RIYADH: Inside the Jordanian pavilion at the Saudi International Handicrafts Week, known as Banan, artisan Yazan Eid from Aqaba demonstrates his craft as visitors watch him transform graded sand into paintings inside glass bottles with precise skill.
The event, organized in Riyadh by the Ministry of Culture’s Heritage Commission and running until Nov. 26, features more than 400 artisans from over 40 countries.
Banan coincides with the Year of Handicrafts 2025 and is part of a national effort to support and empower artisans economically and culturally, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Monday.
With 15 years of experience, Eid began this art as a hobby before opening his store in Aqaba. This is his first participation in the event, following previous exhibitions in Europe.
Eid can write names in sand inside a bottle in just five to 10 minutes. Larger pieces take one to two hours due to their intricate detail. His primary material is silica sand, one of the finest types in Jordan.
For Eid, the handicrafts week is an opportunity to showcase Jordanian heritage. Visitors often purchase his pieces as unique souvenirs.
Another Jordanian artist, Khaled Abu Alia, captivates visitors with distinctive pieces that merge recycled wires with natural stones sourced from across Jordan.
Standing behind his small display, he explains how discarded electrical wires are transformed into artworks inspired by Jordan’s mountainous, rocky identity.
Abu Alia says his craft is built on “wire and stone,” recycling electrical wires and shaping them into intricate forms intertwined with carefully selected natural stones.
He notes that each stone has its own character, influencing the final piece. The stones he uses include moonstone, stream stone, various types of Jordanian quartz, and other stones from northern and southern Jordan, each with unique colors, qualities, and formations that guide the direction of the artwork.
The artisan adds that creativity emerges during the process itself. Some pieces can be completed in a single day, while others require more time depending on the type of stone and the nature of the wire.
He explains that this blend of spontaneity and precision gives his work its distinct identity, making each piece feel like the result of a quiet dialogue between artist and material.
Abu Alia stresses that participating for the third consecutive year at Banan offers him a valuable opportunity to introduce this form of art to visitors seeking something different.
He says that many are surprised by how ordinary wires can be transformed into pieces that reflect the spirit of Jordan’s mountains and the texture of its rocks.
