With an extraordinary combination between the ancient Hijazi heritage and contemporary innovative approaches, Al-Mangour was not just a traditional craft for decorating windows, rather a window to the bequest of woodworking in Saudi Arabia.
Al-Mangour
Al-Mangour is an ancient craft and technique made of wooden lattice work to embellish window frames.
Artists crafted Al-Mangour screens to create a net-like pattern between spaces, marking the hidden beauty of separation without isolation.
These exceptional screens manifest themselves through the Roshan, an iconic distinctive window style that decorated houses of the Hijazi area in western Saudi Arabia.
Ahmad Angawi, Brilliant Saudi Architect
Ahmad Angawi is a pioneering architect born in 1981. He holds a bachelor’s degree in industrial design from Pratt Institute in New York.
The talented artist got a master’s degree in traditional arts from The Prince’s School of Traditional Arts in London.
Born in Mecca, Angawi found himself surrounded by various aspects of cultural heritage and diversified architectural styles.
Angawi is a multidisciplinary artist who seeks to achieve an amazing balance between contemporary trends and the traditional technique.
Influenced by his father, Architect Dr. Sami Angawi, he has adopted the concept of “Al Mizan”, a belief in the fundamental principle of balance.
The Saudi artist has a long fruitful journey of analyzing and documenting the creation process of Al-Mangour. Angawi was fascinated by a strong belief that there are certain hidden aspects of Islamic geometry in forming this forgotten craft. Therefore, he devoted all his efforts to discovering the proportion concealed within the depths of Al-Mangour.
“In some of my projects I have explored not only the aesthetic result, but also the end result geometrically and the way it’s made,” Angawi said.
How to Create Al-Mangour Screens?
The process of crafting Al-Mangour screens requires fastidious attention to every single detail in order to precisely draw, cut, and organize the ginanas (wooden strips) that eventually create the final pattern.
To be fully aware of the whole process, let us have a deep look at a stunning event in 2017, in which the British Museum selected Ahmad Angawi to craft a site-specific work with an aim to permanently display it in the new Albukhary Foundation Gallery of the Islamic World.
Ahmad Angawi geared up and made his decision to collaborate with Factum Arte to craft five Al-Mangour window screens.
Angawi followed two different methodologies to produce these five screens.
He used digital craftsmanship to make the biggest screen, while using both digital craftsmanship and handcrafting skills in making the four other screens.
The team depended on the black walnut wood in making the first screen.
Then they used a CNC router machine to cut each patterned wood stripe.
After cutting 106 wood stripes, they were placed on the CNC router worktop to sharpen the edges.
Subsequently, the strips were carefully assembled together creating 53 double-faced stripes.
In order to be able to open and close Al-Mangour screen, Angawi meticulously framed the final composition.
“This craft teaches you the real essence of patience and it develops your sense of observation. It also taught me that haste would lead to unpleasant results,” Angawi said.
Unique Mixture of digital and handcrafting skills
The other four window screens were a magnificent blend between digital craftsmanship and handcrafting processes.
Angawi picked up 280 stripes of black walnut wood, then he inscribed them by using laser and several jigs.
The next step involved engraving all the details of the screens by hand.
Then, the team used the CNC milling machine to cut each strip and demonstrate the module of the Al-Mangour screens.
Eventually, they chiseled the remaining details of the screen by hand.
These great efforts resulted in an incredible exhibition that stands as a testament to the possibility of bridging the gap between the contemporary art and traditional crafts that shaped the heritage of Saudi Arabia.
Furthermore, people were amazed at a stunning scene where two of the five screens are placed on facing windows, reflecting a strong parallel between the mind and the heart. It sheds light on Angawi’s belief that crafting Al-Mangour strips provides him with a special communication that connects the mind, body, and soul.
Angawi House, Safeguarding Wood Crafts
Among extravagant buildings, in the heart of downtown Jeddah, the sound of engraving dazzling details on wood fills the air.
It is the sound of professional hands working with wood to craft urban and traditional styles that perfectly mirror the Saudi heritage.
The Angawi House is the home of the Angawi family, standing as a woodworking workshop that captures heritage lovers across the world.
In the workshop, Angawi and his team found inspiration in the Roshan technique to produce artistic and functional items.
Moreover, this public museum consists of the most talented artisans in Saudi Arabia who are passionate about the ancient Hijazi crafts. “We had an amazing, skillful team working on this project,” said Angawi.
They were part of “Crafts of the Kingdom: Culture and Creativity in Saudi Arabia,” a book by Princess Najla bint Ahmad bin Salman, aimed at spreading awareness about the Saudi crafts.
Angawi and his team were honored to design the cover of the book and a wooden slipcase based on Sadu, the traditional woven textile that Bedouin women used to make during ancient times.
“I discovered the real meaning of art while studying Arabic calligraphy, and then I realized my ability to feel beauty. I tried to simulate a wooden, carved, written piece where all the magic happened. The scent of pinewood stuck in my mind,” said Mohammed Alemarah, an Iraqi experienced architect and one of Angawi’s team.
US Hosts Al-Mangour Exhibition
In May, Saudi Arabia’s US Ambassador, Princess Reema bint Bandar, opened “Al-Mangour: Loved and Beloved” exhibition in Washington, United States of America.
The occasion marked the attendance of the Director of the International Finance Corporation (IFC) Makhtar Diop, remarkable officials, diplomats and several artists.
Held at IFC’s headquarters, the exhibition showcased the breathtaking beauty of the ancient craft, through Al-Mangour: Loved and Beloved, (Asheg & Mashoug).
The work describes the relationship between two halves strongly joined to create a formidable unit of one. This bond is an accurate physical realization embodying the spiritual connection between man and his heritage.
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