The 8th national handicraft exhibition opened on Monday, February 2, in the prime handicrafts city of Kerman. The exhibition is being held in southeast permanent fair ground.
State and provincial officials, along handicrafts industry artisans and specialists attended the inauguration ceremony including the handicraft deputy of Iran’s Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts, and Tourism Organization (ICHHTO), Bahman Namvar Motlaq, and the governor and mayor of Kerman.
Handicraft deputy of the Kerman provincial ICHHTO, Gholamreza Farokhi, told IRNA that handicrafts from Kerman and other provinces are on display in 120 pavilions; thirty of which belongs to Kerman city and other towns and regions of the province.
Three ‘Siyah-Chador’, the traditional black nomadic tents, have been set in which traditional food and dishes from Kerman, and South and North Khorasan are served.
A one day exhibition of special Shiraki Pich Kilim of Sirjan is running alongside the main exhibition in Kerman.
Shiraki Pich, a handwoven kilim specific to Sirjan, Kerman Province, is famous for its special weaving style. For most carpets and kilims, the wefts inform the structure and design, in this style of kilim however, it is the reverse, the warp dictates the design. New Shiraki Pich style is a mixture of Kilim and carpet. It is a significant source of income for residents of Sirjan.
To visit by public transport, free buses shuttle visitors to and from the exhibition from Shohada and Azadi Square bus depots.
The 8th national handicraft exhibition is will open every day from 10 AM to 8 PM until February 6.
More Attention Needed
While visiting a Kilim-making workshop in Sirjan, Kerman Province, deputy head of Iran Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism Organization (ICHHTO) Bahman Namvar Motlaq said Iran is one of the top three handicrafts producers in the world and yet it ranks 30th in trade and export. Iran’s handicraft exportation has grown by 31% compared to last year he said, adding that although handicraft-making workshops have been inactive in the past few years, they have managed to enjoy a 25% growth this year.
Namvar Motlaq reiterated that the handicraft industry in Iran has always stood out in the world and the government is hopeful to overcome the current crisis in the industry and to once again give handicrafts its pride of place. He further underlined the need to support those active in the industry, stressing that the artistic potential of Kerman can set an outstanding example for others in the industry.
