Tehran, YJC. Tabriz used to be known for its coppersmithies and porcelain shops. But the sound of coppersmiths hammers seems to have forsaken the bazaar.
The bazaar of Tabriz, East Azerbaijan, used to be full of
porcelain shops and coppersmithies. The coppersmiths’ hammers used to give the
place a constant music for centuries. But now it seems such arts are dying as
their artists die.
CEO of the House of Artists of Tabriz Handicrafts in
interview with Mehr News Agency said "The favor that people show toward
handcraft in different counties of the province varies and each county has its
specific handicraft.”
Maintaining that local officials do not appreciate arts and
handicraft, Khosro Asheghi said "Lack of care by local officials has led some
of the arts into extinction.”
Pointing to the activities covered by the House of Artists
he said "It is a public organization in which artists attend 25 handicraft
fields.”
"Lack of a stable market for handicraft is one of the main
concerns for artists in this organization,” Ashegi said.
Counting public ignorance of the art of filigree as a factor
for its extinction, he said "This is an old and noble art which belongs to
Azerbaijan. It is to regret that due to public ignorance and lack of care by
officials the art has faded from the public arena.”
"Officials’ disregard for the art has lead to the situation
when the artifact are made in other places such as Isfahan and then exported
oversees,” he regretted.