February 2, 2002

For thousands of years, art has been a form of self-expression, beauty and communication. Today, many artists have combined old techniques with modern trends to adorn pieces of jewellery and works of art. Shakil Ismail is one such artist. Metals inlaid with semi-precious stones, and engraved plaques and wall sculptures of coloured glass casting with calligraphy, are just some of his skills. Roughly cut crystal quartz, tourmaline, agate, turquoise, beads and glass are all used in his work. The items are mostly affordable and very attractive. The pieces are individually styled and each one has a beauty of its own.

On January 26, The Croweaters Gallery in Lahore held an exhibition of Shakil Ismail’s contemporary jewellery and glass works. With ingenuity and skill, he coils and moulds geometric shapes and designs out of bronze, later plating them with gold or silver. Combinations of different mediums like glass, stones and beads of varying colours, create pieces that can be worn as casual or formal wear. The taweez-type pieces are sometimes encrusted with rounded or rough-cut semi-precious stones that look very different to the regular jewellery in the market. His work can be compared to Amin Gulgee’s, except that it is lighter and less chunky, not to mention a little more affordable. Plaques and wall adornments are etched and engraved with gold or silver. The designs are all handcrafted and bear the artists’ unique trademark in the form of each being exclusively hand sculptured. He started his artistic pursuits in 1979 at the Art’s Council and was awarded a 4-year diploma in 1983. Since then, there has been no looking back. Shakil began with Islamic calligraphy, using oils on canvas. Experimenting with different techniques over the years, he progressed to other mediums. He prides himself in bringing the taweez back into use by crafting it into exquisite pieces that appeal to a young and fashion conscious generation. He has participated in almost 35 group exhibitions in Karachi, Islamabad and Lahore and also has 25 solo exhibitions to his credit. A recipient of the Sadequain Award, he works out of his inconspicuous studio-cum-outlet in Karachi. His inspiration comes from Middle-Eastern, Arabic and local Islamic art and his calligraphy pendants are engraved with Naskh to give them their religious value. The semi-precious stones are mostly those used in Islamic arts and mentioned in the Holy Quran. With bronze as his main medium, his pieces are plated with gold or silver and even oxidized for an antique look. Through the process of electroforming, he fashions his designs enlayed or woven with rounded or roughly shaped garnet and crystal beads and a variety of gems.