Mohamed Chraiti ... A Tunisian artist converts iron scraps into art pieces

Munira Hajjlawi-Nabeul

Solid iron flows flow between the hands of Tunisian artist Mohamed Chraiti, as the waters of a quiet river flow, forming curves and angles that intertwine with each other on a regular and artistic basis, to come out in the form of a strong bull model ready to attack.

In his small workshop on the main street of Barakat Al-Sahel in Nabeul Governorate (southeast), Mohammed (53 years old) is working hard for Muhammad to end the request of one of his clients by fleshing the remains of mechanical machines from screws, chains, and wires together.

Golden toes
His golden fingers, as everyone who knows Muhammad calls them, work very smoothly, softening and volunteering the rough iron, and he is the one who extinguished 25 candles from his experience in blacksmithing.

After washing the remnants of mechanical machines, Muhammad sets out to form his model by making the head up to the rest of the parts, then at the completion of the model he undertakes burning it with fire to rid him of oils, impurities and dirt, and finishes the process of grinding according to the request of the customer who sometimes wants to paint his piece, and a phase he favors as it is in the iron color Natural.

Muhammad, who is the son of Al-Ridif region in the Gafsa Governorate in the southwest, studied until the fifth grade boundaries and was not distinguished in the study. Rather, his extraordinary talent for drawing and engraving on crystal and marble helped him succeed in “ambulance” (an educational and scientific procedure that decides the student’s success even in the form of non- Achievement of the full mark in order to avoid his early exit from study or taking into account his good behavior).

During his studies, Muhammad unleashed his generous imagination and filled the halls of lessons with extremely wonderful and creative drawings. Everyone who sees them believes that a child of his age drew them, and he was not - unlike his siblings - asking for toys like festive gifts, but he made his gifts himself from the remains of cans and iron wires to the severity of his fondness By handwork.

In his speech to Al-Jazeera Net, Mohamed recalls his sweet childhood memories, and he says, "Foreign tourists were a lot of people to pass through our region, and I remember well the surprising expressions in their beauty of my work, that one of them encouraged me to continue saying that I am an exceptional artist project."

Decent life
Al-Sharayati's actual journey began with a profession of technical blacksmith and production since he reached the age of thirteen years of age, and it gives him what provides him with a decent life for him and his young family.

The prices of artifacts created by Anamel Al-Sheriati Gold vary in different sizes and shapes, and range between 100 dinars (33 dollars) for a small piece and 15,000 dinars (5000 dollars) for the same large size.

The fictional figures that he participates in at international exhibitions are estimated at exorbitant prices determined by international exhibitors who give great value and importance to Muhammad's talent, as he assures Al Jazeera Net.

Muhammad does not find it difficult to provide the materials that workshop owners provide to him for free, or to bring his customers who hand him the remains of their cars and bikes and ask him to convert them into certain pieces that they buy from him later, while his ability to form iron is not limited to animal figures, but also makes boards and home furniture from him. Doors and everything related to home decoration, in large sizes, requires superior accuracy and skill.

Wide fame
Mohammed's elaborate method of making sculptures - especially of large size - was not only appreciated by Tunisians and those in charge of hotels and public parks, but also earned him wide fame and attracted the attention of foreign tourists from Germany, France, Italy and Belgium, who come to him specifically for the purchase of certain pieces.

His works also decorate the exhibitions of a number of senior Tunisian painters who chose to place them at the entrances of their exhibitions, which gave him great confidence and responsibility for more creativity in the field of technical blacksmithing, and he is preparing for the manufacture of moving objects.

And the relationship of Muhammad with his talent goes beyond the relationship of an ordinary employee to his profession, to a relationship of passion and love that is renewed every day and seeks to pass them to his daughter who inherited this talent and does not surprise him with her supernatural and creative ideas.