Beyond Crafts: Co-production exhibition

From Ancient Anatolian Crafts To Contemporary Designs

Turkey Design Council initiated the project, "From Ancient Anatolian Crafts to Contemporary Designs" which is financed by the European Union, with the partners Brumen Foundation, Slovenia and Traditional Arts Association, Turkey. Within this 15-month project, five traditional Anatolian crafts were selected as Ceramics (Iznik style), Felt making, Quilting, Stone Carving, and Inlaying with the aim of spreading the examples of ancient values combined with contemporary designs in Turkey and Europe. The project was launched to carry the Anatolian crafts at risk of disappearance into the future by means of intercultural cooperation. Documentary films of five ancient crafts were prepared to create a video archive, where craftsmen explain the ropes of craft, materials, and production techniques in their own workshop. The designers of the 10 proposals selected by the jury were invited to Turkey and worked with the masters of these crafts to bring their design proposals to life. The exhibition “Beyond Crafts” features design proposals by European designers who re-interpreted the crafts Iznik Style Ceramics, Mother-of-pearl Inlaying, Felt making, Stone Carving and Quilting. This exhibition was made possible with the support of DutchCulture.