The Jameel House of Traditional Arts in the Fustat Traditional Crafts Centre in Old Cairo has celebrated the graduation of its eighth class of 17 artists. The Jameel House was launched in an international collaboration between the Prince of Wales, Prince Charles’ Foundation School of Traditional Arts and Egyptian artist and designer Hassan Fathy. It is a major educational institute teaching young Egyptians traditional Islamic geometry, drawing, colour harmony and arabesque studies, also providing them with specialised training in ceramics, glass and gypsum, metalwork and woodwork.
The 17 graduates, who for the past two years attended theoretical and practical classes to get this diploma, are now putting the skills taught in the programme to practical use in the conservation and restoration of heritage sites in Islamic Cairo.
The Jameel House, which started its activity in Egypt in 2006, aims at teaching local contemporary artists and artisans the traditional arts of Egypt and preserving local cultural heritage through exposure to international experiences in order to revive the awareness of Islamic art. Its programme includes field projects and practical design of major monuments.
The Prince’s Foundation was founded in 2004 by the Prince of Wales; it was developed from the Royal College of Art’s Visual Islamic and Tradition Arts Programme. The Prince of Wales’ school is among the most prestigious around the world in the field of heritage art.
Watani International
29 September 2018