Connecting Contemporary Design, Craftsmanship and Crafts

We are happy to announce that ten projects of the open call Connecting Contemporary Design, Craftsmanship and Crafts have been selected! We invite you to read more about our creatives.

As part of the inter-institutional exhibition of the Triennial of Handicrafts and Crafts, which will take place from September 14 to October 14, 2023 in the Koroška galerija likovnih umetnosti, the Center for Creativity/MAO, under the auspices of the European platform Distributed Design, announced the second open call for co-productions of series in a limited edition CzK #2, within which we selected 10 works by Slovenian creators who, with the help of financial incentives, will design a new product or visibly update an existing one for the purpose of presentation at the central exhibition of the Triennial of Handicrafts and Crafts 2023 and later also at the Museum of Architecture and Design (MAO).

We received 59 proposals, the expert committee reviewed the applications and selected 10 proposals that received financial support in the amount of EUR 1,000, mentoring and support from international experts for project development.

Get to know our creatives and their projects!

Brass Teaspoon – Uršula Oitzl Magister & Lucija Perko

The brass teaspoon is a stylized interpretation of Ple?nik’s elements and his idea of using a simple material to create a useful product with added value.

Ko?evje Canopy – Festival of Wood & Andraž Rudi Vrhovšek

The Ko?evje canopy is conceived as a space organizer, and can be implemented not only as a cutlery stand, but by extension also as a family of products such as a basket or a tray for keys, combs, or an eyeglass holder. The product is made from natural materials, specifically the remains of fruit trees or shrubs.

VuVu Ceramic Soil Moisturizer – ?rt Štrubelj & Luka Bernik

VuVu is a ceramic container buried in soil that optimally moistens the soil through capillary water transfer and encourages reflection on the rational use of water in plant cultivation.

Disfunction Ceramic Vase – Maruša Mazej

The Disfunction project explores transformation from the useful to the useless. By upgrading the project, the artist wants to preserve the usefulness of the product and explore contemporary styles of decor.

Kaduja – Pjorkkala

A kaduja is a utensil for rising, baking and storing bread. Inspired by traditional utensils and making use of design and 3D clay printing, it transforms into a contemporary product adapted to the habits of today’s households.

?ebelino – Rok Oblak & Luka Pleskovi?

?ebelino is a bee feeder made using 3D printing and a mixture of natural clay and sawdust. The biocomposite material allows sufficient water to seep in so that bees can absorb it from the surface and survive the driest period of summer.

Glaze made of construction waste – Rok Oblak

The project comprises the development of a glaze from construction waste and is a continuation of the Forbidden Vernaculars project. The KRATER cup will be joined by a teapot and a serving plate. The glaze will be registered for general use in table ceramics.

Corn Dolly Composable Shoe – Darja Maleši?

Corn Dolly is an assemblable shoe for supporters of biodiversity, handicrafts and the right to repair. The visual interpretation of the shoe is based on an ancient, almost forgotten harvest custom in traditional pagan European culture, namely, the making of a plaited ornament or corn doll from the last sheaf of harvest, which is supposed to be kept until the following spring to ensure a good harvest.

Oreika Baby Rattle – Lara Baler & Boris Ou?ek

Oreika is a baby rattle made of Nuxit® and filled with seeds of native tree species. When the baby outgrows it, the rattle is simply discarded – planted in the ground, allowing new life to sprout from the waste product.

Quilt for Life – Nina Vastl Štefe

The artist wishes to design and handcraft a textile piece that will have great symbolic value and be useful in various ways throughout life. The multi-purpose textile piece can be used as a blanket, cover, tablecloth, curtain, rug, drape or decoration.