{THIN FOLDED BRASS CANDLESTICK}

This candlestick started with a cardboard prototype that played with the foldability of a metal sheet. The time I spent with metal artisans and thus the knowledge I acquired through them, allowed me to be more daring with this collection. The original design wasn't fully fleshed out, but through ongoing discussion and refinement, it reached a stage where it was ready for market. This collaborative approach ensures that the final product reflects the culmination of our shared efforts merging design and production together, with countless hours of conversation, drinking coffee, and regular updates contributing to the object's development.

The mastermind behind the production is Mustafa. He understands very well what each of his clients want, and the level of detail they require for their pieces. He is used to producing products, such as metal pieces of a handrail, or steel molds for other industries. More recently, he has been focusing on quality handmade work where he employs traditional production and decorative techniques. 

One of my initial experiences with crafts in the region was through the Dictionary of Damascene Crafts* written by Damascene scholars at the very end of the nineteenth century. The book illustrates the distinct characteristics of each craft and the specializations pursued by individual artisans or groups of artisans. What we find today gathered in one workshop, like Mustafa’s, was in Damascus spread across various specializations. In metalwork, workshops specialized in metal beating (naqsh), and others in shaping metal sheets (nahas), among other crafts based on metal. Today, workshop setups in the region no longer mirror that of the past. Artisans incorporate numerous practices, ranging from cutting to finishing and painting, which helps them reduce costs by not subcontracting numerous other artisans, and thus boosting profits, especially in light of digital fabrication which sometimes has replaced work traditionally done by hand. This shift has prompted them to explore new techniques and embrace innovation, ultimately reshaping the landscape of craft. 

*The Dictionary of Damascene Crafts (Qāmūs al-ṣināʿāt al-šāmiyya) was written in Arabic at the end of the 19th century by Muḥammad Saʿīd al-Qāsimī and Ǧamāl al-Dīn al-Qāsimī with a third collaborator, Ḫalīl al-ʿAẓm.