MICRO MACRO MONDE Camps & Courses

CRAFTS

-An ADER, Indus Tree & Micro Macro Monde collaboration

The Crafts challenge

Crafts are deeply connected to the roots and mythical cultures all over the world. In many places crafts represent the connection between everyday life, philosophy, and a deeper belief in higher powers and forces. Today crafts are often transformed directly into a replica industry that rapidly loses its soul. But crafts are bearers of cultural soul. The craft industry employs millions of people worldwide. However, new technologies and cheap products flood the world with substitutes.
In order to make the crafts an up-to-date catalyst for prosperous development for millions of people and their cultures new ways of thinking and doing needs to considered. This project is about how to find new ways of using technology as well as maintaining the world heritage of old traditional ways of doing Craft. Crafts connects the material elements with spiritual dimensions, imaginary aesthetics with practical everyday life. The project is about dialogues between south and north, about movements that builds most of all on the skills and souls of the south – blend with the coolness of the north and the sustainable scope in general. The project will demonstrate new amazing visions and concrete actions that can happen when south inspires north and vide versa.

The Crafts opportunity – the challenges

Chances are probably small that a traditional craft industry producing what it has done for decades can survive since there is a limit to how many breadbaskets and ashtrays the world needs. Crafts come from the art of living – the art of making useful, meaningful and beautiful objects. This could all be forgotten with a mass consumption market that just demands masses of products at as low a cost as possible.
How do we maintain a global craft industry that is vital and innovative and brings new maybe often controversial solutions to everyday life and is at the same time economically as well as ecologically sustainable?
Could the new advanced industrial ways of doing products and new concepts work with the old techniques?
Can we fusion these various ways of thinking and doing and come up with new seriously visionary and pragmatic concepts which will create possibilities NOT just for the craft industry BUT also create NEW and INNOVATIVE solutions that might help humans living more sustainable lives. Indigenous cultures often have many answers – and visions too. We think if we started sharing the concepts WORLDWIDE then maybe the crafts could get a “revival” and actually be part of the solutions rather than being part of the problem.

Crafts-echo – glocally

Of course a transformation of the crafts industry can only happen by involving the people being in there. We do not believe that its possible to come with a global solution – things need to be developed at local level, but we do however also believe it is extremely important that projects and ideas are linked globally in order for the people involved to benefit from each others experiences. The source is local – the products might be global and glocal.

Crafts – the customization industry of tomorrow

We believe that Crafts have immense possibilities when it comes to deliver “Products on demand” or “customized products and services” – customization is a “new” ancient way of thinking crafts. We believe this area needs lots of attention since it will be a way for creating entirely new possibilities for the Crafts.

Crafts for the future

Of course there will be sustainable craft business cases in 25 years. Terra cotta compost systems, rivergrass carpet tiles, new solutions for the homes of the next generations, African and Asian craft will transform over the next decades as time changes. Join us on a trip to the hearts of original human creativity – CRAFTS – the work of hands and mind – the connection between the social systems and the culture – lets do FUTURE (world) CRAFTS like when world music was created decades ago.

This first part of the FUTURE CRAFTS project consist of a series of activities (a camp and workshops and actual product / service development), which will start with a MMM Camp in France this summer 2009. Following FUTURE CRAFTS workshops will be held in minimum India and one other place before the results achieved till then will be shown and elaborated further on a FUTURE CRAFTS workshop in Denmark December 2009 during the UN Climate Change Conference.  The FUTURE CRAFTS visions and results will presented at The MMM event happening in The Old Couth Theatre in the centre of Copenhagen

Parts of individuals participating in this project will be offered to be assisting in the workshops in India and Mexico and also eventually being part of the MMM event in Copenhagen December 2009.

Participants in this project can be anyone, but if you are a student you are expected to be at minimum master level.

MMM project:
-STILL TO BE EXPLORED….or rather it’s a surprise. But projects and services and actual products are expected to come out of this process. We do not want to predict at all what it could be – just say that we know this process will bring new, radical and exciting results.

With:

-Neelam Chipper - Designer and CEO of INdus Tree - India

-Aparna Karve – Interior Designer & architect - India
-Nicholas Xynos – France ADER
-Niels Peter Flint – CEO Micro Macro Monde, EXDL - Denmark / France
-Mathilde Bretillot - Designer and Interior Architect, France

ASSISTED BY:

-Peter Pilkington, Operations Manager Micro Macro Monde, France

-METTE Flint, Activity Coordinator Micro Macro Monde, France

Time:
20th to 26th of July 2009 –

Price:
This MMM-lab might get some sponsoring for the follow up activities but at this point in time nothing is sure. Pricing is based on the MMM basic costs which is 600 € pr. Person for the entire course in shared tent or room - all inclusive apart from insurance, internet, phone, travel, drinks and personal matters.

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© 2008 exdl.