From another mould

Ayad Mohammed Samawe is an artist who creates ceramic murals and pottery of many shapes, colours and sizes with a skill that has been honed and perfected over the last 15 years. Some of his murals are presently on display at Al Ghurair City.

The murals at the shopping mall are relatively small in size compared to the ones that Samawe has done for interior designers and design engineers for the interiors and exteriors of hotels, villas or even subways. The products range from large wall murals, doors, fountains, lamps, pots and vases.

In Iraq, many people buy and use glazed clay items. Murals by Samawe and other artistes are widely used as gift items.

Glazed clay sculpting is over 2,000 years old and began as a mode of making pots, pans and other utility items in the early ages and evolved into an art form, making and breaking images through centuries.

In simple terms, this form of art involves wet clay being moulded into the desired shape and design with all the calligraphy and inscription. It is then left to dry for two to three days and then put into a kiln at 1,300 degrees centigrade after which the clay assumes a composition that is unbreakable and resistant to water, air, heat and dust for years together. That is the reason why city planning departments are now using this art to beautify the walls of underpasses, for roundabouts and large fountains.

By using raw materials like alkalis, borax and oxides, special hues and tones are created to get the desired colour. For beginners, ready-made glazed colours are available in the market, but the challenge lies in producing new shades and tones every time. Samawe has participated in major art exhibitions and teaches this form of art to children and adults in the Creative Arts Centre at Rashidiya and will also be teaching the same at the Dubai International Arts Centre.