ABOUT
Ismail Ahmad Kamran is a contemporary jeweller and silversmith residing in the UK. His Pakistani roots and interest in modern art are harmoniously incorporated in his designs, expressing his religious and cultural identity in a modern context. Ismail gets his inspiration from Islamic arts, (modern) architecture and optical art. By exposing himself to different cultures and merging these worlds he aims to spark the interest of a diverse audience, from the villages of Punjab to the cities of Europe. Ismail uses a combination of modern and traditional jewellery making techniques to create architectural and visually complex articles of jewellery. His current works explore the use of titanium in the context of jewellery. The unique features and the limited flexibly of the metal allow his to explore innovative techniques to create contemporary jewellery.
Ismail Ahmad Kamran is a Pakistani contemporary jewellery designer based in London. He comes from a family of jewellers which has been in the trade for over 7 generations. From a young age Ismail’s interest for jewellery was sparked because of his heritage. He used to help out his father in his jewellery store, picking up on small techniques here and there.
He soon migrated to England pursuing mathematics and physics during his A-levels. This allowed him to learn intricate calculations and mechanics in detail. Either way, his passion for jewellery remained and he decided to study Jewellery and Silversmithing at the University for the Creative arts.
Ismail's Grandfather Haji Sharif Ahmad (right) with his Father Hanif Kamran (left) in their jewellery store in Pakistan 1972
Currently studying at UCA, Ismail is exploring innovative techniques to create jewellery in titanium
This course allowed Ismail to polish his existing skills and introduced him to new techniques and the ability to apply them with precision. Additionally, he was exposed to wider creative ideas and their application in the context of jewellery and silversmithing. His design inspiration budded from hundreds of photos he had taken of architecture over the years, with the buildings giving him a sense of structure and tranquillity.
After just a year of studying he decided to take a break from higher education to work in Pakistan, mainly concerning himself with sales analysis, overlooking orders and production at his father’s shop. Whilst he greatly benefitted from this work experience, Ismail missed being able to design jewellery and make contemporary pieces of his own. That is when he decided to continue his education at the University for the Creative Arts. His current designs are specifically focused on Islamic art and architecture in a modern context, attempting to translate his feelings into jewellery.