Journal of Culture-Communication Studies

Journal of Culture-Communication Studies

Analyzing the Reflection of Local Culture in Emerging Handicrafts (A Case Study of Emerging Handicrafts in the Villages of Qeshm and Hormoz Islands)

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors
sareh malaki 1
Ahmad Nadalian 2
Mohsen Marasy 3
1 Assistant Professor, Department of Visual Communication, Faculty of Architecture and Art, University of Guilan, Rasht, Iran. (Corresponding Author) Email: sareh.malaki@guilan.ac.ir
2 Assistant Professor, Department of Art Research, Faculty of Arts, Shahed University, Tehran, Iran, Email: nadalian@shahed.ac.ir
3 Assistant Professor, Department of Art Research, Faculty of Arts, Shahed University, Tehran, Iran. Email: marasy@shahed.ac.ir
10.22083/jccs.2025.473331.4078
Abstract
Introduction: Local culture, as an evolving set of collective beliefs, practices, narratives, and aesthetic values, plays a vital role in the formation of collective identity and the preservation of cultural continuity. As one of the most visible expressions of local culture, handicrafts occupy a significant position at the intersection of culture, economy, and the intergenerational transmission of knowledge and skills. In this regard, the islands of Qeshm and Hormoz in Hormozgan Province, southern Iran, represent a distinctive case because of their rich cultural heritage, particular geographical characteristics, and long history of interregional cultural exchange within the Persian Gulf region. In recent decades, alongside traditional handicrafts deeply rooted in the region—such as embroidery, mat weaving, pottery, and the production of traditional masks (borqa‘) in Qeshm and Hormoz—a new generation of handicrafts has emerged. These include forms of art developed through community-oriented artistic projects, such as reverse painting on glass, reverse fabric-collage painting on glass, and wood painting. The emergence of these new forms raises an important question regarding how local culture is articulated and represented through contemporary handicraft practices. Accordingly, this study aims to interpret the manifestations of local culture in emerging handicrafts produced in the villages of Qeshm and Hormoz Islands. The study addresses two main research questions: (1) How does local culture influence the design, visual language, and production of emerging handicrafts? and (2) What significance do emerging handicrafts have for the development and expression of cultural identity?
Methods: The study adopts a basic, descriptive-analytical research approach. Data were collected through a combination of library research, field observations, open-ended interviews with local artisans, and analysis of handicraft products. Purposive sampling was used to identify handicrafts that were actively produced and incorporated into contemporary local cultural life. The study examined eleven traditional handicraft sectors and three emerging handicraft sectors, with particular attention to production materials, production techniques, visual designs, color palettes, cultural elements, and environmental sustainability. Interviews with local artisans, predominantly women, as well as with the artist and instructor who initiated most of the emerging handicraft practices, provided insights into processes of skill transmission, creative innovation, adaptation of traditional cultural elements, and integration into local economic activities.
Findings:‌The findings show that emerging handicrafts in Hormozgan Province are strongly influenced by local culture through both direct and indirect processes. Direct cultural influences are evident in the incorporation of local stories, myths, folklore, legends, symbolic female figures, traditional clothing, and other elements of local visual identity. Indirect influences are reflected in the use of culturally embedded local color combinations, ornamental patterns inspired by traditional embroidery designs, and the cultural meanings associated with locally significant materials, even when these materials are reinterpreted or combined with other media in new handicraft practices. Although emerging handicrafts differ from traditional forms in terms of materials, techniques, and modes of production, their visual compositions and aesthetic principles remain strongly connected to local cultural references. These findings indicate that innovation in handicraft production does not necessarily entail the abandonment of traditional cultural forms; rather, it can involve their reinterpretation and incorporation into new artistic practices.
Conclusion: The analysis further indicates that emerging handicrafts function as a bridge between cultural tradition and contemporary artistic practice. Through the creative reuse of locally meaningful materials, including natural dyes, fabrics derived from traditional clothing, and locally available or reclaimed wood, these practices can simultaneously contribute to environmental awareness and the preservation and reinterpretation of cultural distinctiveness. Emerging handicraft production also creates opportunities for the economic participation and empowerment of women, particularly through income-generating activities associated with tourism and local markets. For practitioners, engagement with these new forms of handicraft can foster a renewed sense of cultural ownership, creative agency, and participation in the transformation of local traditions.
Emerging handicrafts should therefore be understood not simply as commercial products but as meaningful cultural artifacts through which local identity can be articulated and communicated to wider audiences. At the same time, several challenges remain, including inadequate documentation of local knowledge and practices, dependence on tourism markets, and the potential standardization of aesthetic forms in response to market demand. Overall, the study demonstrates that emerging handicrafts in Qeshm and Hormoz do not represent a rupture with tradition; rather, they constitute a continuation and reconfiguration of local culture through innovative artistic practices. By incorporating cultural narratives, visual symbols, traditional knowledge, and environmental awareness into new forms of production, these handicrafts can contribute to cultural sustainability, reinforce local identity, and support local socio-economic resilience.
Keywords
Local culture
emerging handicrafts
earthen painting
fabric painting
sustainable cultural development
Subjects
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