Crimean Tatar handicraftsman, well-known armourer, jeweler, artist of ornament, member of the Soviet Artists Union of the Crimean ASSR Ahmet Qalafat, who amazed everybody who had to do with his creation. He was one of the most brilliant, gifted representatives of the Crimean Tatar visual arts of the beginning of XX century.

Ahmet Qalafat created about 300 highly artistic ornaments for wall paintings, fabrics, embroidery, chased works for a period of half century of his activity, QHA informs.

And only small part of his huge heritage is presented in the exhibition, which opened in the exhibition hall of the all-Ukrainian Information and Cultural Center in Aqmesjit (Simferopil). The exhibition is organized by his grandchildren: Hasan Galim, Rüstem and Riza Vahap.

Ahmet Qalafat was self-educated person. He perfectly mastering the skill of ‘sandıqchı’ (coffermaker) worked in the armory shop where game getters, pistols, sabres, knives with wooden handles were made of strength steel in high level with great skill.

At the present Ahmet Qalafat’s handicraft is carried on by his grandchildren and great-grandchildren, each of whom inherited one of the parts of grandfather’s talent. There are many professional artists among his descendants: Rustem Vahap, Mansur Vahap, Dilyara Galaktionova, Riza Vahap, jeweler Hasan Galim, well-known masters on key cutting Murat and Refat Galim.

His grandchildren remember that Ahmet Qalafat’s property was confiscated three times after the revolution, the government tried twice to deport the master from Crimea but he was back because his talent was unsurpassed.

"Ahmet Qalafat is a very bright personality of the Crimean Tatar national arts and crafts. He made an enormous contribution to the art development of Crimea. Basically, ornamental compositions - traditional Crimean Tatar ornament are presented at this exhibition"- art critic E. Cherkezova specifies.

Weapons created and decorated with the Crimean Tatar ornament from Ahmet Qalafat were famed throughout Europe. There are some products and ornamental compositions in the collections of museums in Moscow, St Petersburg, Paris, London and even Beijing.

By QHA

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