KARACHI: Wood is one of the earliest materials used by man and continues to be valued for its aesthetic qualities and versatility. Although most wood is used for fuel, construction and industry, the small percentage used for its decorative qualities has retained its place as a material of remarkable beauty. Long after it has been felled, sawn, planed and polished it is still a ‘living’ form.

Marquetry & Inlay are two of the most fascinating techniques of woodcraft. Marquetry uses elaborately-cut veneers in a mosaic like process of assembly to produce patterns and images of assembly complexity. Inlay consists of a process of setting veneers of a variety of woods into a gouged ground-work of solid woods.

Both processes celebrate the colors, texture and grains of the magnificent range of woods from the rich blacks of ebony to the subtle warmth of acacia. The decorative qualities of wood have been used from pre-Egyptian times to the present day. The flowering of the Islamic art included wood inlay. Islam spread mostly in hot arid countries where wood was scarce making it more precious.

This fact and practicalities of avoiding warping due to the climate, led to the use of small pieces of wood or panels being used to cover a large area, often with the same care and intricacy as chased ivory.

The Moors, renowned masters of woodwork, brought the art to Spain as early as the 8th century. Called “Mudejar,” their style incorporated geometric patterns in contrasting woods, and spread across Europe along with other Islamic art styles.

The 14th century Italian inlay known as “Intarsia” was known for its intricate composition and designs. Hot irons were used to further stain the wood darker.

By the 16th century, the Germans and the Dutch were creating their own complex and fanciful compositions of animals, birds and foliage. The English contributed greater varieties of wood from their colonies, such as Indian rose wood and acacia. The French designs were more geometric and were usually based on Trompe L’oeil.

Inlay and Marquetry were used for panels, floors, boxes and furniture incorporating landscapes and figurative compositions.

Since the 80’s, Abdul Rasheed Khan has practised the art of inlay. Although inlay tends to have simpler designs than marquetry, he has challenged this notion by producing work of great complexity.

Reflecting his training in the Fine Art from the Chittagong Institute of Art & Craft, Abdul Rasheed Khan has focused on inlay as a fine art activity. The debate between craft and art is an ongoing one. At times, the two have come together, at others they are seen as distinct in their objectives and thus unrelated.

In current thinking, crafts, particularly popular and non-commercial crafts are achieving greater respect by art theoreticians in the larger canvas of cultural expression.

Abdul Rasheed Khan has incorporated the formal language of landscape painting, compositions based on miniature painting, portraiture and calligraphy.

The artworks range from displays of virtuosity and skill to more reflective and poetic compositions. He creates his works with simple hand tools and woods of humble origin collected from all over Pakistan; working into the early hours from his residence-based studio, after a full time job in a public relations firm. The motivating factor for him is the challenge of creating a new language for art rather than simple commercial gain.

Acknowledging the changing gamut of art practice, evident in the inclusion and validation of popular art practices such as quilting etc., such skills are encouraged to position themselves within main stream art rather than a craft context. One looks forward to a future body of works that can carry a more personal vision of self-expression.

The writer is head of the Department of Visual Studies, University of Karachi