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Bethan Gray: Shamsian

Together with artist Mohamad Reza Shamsian, Bethan Gray brought Oman’s highest craftsmanship to London with a collection based on marquetry and solid brass inlay.

Influenced and inspired by cultural references, Bethan Gray translated Omani architectural features into contemporary pieces of furniture at the highest level of craftsmanship. The Shamsian Collection is her newest work, presented at Designjunction’s Cubbit House in King’s Cross, during the London Design Festival 2016.

“Through my travels and research I get the inspiration to create culture-related pieces. Currently I’m particularly drawn to the graphic nature of Islamic arts and crafts”, comments Gray. The collection is born from a collaboration with Mohamad Reza Shamsian, an Iranian artist that worked for over 30 years in Muscat, preserving and reviving the great art forms of the Islamic world, coming from a craftsmanship background linked with the Sultan of Oman. At the heart of the collection is the Nizwa cabinet, the detailing of which takes inspiration from the architectural patterning of the Nizwa Fort in Oman.

The pieces are made using the technique of marquetry, khatam, damascene and solid brass inlay, showcasing the meticulous technique of inlaying and overlaying materials such as brass and mother of pearl from New Zealand into birds-eye maple maple and solid colour veneers, to create a highly detailed patterning.