Odamboy Masharipov

Woodcarver

©Andrey Arakelyan

A master in floral motifs

Odamboy studied woodcarving from the young age of 12
He focuses on recognisable botanical patterns
His house is now an open museum

Living in Khiva and its surroundings all his life, Odamboy Masharipov has dedicated himself to the ancient craft of woodcarving with the flair of local tradition. In his teenage years he studied at the workshop of the People’s Master of Uzbekistan Haytmat Boghbekov. Odamboy opened his own workshop in 2002 with the blessing of his teacher and since then he has taught numerous apprentices of his own. Odamboy creates household objects such as tables and chairs, and decorates large-scale architectural elements, including gates and columns. He expands on the regional school of ornamentation that features detailed and dynamic patterns mostly depicting local trees and blooms. His work has earned him several prizes and a widespread authority as a master craftsman.

Interview

©Andrey Arakelyan

©Andrey Arakelyan

How did you first learn woodcarving?: Everybody in my family is an artisan. My father introduced me to woodcarving when I was 12 years old. I joined the workshop of Haytmat Boghbekov and studied with him until the moment he told me that I was ready to take my first personal commission.
Do you have a strong bond with your teacher?: I became a student of my master in 1989 and studied with him for 12 years. Today he is 70 years old and he will always be my master and I will always be his student. Even now there are a lot of things that I do not know; he is always ready to listen to me and teach me more.
Do you introduce new techniques into your work?: Yes, I believe that it is important to look for innovation in my craft and not to limit myself to existing approaches. Recently I have invented a new method of combining woodcarving with ceramics, and I have even received a presidential award for that.
Do you have any advice for your apprentices?: I always tell them to love and appreciate their skill, because throughout history artisans' skills have been highly valued. Our ancestors would always ask skilled craftsmen to marry their daughters.

Odamboy Masharipov is a master artisan: he began his career in 2002 and he started teaching in 2002