industry, young artists and designers are incorporating new designs and techniques to create unique art pieces.

Crafts from India’s Kashmir valley are famous across the world and to give further impetus to the industry, young artists and designers are incorporating new designs and techniques to create unique art pieces. One such artist is Shahnawaz Ahmad Sofi, who for the first time has merged the silk carpet calligraphy craft with Kashmir’s famous walnut wood art. While Srinagar has been listed among the most creative cities in the world, the artisans and craftsmen from Kashmir have been innovating with the traditional arts of the valley. In Srinagar’s downtown area of Noorbagh, the artist is designing unique art products with the amalgamation of two Kashmiri crafts - the calligraphy silk carpets with the famous Kashmiri walnut woodwork. After completing his graduation from the Institute of Music and Fine Arts, Shahnawaz started experimenting with new designs. He not only started using calligraphy for the first time but also merged the two arts together, creating unique products for markets across the world. “I have been thinking about innovation from the very beginning of my career, our craft was going through a bad phase. I thought of making something unique and new. I wanted to club two crafts together and I thought of making products using Silk carpet calligraphy on top of walnut wood art. Walnut wood is extremely famous in the Valley and merged the two crafts. As you can see the products behind me, the base is walnut wood and carpet craft weaving on top of it. That is what I created, and it will help the two crafts. The weavers and artisans can benefit from this. These pieces can be used as wall decorations,” said Shahanwaz, craftsman and innovator. Shahnawaz has also been training his artisans to use these new techniques. He has held workshops with artisans where they were taught how to merge the two crafts together. Shahnawaz says that by doing so, he will be helping artisans from two different arts and help save the heritage as well. According to Shahnawaz, the art pieces created by him have yet not been put out in the market, but he is already getting a great response from his buyers and orders for these products are pouring in from across the world, especially from the middle east. “The innovations will always benefit us. I am already getting a huge response for these products. It will help all of us, the weavers especially. I am getting a great response from Gulf countries. The walnut never used to go to the gulf countries but after these products are made, we are getting a lot of great response from those countries. We need to create new ideas. We have to keep modernising the crafts,” said Shahnwaz, craftsman and innovator. The artist says that the main idea is to revive the various art forms in the Kashmir Valley and see the scope of amalgamating various arts with each other. He feels that through new designs and techniques, the younger generation will get attracted towards the art and it will help to save these crafts. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Kashmiri artist Shahnawaz Sofi merges silk carpet calligraphy with Kashmir’s famous walnut wood art

There is good news for the artists and art lovers in Kashmir Valley. The government of Jammu and Kashmir has converted an 18th century building, earlier used as the civil secretariat, into the first Art and Cultural centre in Srinagar.

The contemporary artists can put up their work for exhibit. Additionally, art work which might be as old as 300 years have been put up in the gallery.

This has come as piece of good news as Kashmir artists had no art gallery till now to showcase their&nbsp;work and now the building&nbsp;will be used to promote art and culture in the Valley.&nbsp;

Artists had been demanding since decades to have a platform where they can showcase their&nbsp;talents.&nbsp;

<img alt="Image.jpeg" src="https://attachments.office.net/owa/deeksha.teri%40zeemedia.esselgroup.com/service.svc/s/GetAttachmentThumbnail?id=AAMkADBlZTczNGM4LTFiZjEtNGU0NS04YTE5LTQ4NDZiNGY2M2Q1OABGAAAAAADcWATawUaRR6Skb9%2BRyc6fBwAgkzA%2F9fsnR7SQF8jtBsEOAAAAAAEMAAAgkzA%2F9fsnR7SQF8jtBsEOAAFKWlMWAAABEgAQALD4L7ol5HtOn%2FWX6E6RSBM%3D&amp;thumbnailType=2&amp;token=eyJhbGciOiJSUzI1NiIsImtpZCI6IjMwODE3OUNFNUY0QjUyRTc4QjJEQjg5NjZCQUY0RUNDMzcyN0FFRUUiLCJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJ4NXQiOiJNSUY1emw5TFV1ZUxMYmlXYTY5T3pEY25ydTQifQ.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.Hzfibbdx_qK1E9ooUJV2tbwuEeCXdbUqz95-ucUZIwsmVbiuDg_qO6T2Bkwn8ucL11hEEFmSHMugNwiLMLWNJaUiF_UhJ31k2W-57aqxOp0dOmoCG5VicJuLKqgdXjoAP1GzeAaRVXw6K9QRX-5qJUGD3MzmYj-CQ_JCJfQqJQYDwu7GVvuSbXdM-TmDLgFzkpp7M3QFtfHmjqnlzVu8duyvN7JUi-1_sYRTKeKDxhGsGjq6zLyhtufnskyaZi0e64Kogb7LrXpdf6ircFp4EBlpWH8D1TgaIcioZUbiWu-NM9ADamUgf7PnjxaMgu7kJJuE6fY69xROlxwetdHFBA&amp;X-OWA-CANARY=1LifOGHCYEC3MLUD_jVKucDdli9edNkYtUMAUDJ81jQ4JuFdPmJsAJGVpuzyYQEdt6mnHZharMY.&amp;owa=outlook.office365.com&amp;scriptVer=20210829002.04&amp;animation=true" />

"'It's a nice initiative since we were fighting for it. It was a struggle for an art gallery by our senior artists. I think we have finally reached the goal. Now the government has done the inaugural&nbsp;show. I hope this will give a new dimension to Kashmir contemporary art. The people of the valley will be able to witness&nbsp;art. Till now, they were not aware because of the platform issue. Obviously when people will&nbsp;display the work, the new generation artists will come there and get inspired. Art galleries are meant to inspire people,"&nbsp;said Naushad Gayoor, an artist.&nbsp;

The Jammu and Kashmir government with the help of the central&nbsp;government started work on this project three years ago. The Shergari Palace was built in 1772 when Afghan governor Jawansher Khan ruled Kashmir. It was later used by the Dogra rulers after which the complex was turned into erstwhile state Assembly and Legislative Council and also used as Administrative Secretariat.

'"We had submitted a DPR to the government of India for the financial assistance of around 137 crores for the whole complex. This will be the first kind of complex in Jammu and Kashmir that will become the cultural centre where we are going to display various artefacts which we are getting from SPS Museum and they will be displayed here in various buildings. So far, this building is concerned we have already converted the stone building into the art museum," said Mushtaq Ahmad Beigh, Deputy Director, Archives.

"We have paintings from various institutes. The work started in 2019 is still ongoing. We have restored it in its original glory. The khatamband ceiling&nbsp;was introduced in Kashmir with this building. The art was called mouj. We have displayed more than 150 paintings here. The artists can come here and we will provide the space for exhibitions. There will be an international art gallery."

Since there are no art galleries in the Kashmir valley, this centre has been getting a lot of response already. The entree has been kept free and anyone can visit it during 10 am-5 pm every day, barring Monday.&nbsp;

"The response&nbsp;is very good. People associated with art, as well as students, are coming to this place. We are getting a great response. We started it on August 15 and it's been going really well. The officers here have worked day and night on this. This is the first art museum in Kashmir. The private institutions are also coming here," said Ghulam Jeelani Malik, officer in the museum.&nbsp;

The government believes that this can become the hub of art and heritage in Kashmir.

There is good news for the artists and art lovers in Kashmir Valley. The government of Jammu and Kashmir has converted an 18th century building, earlier used as the civil secretariat, into the first Art and Cultural centre in Srinagar.

There is good news for the artists and art lovers in Kashmir Valley. The government of Jammu and Kashmir has converted an 18th century building, earlier used as the civil secretariat, into the first Art and Cultural centre in Srinagar. The contemporary artists can put up their work for exhibit. Additionally, art work which might be as old as 300 years have been put up in the gallery. This has come as piece of good news as Kashmir artists had no art gallery till now to showcase their work and now the building will be used to promote art and culture in the Valley. Artists had been demanding since decades to have a platform where they can showcase their talents. "'It's a nice initiative since we were fighting for it. It was a struggle for an art gallery by our senior artists. I think we have finally reached the goal. Now the government has done the inaugural show. I hope this will give a new dimension to Kashmir contemporary art. The people of the valley will be able to witness art. Till now, they were not aware because of the platform issue. Obviously when people will display the work, the new generation artists will come there and get inspired. Art galleries are meant to inspire people," said Naushad Gayoor, an artist. The Jammu and Kashmir government with the help of the central government started work on this project three years ago. The Shergari Palace was built in 1772 when Afghan governor Jawansher Khan ruled Kashmir. It was later used by the Dogra rulers after which the complex was turned into erstwhile state Assembly and Legislative Council and also used as Administrative Secretariat. '"We had submitted a DPR to the government of India for the financial assistance of around 137 crores for the whole complex. This will be the first kind of complex in Jammu and Kashmir that will become the cultural centre where we are going to display various artefacts which we are getting from SPS Museum and they will be displayed here in various buildings. So far, this building is concerned we have already converted the stone building into the art museum," said Mushtaq Ahmad Beigh, Deputy Director, Archives. "We have paintings from various institutes. The work started in 2019 is still ongoing. We have restored it in its original glory. The khatamband ceiling was introduced in Kashmir with this building. The art was called mouj. We have displayed more than 150 paintings here. The artists can come here and we will provide the space for exhibitions. There will be an international art gallery." Since there are no art galleries in the Kashmir valley, this centre has been getting a lot of response already. The entree has been kept free and anyone can visit it during 10 am-5 pm every day, barring Monday. "The response is very good. People associated with art, as well as students, are coming to this place. We are getting a great response. We started it on August 15 and it's been going really well. The officers here have worked day and night on this. This is the first art museum in Kashmir. The private institutions are also coming here," said Ghulam Jeelani Malik, officer in the museum. The government believes that this can become the hub of art and heritage in Kashmir.

All new and inspired: Kashmir gets its first art and culture centre

<div data-ogsc="rgb(49, 49, 49)" dir="ltr" style="border:0px; margin:0px; padding:0px">
Kashmir has a centuries old art and craft industry but the artists have always had to struggle when it comes to showcasing their work, especially in the absence of any art galleries in Kashmir valley.

However, under the smart city project,&nbsp;local Kashmiri artists have been allowed to showcase their talent on the walls, flyovers and subways in the Srinagar city. This is the first time artists have been given am opportunity to highlight their work.

Artists in the valley say that this is the first time that their work will be put up in public spaces for people to see.&nbsp;''I am happy about the fact that we have been given space to showcase our talent, we are making paintings and people are appreciating it. They are happy to see our work, those who are artists should keep painting and never give up. Never lose heart. This requires a lot of patience. It's a god's gift...", an artist, Mohd Sadiq told WION.

"There&nbsp;are no galleries here, there is no scope. Even Ladakh has a gallery but we don't, students who study art also have nowhere to showcase their work. Some of them become painters and a friend of mine who was a gold medalist is working as a mason as there was&nbsp;no scope and career for artists,”&nbsp;Sadiq added.

The paintings on the walls in the city mostly depict the culture of the Kashmir valley. They have painted Kashmir's famous hill stations, shawls,&nbsp;temples, houseboats and shikaras among many things.

"We are thankful that we are able to work on these walls. There is so much work for people outside the UT but here artists have no work. We have made shawls, house boats, artisans, ski players, temples, and shikaras in these spaces. I am extremely happy about it . And&nbsp;when people stop while we are working here to take pictures and videos of our work, it&nbsp;feels&nbsp;very good. Art is a god's gift and it's a talent you are born with,” another artist,&nbsp;Abdul Rashid told WION.

In the absence of valid platforms for art display, many creative minds in Kashmir have had to struggle. Due to this, they were unable to make inlays in public reach.&nbsp;Many artists want the government to intervene so that youngsters don't&nbsp;lose the hope of becoming artists or choosing it as their career.&nbsp;

''Something has to be done for the students who study art for 5 years.They should have some scope and some mode of earning. The government should do something. Otherwise people studying art will lose interest and there would be no artists,” Sadiq added.

The purpose of these paintings and artworks across the Srinagar&nbsp;city is not only for the beautification of the area but also for creating spaces for these artists to showcase their talent.&nbsp;
</div>

Kashmir has a centuries old art and craft industry but the artists have always had to struggle when it comes to showcasing their work, especially in the absence of any art galleries in Kashmir valley.

Kashmir has a centuries old art and craft industry but the artists have always had to struggle when it comes to showcasing their work, especially in the absence of any art galleries in Kashmir valley. However, under the smart city project, local Kashmiri artists have been allowed to showcase their talent on the walls, flyovers and subways in the Srinagar city. This is the first time artists have been given am opportunity to highlight their work. Artists in the valley say that this is the first time that their work will be put up in public spaces for people to see. ''I am happy about the fact that we have been given space to showcase our talent, we are making paintings and people are appreciating it. They are happy to see our work, those who are artists should keep painting and never give up. Never lose heart. This requires a lot of patience. It's a god's gift...", an artist, Mohd Sadiq told WION. "There are no galleries here, there is no scope. Even Ladakh has a gallery but we don't, students who study art also have nowhere to showcase their work. Some of them become painters and a friend of mine who was a gold medalist is working as a mason as there was no scope and career for artists,” Sadiq added. The paintings on the walls in the city mostly depict the culture of the Kashmir valley. They have painted Kashmir's famous hill stations, shawls, temples, houseboats and shikaras among many things. "We are thankful that we are able to work on these walls. There is so much work for people outside the UT but here artists have no work. We have made shawls, house boats, artisans, ski players, temples, and shikaras in these spaces. I am extremely happy about it . And when people stop while we are working here to take pictures and videos of our work, it feels very good. Art is a god's gift and it's a talent you are born with,” another artist, Abdul Rashid told WION. In the absence of valid platforms for art display, many creative minds in Kashmir have had to struggle. Due to this, they were unable to make inlays in public reach. Many artists want the government to intervene so that youngsters don't lose the hope of becoming artists or choosing it as their career. ''Something has to be done for the students who study art for 5 years.They should have some scope and some mode of earning. The government should do something. Otherwise people studying art will lose interest and there would be no artists,” Sadiq added. The purpose of these paintings and artworks across the Srinagar city is not only for the beautification of the area but also for creating spaces for these artists to showcase their talent.

In absence of art galleries, Kashmiri artists paint public spaces to showcase their work