Kawther Al Saffar

Kawther was born in 1990, shortly before the beginning of the Gulf War, and raised in Kuwait. Her outward passion and drive for the arts was first discovered at the young age of four.

Her work is highly multi disciplinary and attempts to bridge the gap between art and design. She focuses on finding patterns for human intimacy and truth, whether this manifests itself in finding cultural significance, integrity in materials, or creating human connections.

In her career Kawther hopes to continue to understand ways to increase integrity and quality in furniture and industrial design, to extend value and experience for the users. During her free time she enjoys traveling and exploring different cultures.

Kuwait, my home town, was once a critically located trade area in the Gulf. Immigrant’s from other Gulf countries eventually settled in Kuwait, or Koot (hut) as it used to be known, and made it their home. Kuwaities were skilled craftsmen exporting their trade to the Gulf, and their pearls to the world.

My family was named Al saffar after their copper and metal smithing trade. Making pots, pans, and doing general metal repairs for Kuwaities. The name Saffar is a derivative of the Kuwaiti word “soofarah”, which means whistle. This refers to the sound the hammer makes when it hits the metal. In English this can be translated to the tinker which means a person who mends pans, kettles, and metal utensils for a living.

Today many members of the large and rooted Saffar family still find happiness in metal and manufacturing work. It’s a strange unexplainable inclination we have to work with our hands, to produce locally, and to trade.