In Thoughts, Together: research (2022)
Funded by The National Swedish Handicraft Council
The initial stages of the research had pieced together the elements that had shaped the basket and its heritage. I had immersed myself in various sources: poring over books, publications, and records and even visiting archives and recreations of historical housing. Each encounter with historical data was enriched by personal anecdotes from family members, who provided nuance into the Hedared basket’s factual history, the social conditions, and the culture that had birthed it.
I had encountered the greater historical narrative of the village and its region, and if I had learnt anything during this process of understanding, it was that there is a depth to knowing that transcends mere written, documented facts. Continuing this exploratory venture went beyond merely poring over books or gathering further anecdotes about historical Hedared makers; my main objective was to continue to use the basket as a conduit. Take its making-related narratives to continue detangling the web of intricacies between my great grandfather Lennart and me, my culture and his—find that sought-after mutual core.
Enter the second phase of the research: In Thoughts, Together.
It was through a series of conversations with members of the Hedared Village Association that we together unveiled past roots, present-day realities, and future legacies of the village: explored craftsmanship, social progression, and personal destinies—all interconnected via the Hedared basket. The aim was to allow each interaction to steer the course of the research, starting with a common set of questions for each participant and then letting the conversation evolve organically, enabling participants to share what they deemed relevant.
What does the collective memory of a local craft heritage look like? Do memories differ from family to family? Person to person? How does such a heritage inform the current self-image of a rural area?
The texts, documents, photographs, and transcripts gathered during the course of the research comprise a simple collection of stories, synthesised in the upcoming publication:
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Beyond the upcoming publication, this body of research would serve as the subject for my woven work, initially presented in the exhibition In Thoughts, Together, hosted by the Craft Association of Southern Sweden.(2023)
The woven outcomes has since been shown at the Textile Museum of Sweden, MalmöVÄV and NAFS Space