The city of pottery on the way to registration as the national city of pottery

The historical city of “Koozekankan”, 75 km west of Tabriz, which is known for its pottery art and industry, is on the registration route as the “National City of Pottery”.

According to IRNA, the city of “Koozeh Kanan”, as its name implies, is one of the main cradles of Iranian pottery, which is located on the southern slopes of the “Mishu” heights and its inhabitants have been engaged in the art of pottery for centuries.

Although the exact date of pottery in the city of Koozeh Kanan, one of the subordinate cities of Shabestar city, is not known exactly, but experts say that the turquoise glazes of its pottery are very similar to the turquoise color of the 600-year-old Blue Mosque, which in architectural literature It is known as the “turquoise of the Islamic world”.

In any case, the city of Koozekanan has long been one of the main origins of pottery in Iran and its pottery is famous for the quality clay of the region and the ancient tradition of pottery of its people in Iran.

Although the potters have distanced themselves from its historical glory in pottery and today there are no more than 30 active pottery workshops, but its pottery products continue to adorn the homes of the people of Iran and public and welfare places such as museums, hotels, Restaurants and….

Fortunately, the General Directorate of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts of East Azerbaijan, in cooperation with the Municipality of Koozekan and the Governor of Shabestar, has made a good effort to preserve this glorious history of pottery, this small town lying on the northern shore of Lake Urmia as Register the “National City of Pottery”.

Local observers praised the move, saying its realization paves the way for the flourishing of the pottery art-pottery industry in the city and the elimination of the risk of generational disruption in the continuation of the art’s life. It can encourage the younger generation and future generations to refer to the art of good fathers.

The Deputy Minister of Handicrafts of the General Directorate of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts of East Azerbaijan told IRNA in this regard: And put the national registration plate in this square, because the experts of the Ministry of Cultural Heritage come here every 2 years to evaluate a team that if they do not see innovative and innovative measures, there is a possibility that they will get this title from that city. has it.

Seyyed Ramin Esbaghi ​​added: The municipality of Koozeh Kanan can also take steps to register it as a world city of pottery by making statues of jars and pottery and installing it in squares and passages.

He likened the attempt to register potters as a national city of pottery to a double-edged sword that, if taken properly by city and county officials, could be globalized with a degree of promotion, and otherwise the same national title could be taken away from it.

People’s empathy facilitates the registration of potters as a national city of pottery

Shabestar Deputy Governor’s Planning also told IRNA: “Trying to register potters as a national city of pottery, despite all the concerns, is a blessed act.”

Rahim Sedighiyan added: “Although there are many problems ahead, but experience has shown that the people of Shabestar in general and the central part in particular are in the forefront in doing public and cultural work.”

He added: “When government officials announce plans to take action in different areas of the city, people move ahead of us.”

He continued: “We should inform the public about the beginning of the effort to nationally register the name of the potter as a city of pottery so that people can help us in various ways, and I am sure that the concerns in this way will be easily resolved in this way.” .

Shabestar, the deputy governor, explained: “Of course, the national registration of potters as a national city of pottery is our short-term goal and long-term goals should include programs such as changing the use of pottery production units and determining a place for centralized activists.”

He added: The exemplary empathy of the people of Shabestar city in such cases, facilitates the process of turning the potters into a national city of pottery.

He reminded: it is necessary to hold photography and art museums to the potters to use the capacity of the media to reflect the capabilities of this city in the field of pottery and pottery production.

Siddiqui said: “Obviously, the role of non-governmental organizations in the realization of the event of registration of potters as a national city of pottery is undeniable, and we must take steps in this direction in practice and away from slogans.”

He emphasized: Restoration and reconstruction of the historical heritage of the city of Koozeh Kanan, including the completion of the restoration of the historical water reservoir of Haj Mehdi Koozeh Kanani, known as Abolmollah, is a necessity in this regard.

It is necessary to recognize the pottery pottery art-industry capacities at the national level

In an interview with IRNA, the mayor of Kozeh Kanan said: “As the mayor of the city of pottery, my concern is to change the pottery industry from a traditional state to an industrial one, and we have taken measures in that direction.”

Seyed Baqer Mousavian added: “With the coordination we have done with the General Directorate of Technical and Vocational Education, the necessary training to update the pottery industry-art of pottery is to be provided to activists in this field.”

He added: “Negotiations have also been held with the General Directorate of Islamic Culture and Guidance of East Azerbaijan to hold various exhibitions related to the art of pottery in different regions of East Azerbaijan and other provinces of the country.”

The mayor of the jars continued: “For next year, we have planned to hold a pottery festival so that the potters can display their products; In my opinion, if the pottery industry is supported, not only will there be no unemployed people in this city, but even housewives can earn money for themselves, and their children can see the place of this art-industry and its income in this millennial profession. They are interested.

He stressed: “We must also set up a permanent pottery market in the potters and spread the industry there and really support and educate the youth and teenagers and pass it on to future generations;” We must convey the concept that pottery is not just a jar and vase, but a kind of handicraft that can be produced and presented to the market in different designs and shapes and to the desire of customers, by providing up-to-date training and culture building. .

Mousavian reminded: “Today, in addition to pottery, pottery is also produced as the cradle of this art-industry in most other regions of Iran, and our production should be different in the use of raw materials, type, color and shape of pottery.”

He mentioned packaging as one of the main challenges of the pottery industry and said: in today’s globalized market, a product, no matter how high quality, if it does not have beautiful and customer-friendly packaging, on hand Remains a producer.

The danger of a generational break in education threatens the potters

“I have been working in pottery for 30 years and I still feel threatened that we can survive, because the generational transfer in this art-industry has not happened well in recent decades; For example, I have five or six nephews who work in other classes and none of them know how to work with a potter’s wheel, whereas fifty years ago this was not the case and all people knew how to work with a potter’s wheel.

Motamed added: “Unfortunately, it is very difficult to use clay and prepare mud for pottery in potters, and it requires permits that are very time consuming and expensive to prepare.”

Referring to the activities of 30 pottery workshops in the city of Koozekanan at the present time, he added: The clay soil used in pottery should be good, because in recent decades, the daily consumption of pottery in people’s lives has decreased, and consequently working capital and labor. The value of the workshops has also declined, and the responsible institutions must support this art-industry and help it survive as a national heritage of thousands of years.

He called for the synergy of the responsible institutions to facilitate the issuance of clay harvests for pottery activists and stressed: “After that, something should be done to increase the interest of this class, to increase interest among the young generation and future generations.”

Turquoise glaze is the identity of the art of pottery

One of the potters of the city of Koozehkan also expressed his happiness that in the last four or five years, 12 new pottery activists have been added to the family of potters of this city, and told IRNA: Other classes had turned, but fortunately, realizing the heritage and prestige importance of this art, they returned to their ancestral jobs.

Ali Akbari, stating that he hopes for the future of the art-pottery industry in the city of Koozekan, stressed the need to pave the way for using the capacities of cyberspace in order to introduce and offer the potential of the art-pottery industry of the city of Koozekan.

He emphasized: “Our potters must accept the fact that the period of presenting products with stereotyped and repetitive designs in the art-craft of Tesfal is over, and they must use volumes, patterns and designs that are appropriate to the fashion and according to the taste of customers.” کردن.

Referring to the ancient antiquity of pottery in the city of Koozeh Kanan, he explained: “Research shows that once upon a time, pottery with turquoise glaze was produced in this city, and its turquoise color matches the turquoise color of the tiles of the Blue Mosque.”

Akbari also pointed to the special geographical location of the city of Koozekan and its location in the provinces of East Azerbaijan and West Azerbaijan and its proximity to the Caucasus and Turkey stressed the need to use this capacity for the prosperity of the pottery market.