MINGORA: Amid invasion of multinational brands, the offspring of globalisation, which inflicted great harm to local cultural heritage, there are some people who fight their way to not only restore their exquisite art, but also struggle creating masterpieces featuring creativity by chiselling heritage in wooden artefacts.

Presently, Nasar Sheen has undertaken a project to chisel famous Pashto folk tales on wooden planks, working his hands on the rich cultural heritage of the area and Pakhtun folk tale.

“When I realised that our new generation is forgetting our cultural values and influences and is more inclined towards latest technology I decided to create a series of Pashto folk tales, mythical stories, cultural and traditional way of life in the form of wooden artefacts,” he said, adding that he was working on carving Yousaf Khan Sherbano, Adam Khan Durkhanai, Munja Dewi and Dang Peray (tall ghost), etc.

Nasar Sheen says he wants to transfer the art to other people, but lacks facilities

He said that in future he would focus on Pakhtun cultural heritage by creating wooden visual art in the form of relief carving. He said that he would soon start working on visualising Pashto Tappa, which is the most popular and oldest form of Pashto poetry.

“By carving our Pakhtun values, traditions and other cultural influences I aim to revive them and show them to the younger generation in the wooden art,” he said, adding that the task was difficult, but not impossible.

Mr Sheen is the only woodcarver who focussed on cultural heritage of the area and has created wooden masterpieces featuring Gandhara art, Swati traditions, Swat architecture and myths.

“I have mainly seen one subject in the wooden art, but I have started work on multiple subjects in my wooden relief carving as depicting stories, new form of combination of Islamic calligraphy, floral designs and architecture which is something new in this area,” he said.

Nasar Sheen is an artist who loves his art with heart and mind. “The first thing which clicked my instinct to wake my artistic self was the great Gandharan art available in the buildings structure of archaeology. Its intricate and arty carvings attracted me a lot since my childhood, and I started carving on woods to transfer the ancient art in the modern world,” Mr Sheen said.

He added that carving is something found in our culture too. “We can see woodcarving in our furniture, doors, pillars and other decorative stuff. So this is something travelling with us from time unknown,” he said.

He is pioneer of the art in his area and wants to transfer it to other people so that the art can go long even after his death. “I want to train youth in this art, but I can’t afford to open an academy or workshop. Unfortunately, the government institutions have never bothered to establish an academy where I could teach it to the youngsters and art lovers,” he said.

He said that if the government or any NGO helped him in establishing an academy he would train youngsters in the art happily.

Published in Dawn, August 22nd, 2016