MAKKAH: Craftsman Adel Al-Shehri has created a unique decorative plaque inspired by Saudi heritage and embossed with Braille writing.
His creation honors Saudi culture and embraces the concept of inclusivity, driven by a conviction that the decorative piece should be accessible to all, including the visually impaired.
The plaque, titled “My Heritage in Braille,” is designed in a traditional style that reflects the deep-rooted culture of ֱ.
The Saudi artist hopes that his approach will inspire artists across the Arab world to embraceinclusivity in their work. (Supplied)
It features a globe in its center surrounded by artistic motifs reflecting the concepts of universality.
In an interview with Arab News, Al-Shehri spoke about the inspiration behind his selected materials and design choices.
He crafted the plaque from luxurious walnut and mahogany woods, prized for their durability and rich, elegant grain.
It wasn’t easy, but through countless experiments and careful refinements, I achieved a delicate balance between tactile clarity and visual elegance.
Adel Al-Shehri, Saudi craftsman
He added subtle metal inlays to complement the aesthetics and highlight the geometric details with contemporary flair.
The plaque’s base features a stepped circular design, inspired by the shape of ancient terraces found in historical buildings in the Kingdom.
Incorporating Braille into the design proved to be a challenge for the craftsman. The reading system, which features raised dots that are read by touch, is not easy to recreate on materials like wood and metal.
Braille is usually printed on paper, but adding it to a solid surface requires extreme precision.
Al-Shehri devised a special method to achieve this, using engraving tools that enabled him to shape the Braille dots to the appropriate height (between 0.9 mm and 1.4 mm), while maintaining precise geometric spacing between the dots.
This allowed them to be read by touch without losing their meaning or interfering with the other decorative elements on the plaque.
“This step presented both a technical and aesthetic challenge. How could I create a language that is read by touch and integrate it into a plaque meant to be admired visually?
“It wasn’t easy, but through countless experiments and careful refinements, I achieved a delicate balance between tactile clarity and visual elegance,” he said.
Al-Shehri said that the true purpose of his work is to carry a profound humanitarian message: Art should be accessible to all.
He hopes that his pioneering approach will inspire artists across the Arab world to embrace inclusivity in their work.
