Chairwoman of the Policy Making Council of the 7th Fajr International Handicrafts and Traditional Arts Festival:
Iran holds a high rank position in traditional arts and handicrafts amongst the first countries.
Maryam Jalali said: Iran’s position in traditional arts and handicrafts is amongst the first countries in terms of number and diversity. Out of about 400 fields in the world, 299 fields of traditional arts and handicrafts belong to Iran.
According to the news agency of the 7th Fajr International Handicrafts and Traditional Arts Festival (Sarv-e Simin-e 7), Maryam Jalali; the chairwoman of the Policy making Council of the 7th Fajr International Handicrafts and Traditional Arts Festival (Sarv-e Simin-e 7) and Vice Minister for Handicrafts and Traditional Arts of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts ministry, regarding the objectives of this festival stated: The 7th Fajr International Handicrafts and Traditional Arts Festival (Sarv-e Simin -e 7) is held with the aim of identifying the works of art created throughout the country. Our goal regarding holding this festival is to pay attention to the capacities of creating various works in different fields of handicrafts. The participants of this festival were determined based on the policy making council of executive and art managers. Iranian and international jurors are present in this festival, and about 40 works of art from the countries of the Asia and Pacific region and about 350 domestic works of art have reached this festival. This festival will be opened on February 15 at the National Museum of Iran, and its closing ceremony will be held at Milad Tower on February 23.
Referring to the position of Iranian handicrafts in the world, she added: Iran’s position in traditional arts and handicrafts is amongst the first countries in terms of number and diversity. Out of about 400 fields in the world, 299 fields of traditional arts and handicrafts belong to Iran. Considering that Iran is one of the 5 great world civilizations, so it positions at the top. Also, it has an acceptable position in terms of number, variety, delicacy and elegance, but this advantage and ability should be close to the economic cycle to overshadow the gross national product, which has not happened so far, and our traditional arts and handicrafts has remained in isolation.
Maryam Jalali continued: If we consider the evaluation system of traditional arts in the world as quality and originality, Iran is ranked first or one of the first three countries, but if we want to rank economic relations or sending and correspondence, unfortunately it does not have a good rank.
The chairwoman of the 7th Fajr International Handicrafts and Traditional Arts Festival (Sarv-e Simin-e 7) pointing out the impact of this festival in introducing traditional arts and handicrafts of Iran in the region and the world said: In any case, festivals attract attention both in the field of policymakers and in the field of curators and regulators. World Crafts Council is an affiliated member to UNESCO and works under the supervision of this International Organization, from which we have invited jurors and evaluators for Fajr Festival. There is this attention. Still, in the world’s minds and the mental image that the world has about Iran, Iranian handicrafts have received attention.
she added: Iran is synonymous with handicrafts and traditional arts. Undoubtedly, the festival also increases attention, but only on the condition that we could update and make it functional and could create works in 18 groups in accordance with the roots and authenticity of traditional arts and handicrafts. At present, the works produced in 18 groups of traditional arts and handicrafts, such as leatherworks, woodworks, pottery and ceramics, on loom and off loom handwoven fabrics, etc., have the first word. But they should not stay in the past, instead they should be able to update themselves by keeping the originality of the patterns and motifs we have.
Maryam Jalali, referring to forgotten traditional arts and handicrafts and recording these artworks in encyclopedias and books, said: registration is one part, but one of the tasks of the Deputy of Handicrafts and Traditional Arts is to revitalize arts which have been forgotten or are being forgotten. We have been more neglected in this field. In the past, due to the multiplicity and diversity in each city or village, there was an identity-based industry that grew according to the ecology of that region, but gradually with mechanization and industrialization and urbanization, those handicrafts have been eliminated.
The vice-minister for Handicrafts and Traditional Arts of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts Ministry said: for example, Kob Bafi was an art that was produced and used for the roofs of huts in Gilan and Golestan. This Koob Bafi was made of rice husk and was waterproof. But when factory materials replaced this Kob Bafi, this art was gradually forgotten and disappeared. Recently, one of our creative artisans revived this art and reproduced it as door mat, etc., and responded to a new need by using kob. We must be able to research the future and make functional products. Of course, recording in encyclopedias is also one of the levels of preservation. Zari bafi is also a thousand-year-old device. Since the time of the Sassanids, we had Zari bafi in Iran. The zari bafi machine is like early computers and is highly knowledge-oriented. Fabric hand weaving and zari bafi (weaving) were gradually forgotten due to the high price of gold thread. Or velvet weaving in the same way. We should make them documented and write their techniques. Efforts have been made to revive and revitalize traditional arts in different cities, for example, Kashan’s Sha’ar Bafi has been revived and revitalized by some lovers who now have several workshops dedicated to the production of this traditional art.
Referring to the attention of foreign tourists to traditional arts and handicrafts and the economic market boom, she continued: Traditional arts and handicrafts are of great interest to foreign tourists, but unfortunately, we do not have detailed knowledge and information about the 299 fields in our country to attract the attention of tourists through fully describing and narrating each product, but foreign tourists buy handicrafts wherever they go to preserve the memory of each trip, and considering that Iranian handicrafts are highly desirable, in fact, we have demanding and potential customers, and we do not need to find potential customers, but the global markets are not yet complete for Iranian products due to the fact that we did not have proper indexing and packaging. We don’t have the right value chain, branding and advertising, and we have to convince tourists. On the other hand, we can export the products ourselves to earn currency. For example, a pair of Kurdish kalash (giveh) in Marivan, the World Crafts Council City for Kalash is worth as much as two barrels of oil. Or, traditional ornaments are a financial industry and they have the ability to connect to the global market, and of course they have desirability and acceptability, but they must maintain the requirements of the global market in terms of price, packaging, indexing, branding, and so on which we have done it less.
Maryam Jalali, referring to the role of traditional arts and handicrafts in the unification of Iranian peoples and ethnic communities, said: Handicrafts are actually a manifestation of the culture of each region. Traditional arts and handicrafts are a kind of identity-based economy, that is, someone who creates wealth in the field of handicrafts also creates an identity in a way. Actually, with the recognition of arts, villages and cities find national cohesion. For example, Chadorshab weaving, which is prevalent in Qasimabad, Gilan, the World Crafts Council Village for Chadorshab, has not only caused the connection between Upper and Lower Qasimabad, but also in other regions of Iran where the weaving industry of Chadorshab is prevalent, this cultural connection exists to the same extent while maintaining the competitive advantages of each province which shows that we all live under an umbrella called Iran.
The chairwoman of the 7th Fajr International Handicrafts and Traditional Arts Festival (Sarv-e Simin-e 7), said: Fajr Festival is a bridge between veteran artisans and young artisans, which leads to the revival of forgotten arts through education. In the Fajr festival, we present the “Regrowth of Cypress Medal” and “Sarv-e Simin statuette” which have been prepared in a special way. The “Regrowth of Cypress Medal” is for those who have preserved a traditional art in a family and generation by generation. For example, it was passed down from grandparents to young people in the family and is still being revived, and reproduced today. On the other hand, in Fajr festival, we will have a connection between industry, market and art. That is, in the Fajr festival, we will have meetings that will connect these three areas and a networking will happen. That is, it is not enough for students of handicrafts to know handicrafts in terms of knowledge, but they must also find handicrafts skills and artistic enthusiasm, and Fajr Festival is a good opportunity.