Household Items 3

                                                        CHISESO
                                        brush to clean the house and kitchen

Household Items 2

                                                       WOODEN STOOL
                                                         for the kitchen

Household Items

From now on regularly some household items. From Anna and Isim's household in Malawi. I've photographed each item they have. They have a family with four children. When I'm in Dickson, their village, they generously share their house with me and Chifumbi. Chifumbi is my translator and colleague; my mouth and ears. We eat in their room, we sit on their chairs, we eat the food which is prepared in their kitchen, we live along with them. This is what they have to run this family. It's enough. For them. For us here it's amazing to see how little they own. So it makes me think; what do we really need?

LICHERO 

handwoven basket for maize flour

Social Design III

I'm off to Malawi tomorrow, to continue working with the women on the craft project. With them I've set up a structure, and we'll make an analysis of what worked and what not. Improvement is the aim, along their wishes and possibilities. I've made a business model of how a social design project can work. The book Material Change by Eve Blossom has been helpful, as well as my previous experience. It's important to aim at individuals as well as the community for both development and poverty alleviation are among the targets. I'm also looking forward to meet them again, exchange and work hard. Each step, however small is a step forward......

NEW COLLECTION 2013

From tomorrow on my new collection 2013 HAND KNITTED VASES will be on sale at museum Boijmans van Beuningen in Rotterdam. A new exhibition will be openened: handmade. The value of crafts and craftmanship are central themes so I'm happy my collection was selected for the shop.

photo: Jeroen Dietz

Selvedge | the textiles of your life

And here's the review I wrote about this fabulous magazine. A very respectable age..... this is issue 50!
It's all about worldly textiles, rooted in tradition but with a bright vision for the future!
Hurray on it's way to issue 100..

Bowerbird Collections | Sibella Court

Here's the review I wrote for Athenaeum about the book 'Life of a Bowerbird' by Sibella Court.
The Bowerbird is a very stylish bird with a great sense for colours, texture and shapes...
But the book is about the phenomenon of collections, how to start, how to display and how simple a collection can be with great visual impact. My review starts with one of the most beautiful museum rooms I know: the Enlightenment Room in the British Museum in London. Stunning and moving..

Material Change III

I have almost finished this really good book by Eve Blossom. In the continuation of her interesting story of building Lulan Artisans she comes with some very important steps which I endorse:
Listen
Seems logic, but should not be forgotten; what do people want, need, which skills do they have? That takes time; in Malawi most of my work is to listen to the women and village leaders and discuss with them
Structure business around culture
If for instance agriculture is the main source of income, the crafts have to fit in. It cannot be the other way round; not realistic...
Build the company around people
It's important to get to know the people; some women might be shy but very skilled, others may be quite good leaders for the project.
Make meaningful products
That's a big issue; many so-called fair trade design is built around products that are not meaningful. Unsustainable decoration, things we don't need, or just for the Western market without any roots in the local culture rather than the skills.
Bring value
The project can add value to the community; it's important to stress that. Often women have a low position in the community, and are not used to be in the front. So step by step everybody in the community has to get used to the idea that the crafts are part of the way out of poverty.
Embrace community as your partner
The Malawian society is very traditional and has many rules. You have to respect those rules and work on getting everybody 'on board'. The Chief has to approve, for instance.
Incubate your future partners
Not specifically suitable for the craft projects I'm doing in Malawi, for they have their own local market, but it's all about endorsing any initiative.....