Jammu and Kashmir’s self-taught bone artist

SRINAGAR: Aziz-ul-Rehman is Kashmir’s sole self-taught bone artist, and he is known for his ability to transform waste materials, like as bones, into works of art via his artistic ingenuity. “Ever since I was a young child, I’ve always had an interest in art. When I was younger, I enjoyed drawing, painting, and carving. And over the course of time, I developed an interest in bone art after I built a small piece using bones, Rehman told this newspaper. “I made a small object using bones,”

He said that no one had ever instructed him in the Kashmiri skill of bone carving. It is famous for its wood carving, Kani weaving, shawl weaving, carpet weaving, and other types of weaving, among other things. “I am self-taught, and I have also used social media to hone my skills even further,” Aziz remarked.

Aziz, who is originally from the Gulabagh neighbourhood located on the outskirts of Srinagar, has stated that he initially used bone to fashion little items such as pendants and earrings in the beginning of his career. However, now that he has more experience under his belt, he has increased the number of products available. The quarantine that was imposed because of the Covidian-19 outbreak gave him the opportunity to fully express his creative side and expand the variety of bone art products that he offered.

“During the Covid-19 pandemic, there was a significant amount of downtime. Aziz explained, “I used to make a variety of things out of bones, increasing the number of varieties and diversifying the product offering.” He now creates bone decorations, necklaces, earrings, bone candles, pen holders, brush holders, key chains, knives, earring stands, jewellery stands, and other ornamental and wall elements out of bone.

Aziz, who is currently pursuing a master’s degree in the field of Fisheries Science at the Faculty of Fisheries in Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology (SKUAST), stated that he has also mastered the technique of genuine skull maceration. “I taught myself everything I know.”

Because he is given the bones for free, Aziz has not had to spend any money in order to acquire the raw ingredients.

Due to the fact that Kashmir is a place that regularly consumes meat, there has never been a shortage of raw materials (bones). “I never had a problem with not having enough raw material, and I received bones at no cost,” Aziz remarked.

As more and more people have learned about his one-of-a-kind bone art, the number of people interested in purchasing it has steadily climbed. “I recently opened an account on Instagram, and I am already receiving orders from customers located both inside and outside of the state of J&K. According to Aziz, the reception from the general public has been positive and is continuing to improve.

A recent exhibition of bone art was hosted by Aziz in Srinagar, and it was the first of its kind at the state level. The Department of Handicrafts and Handlooms in Kashmir played an instrumental role in the organisation of the exhibition.

“There was an overwhelming amount of interest in the display. Everyone was curious to learn more about the art made out of bones. “When people saw how the one-of-a-kind artwork was created, it captivated their interest,” Aziz remarked. Aziz is inspired by the positive response from the general public to the exhibition, and as a result, he is making plans to host further shows similar to it both in Jammu and Kashmir and elsewhere in the country.