"Kündekari" Art Thrives Worldwide Thanks to Konya's Craftsman

Ibrahim Yıldız, a third-generation representative of the family craft in Konya, at the age of 45, carries the ancestral art of "kündekari" to many parts of the world with his wooden creations made using the kündekari technique.

The "spoken form" of wood, meticulously crafted by skilled hands, kündekari works emerge as the result of months of delicate work.

For centuries, Seljuk art has enriched Turkish-Islamic architecture, created by assembling hundreds of small pieces cut in geometric shapes without the use of glue or nails.

Engaged in this craft since childhood, Ibrahim Yıldız, a third-generation representative of the family trade, creates wooden works such as doors, pulpits, podiums, and mihrab sets using the kündekari technique.

Yıldız's works adorn mosques in dozens of countries across three continents.

Kündekari master Ibrahim Yıldız stated that he has a prominent presence in mosque projects in Konya, Turkey, and around the world, collaborating with the wooden artisans of the city.

Yıldız mentioned that they are trying to meet the demands from both domestic and international sources. He said, "We receive requests from Europe. We have made work for Norway, France, and Germany. Currently, we are working on a door, pulpit, and mihrab set for the Netherlands. We have also completed projects for the United States and the United Arab Emirates. We fulfill orders from wherever the demand comes. We deliver the products in pieces to the country of the ordering party and then perform the assembly there."

Yıldız emphasizes that the lost art of kündekari was revived in the 1980s by the late wooden craftsman from Konya, Mevlüt Çiller. He stated the following:

"There were only three people practicing this art 30 years ago, but now there are around 30 individuals. I don't think this art will die because it has been documented. The manufacturing technique is stored in computer systems. Even if all the skilled craftsmen were to disappear suddenly, the accumulated knowledge and videos can bring it back to life. Interest in kündekari has been steadily increasing for about 20 years. There wasn't as much demand before. However, there has been a recent surge. People no longer prefer plain, simple doors."