Heart of Sharjah has announced it will be organising a workshop on ‘Al Qatt’, an intricately beautiful art form practised in the Asir Province in Saudi Arabia, on 13 July at Sour Al Arsa.The workshop will be conducted by Muneera Al Tamimi and Mohammed Kazim, Founders of Tamashee, a culture-focused, research-driven footwear brand based in the UAE.

Al Qatt is a very old art form that is found in the geometric shapes that adorn the inner walls of homes in Asir, a southern province in Saudi Arabia. Asir’s unique geographical and social make-up has spawned a colourful culture evident in the lives and arts of the people of the region, which is showing in every aspect of their lives, ranging from architecture and interior decoration, to folklore and dances. As Al Qatt is listed on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity under UNESCO, leading it to gain global recognition, and “Heart of Sharjah” is aiming to take part in spreading this form of art in the region by hosting this workshop.

“Tamashee is a research driven footwear brand – all our collections are inspired by elements in the Arabian Peninsula,” said Mohammed. “Our research opens different doors to different elements, one of which was Al Qatt art.” Tamashee strives to showcase the different beautiful elements of a region in a contemporary form.

When Muneera and Mohammed decided to tell the story of Al Qatt art through one of their collections, they aimed to not only showcase art only, but also its people, food and environment. For that reason, they created a tour called the “Tamashee Experience”, where they took around 20 people in August 2018 to Asir to experience the art and learn about it. “Tamashee” is organising another trip to Asir from 28 to 31 August, 2019. For more information about it contact info@tamashee.com

By showcasing Al Qatt art through Tamashee products, Muneera and Mohammed have helped to keep the art form alive. They also hold workshops, talks, awareness campaigns and organise Tamashee Experience trips to the region. They are hoping to help develop a more sustainable income for the families from the Asir region.

“We believe that telling a story of any beautiful element in the region such as Al Qatt art will create awareness of the amazing elements in the region. We do hope that people keep it alive, even if by telling the story to someone else,” said Mohammed.

“We are expecting our guests to learn about Asir as a region and how Al Qatt art is an important element that shows that we are colourful people with a rich history and identity,” said Muneera.

The workshop will include a screening of a short documentary on Al Qatt art and will teach the basics of the art form, the dyes, components and symbols and their meanings. Participants will also get to create their own piece of Al Qatt art on leather. The fee will be AED 200 per person.

The workshop starts at 10:00 a.m. till 12:00 noon, kindly contact +971 6 519 5807 or events@heartofsharjah.ae to register.