Craftwork in King’s Cross: AKF’s Silk Road Bazaar returns!

The Aga Khan Foundation are delighted to announce the return of the Silk Road Bazaar — an artisan market laden with goods from countries along the historic Silk Road trading route.

From 22-24 July, a select group of artisanal vendors will come together to form the Silk Road Bazaar 2022. Shoppers will learn about artisanal crafts from across the Middle East and Asia and be able to purchase Pakistani homeware, Afghan jewellery, Grade A organic saffron from Iran, small batch artisan teas and baklava and much more. Shoppers will be able to support artisans from a number of countries including Afghanistan, Pakistan, Egypt, Turkey, and Syria. Food and drink from countries across Eurasia will also be available.

But artisanal products are only the start of it.

• The bazaar will be hosting a special classical Indian musical and dance performance from Akademi at 1pm on Saturday 23 July
• Master calligrapher Soraya Syed will be giving a live digital demonstration of her beautiful work on Islamic calligraphy, followed by a Q&A at 3pm and 5pm on Saturday 23 July
• And running throughout the weekend will be a digital version of ‘The Silk Road: A Living History’ exhibition by photographer Christopher Wilton-Steer. Sit back (on a Persian carpet of course) sip chai and travel 40,000km across Eurasia from London to Beijing

As part of its economic inclusion and development work, the Aga Khan Foundation supports numerous artisans in countries along the Silk Road to develop their businesses, sustain livelihoods, create new jobs, and preserve cultural heritage. The Silk Road Bazaar aims to emulate this practice in London, to not only support local artisans but to also bring attention to the plurality of artisanal heritage found in countries along the Silk Road.

The Bazaar forms part of the weekly Canopy Market located under the Victorian steel and glass near Granary Square in London’s King’s Cross. Canopy Market brings together fresh produce, artisan food, designer-makers and artists alongside street food, craft drinks and music every Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

The vendors:

• Art of the Pen: Original art from classically trained calligrapher Soraya Syed
• Attar Apothecary: Grade A, organic, single farmer Saffron from Iran
• Çaplait Shoes: Contemporary Peshawari chappals (sandals) underscored by heritage and bought to life by artisans
• Ishkar: Handcrafted jewellery, homeware, fashions and hampers from places that are, or have been, affected by conflict or political turbulence
• Ishq: Unique, sustainable and eco-friendly artefacts from across the subcontinent including tapestries, vintage accessories and clothing
• Nimuri: Ethically sourced fashion and homeware made by Pakistani artisans
• Pink Tea Café: Finest specialty teas, artisan chai blends and exquisite handcrafted baklava
• Makani: Purses, bags and cushions handmade by Syrian refugee women
• S jo Accessories: One-of-a-kind accessories, drawing inspiration from traditional textile craftsmanship and handcrafted by artisans, mainly women, from villages in Pakistan

Oshana is a project of Makani, a vendor at the Silk Road Bazaar 2022, who works with refugee women to find freedom and confidence through arts and opportunity. Oshana supports Syrian refugee women living in Lebanon and Syria to lift themselves and their families out of poverty, heal through making, form new communities and find pride in the beautiful objects that they create.

Faten Al-Sahly, a Syrian refugee who is part of Oshana says: “I love making things that are beautiful and will be useful to someone, and I love that it is a way of emptying the stress out of my body. When we work, we forget a little the crises that we went through. And through this work we get to meet other women – we meet, sing and laugh and produce beautiful things. We love life. My message to the person who buys my work is that it was made with joy and with love. I hope it reminds you of me.”

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