Craft practices, often referred to as traditional, such as textiles, felt, or ceramics, are regaining relevance and are becoming the focus of artists, designers, and architects. Such forms, based on working with materials, manual skills, and local technologies, are increasingly viewed as an alternative to standardized industrial production and open up new possibilities for artistic and spatial thinking. Today, such practices are less and less perceived as exclusively traditional or museum-bound forms of material culture. On the contrary, they are becoming a living source of knowledge that can be reinterpreted in the context of contemporary culture.

The participants—designer Yovana Zhang, artists Saule and Alibay Bapanov, and architect Asel Eszhanova—will present their practices, in which traditional materials and craft techniques form the basis of contemporary artistic and design solutions. The discussion will be moderated by curator Asel Akhmetzhanova.

During the presentations and the subsequent discussion, participants will explore how craftsmanship can exist within the contemporary cultural and professional landscape, what new forms of collaboration are emerging among designers, artists, and architects, and what role artisanal knowledge can play in shaping future practices.

Time: 3:00–5:00 p.m.

Location: Masanchi 59, Tselinny, ORTA 1 Hall.

Admission is free, no registration required.