Noha El Qahwagy
Metal engraver
Cairo, Egypt
Upcycled metals rich in history
- Noha transforms discarded materials into refined brass and copper art
- Her historical brass door replica hangs at Jameel House of Traditional Arts in Cairo
- She passes on her knowledge to students at her alma materf
Fascinated by the workshops of Al-Muizz Street and Khan Al-Khalili, graphic design student Noha El Qahwagy sought to learn metal art from local artisans. "I was turned away," she recalls. "They felt that this work was not suitable for a young woman." Determined, Noha discovered the craft at the Traditional Crafts Center in Fustat, where she began recycling tin cans and discarded cartons into reimagined artworks. During an exhibition, a visitor suggested she apply to the Jameel House of Traditional Arts, an art institution in Cairo. "There, I picked up brass under proper guidance, where I fell completely in love with it," she says. Noha's practice today focuses on creating brass pieces that reinterpret Islamic motifs for contemporary homes.
INTERVIEW
Brass demands patience, calm and physical strength to control the metal. You have to be able to feel how deep you are engraving and the exact angle of the saw. The material forces me to be completely present, connecting hand, tool and metal.
I made a replica of the door of the Sultan Barquq Mosque, on Al-Muizz Street. It was a collaborative project, and the result was breathtaking. The piece holds a special place in my heart. It is still hanging at the Jameel House of Traditional Arts in Cairo today.
Patience is key. They must truly love what they do to be creative. I tell them quality matters more than quantity: one small, perfectly crafted piece is worth more than work that lacks precision and soul.
Through recycling, I learned to see hidden potential in everything: a milk carton can become a lampshade, a tin can be transformed into a candleholder. I look at an old wooden minbar and see patterns I can reimagine in brass. It trained my eye before it trained my hands.
Noha El Qahwagy
Metal engraver
Cairo, Egypt
ADDRESS
Address upon request, Cairo, Egypt
AVAILABILITY
By appointment only
LANGUAGES
Arabic, English
Homo Faber Finds is a new service aiming to inspire admirers of craft to connect and collaborate with exceptional artisans.
We invite you to submit an enquiry here.