Description
Prepared for publication: Nazeih Taleb Maarouf
Foreword: Dr. Halit Eren
IRCICA published the Album of the Winning Entries of the Muscat International Award for Innovation and Creativity in Crafts. The Festival was organized jointly by Muscat Municipality and IRCICA in 2011. Aimed to stimulate US$100,000 which was distributed to ten handicrafts themes; in which each theme obtained three awards: 1st US$5.000; 2nd US$3.000; and 3rd US$2.000, in which each Craft topic got an award of US$10.000. Over 212 artisans participated in this Award who came from the following various countries: The hosting country Sultanate of 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 the authenticity of traditional crafts and arts in the fields of miniature, pottery, ceramics, carpets and kilims, woodwork, metal crafts, costumes, embroidery, textiles, leather crafts, mosaic, architecture, art, decoration, architectural design, bookbinding, stucco colored glass, traditional costumes and other craft works. These reflect the perfection and the beauty of the craft products realized, thanks to fundamental aesthetical rules set up by these artisans, which have controlled the process of innovation until now. The festival gathered all the innovators and craftspeople in this field in pavilions forming a craft village where they displayed their works, their tools and the techniques used in their workshops; This occasion provided a unique opportunity for each participating State to assign some master-artisans representing the most important craft products in the country.
The jury committee consisting of craft experts who have a long and field experience in the area of developing handicrafts took into account during the examination and inspection of the submitted works, all the characteristics and technical features of each product, and special attention was given to evaluate the following categories of assessment: Excellence, Creative Concept Design and Invention in traditional Technique. It is notable to say that the statistics of the entry cards of the visitors showed that one million visitor have visited the various stand and activities of the Muscat International Festival which lasted for one month.
