Designer feted at Inflow Expo in Hungary
My grandmother sold her silverware and was left with just one necklace. This motivated me to begin a journey through the Omani desert to fill her empty box with my contemporary designs
Amal bint Salim al Ismaili, a lecturer in the Department of Art Education in College of Education at Sultan Qaboos University, has gained international recognition for her jewellery design titled Dome, winning the Audience Award at Inflow Expo in Hungary.
Her piece was selected from 69 works representing 29 countries, out of a total of 389 submissions.
The Inflow Expo is a platform that celebrates personal stories and experiences in jewellery design, encouraging artists to draw inspiration from their lives, cultures and achievements. The event is judged by an international jury, with awards in three categories.
Amal explained that her winning design was inspired by a memory from her childhood. "My work was chosen for its narrative content," she said. "It draws from a memory when I visited my grandmother’s house in North Sharqiyah. A travelling merchant had come to buy and sell goods and knick-knacks. My grandmother sold him some beautiful items, including a silver kohl pot. At the time, I didn’t understand the significance of these objects, but that memory stayed with me."
She added that her work also reflects the decline of Omani silver craftsmanship, which she linked to the rise in global silver prices. "Itinerant traders bought silver from villages. My grandmother sold her silverware and was left with just one necklace. This motivated me to begin a journey through the Omani desert to fill her empty box with my contemporary designs."
Amal's Dome design was inspired by a traditional bedouin head ornament made of leather and silver, which she encountered during her travels in Sharqiyah Sands.
She incorporates elements of bedouin aesthetics into her designs, blending cultural heritage with modern design. "My trips to the desert were profoundly inspiring. I am eager to show how art can embody identity and heritage."
Amal has experimented extensively with locally tanned leather, using traditional techniques and desert plants to create a range of colours and textures.
The Dome design captures the spirit of the desert, combining cultural elements presented with a modern twist.