Local Crafts are Global Brands. Pitch Session
Folk arts and crafts are among the most iconic elements of a heritage and a key milestone in Russian history and culture. It is safe to say that they are the most ancient creative industries – these works were created en masse, yet also bore the imprint of the master’s personal creative touch. Masterpieces created by a simple peasant or artisan were utilitarian, actively used in everyday life, sold, and gladly bought up. Handing down their skills from generation to generation, these masters not only conveyed their traditional way of life, but also the aesthetic and ethical foundations that form the distinctive character of their territory.
Today, the situation has changed. Handicrafts are not as much in demand as they used to be. This is largely due to a change in lifestyle. Attempts to return traditional products to their former mass demand have encountered a discrepancy between the format, design, and functionality of products and consumer expectations. At the same time, attempts to seize the mass market for many trades have eliminated the opportunity to re-invent the tradition as a high museum art.
However, the current situation is not only a problem, but also an opportunity. Today, many large corporations are willing to invest and have already invested substantial funds in the development of folk crafts.
What is required for these investments to produce results? How can we get world’s leading curators involved in “jailbreaking” legacy? How can we make folk crafts a landmark project in modern Russia?
