A Practice Rooted in Tradition: My Journey of Discovery

Abstract

As a young refugee in Iran, Naseer Yasna Mansouri learned woodcarving from an Iraqi master craftsman, but it was not until he returned to his homeland of Afghanistan as a young man that he reconnected with his Afghan and Islamic heritage. Once his appetite for exploring various traditions was whetted, he set out on a journey that has parlayed interactions with other professionals and engagement with historic artifacts into an open-ended practice. This statement focuses on the key experiences that have shaped Naseer’s work. He explains how he has grown as a practitioner and how, by connecting to centuries of tradition while at the same time remaining analytical and open to new ideas, he creates fresh work. In this way he endeavors to keep his craft relevant.

Keywords:

• Afghanistan
• wood carving
• chip carving
• tradition
• restoration

Notes

1 The first part of this statement draws on the chapter “What I Talk About When I talk About Tradition”, published in the catalogue of the exhibition Ferozkoh: Tradition and Continuity in Afghan Art, Museum of Islamic Art, Doha, Qatar 20 March -22 June 2013 (Bloomsbury Qatar Foundation Publishing, 2013). This essay reflected my experiences up to 2012.

2 A City and Guilds certified training centre in Kabul: https://turquoisemountain.org/afghanistan/training (accessed December 20, 2019).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Naseer Yasna (Mansouri)

Naseer Yasna (Mansouri) is a master artisan in woodwork, a designer and an educator born in Panjshir, Afghanistan and raised in Iran. Drawing on the rich heritage of Afghan and Islamic traditions, he has worked on many prestigious projects both in Afghanistan and internationally. Naseer has had his works displayed at various museums and galleries around the world including the Museum of Islamic Art in Doha, Leighton House Museum in London, the Smithsonian in Washington DC, World Economic Forum in Davos, as well as Buckingham Palace and the British Council Headquarters in London. In 2016 Naseer relocated to London where together with Hedieh Wojgani he set up Lazo Studios Ltd., an art, design and wood crafting atelier with a focus on creating intricate contemporary woodwork inspired by traditional Islamic and Eastern heritage. Some of their more recent work can be viewed at www.lazostudios.co.uk.

Hedieh Wojgani

Hedieh Wojgani is a trained architect, designer and artist with a nomadic background straddling several cultures and places. Born in Iran and raised in Germany, she trained at the Rhode Island School of Design before working at various architectural design firms in Boston, New York, and Berlin. In 2004 Hedieh moved to London to continue her studies at UCL and pursue multidisciplinary research projects at various universities in the UK before relocating to Kabul in 2010 to join Turquoise Mountain, first as an architect and later as the director of business development and creative director. Hedieh and Naseer started their close collaboration while still working for the charity before setting up their own practice in London.