What is it that makes people run their craft?

Hello Everyone ! 

After conducting, three enriching interviews with organizations associated with IKEA for the Social Entrepreneurship project, currently, for the relative study, I am going through the book Transforming Tradition- A method for maintaining tradition in a craft and design context by Adhi Nugraha.

Points are scattered on the pages …. Tradition, communal values, contentment... But then if seen in collaborations such as IKEA is having, there is another aspect as to what is exactly the value of preserving tradition through collaboration? Knowledge.. !

Craft is embedded in skills and knowledge which continues through generations. It’s a human impulse where the desire to do the work is for its own purpose. Where in today’s times, the organisation taps on in the right place and the right people to showcase the same crafted product to the world. It now provides livelihood but also carefully outlines cultural identities.

Image Source – (https://www.ikea.com/ms/ms_MY/pdf/product_press_kits/2017/FULLVIKTIG_HIGHRES.pdf)

 The FULLVIKTIG collection from IKEA with the Mae Fah Luang Foundation, Thailand highlights the various process of elements in the design process, which forms a part of the unique code, each crafted product weighs.

An interesting point is that ‘The crafted object communicates through a social code.’ (Nugraha. A, 2012) The code is unique as well as diverse, a form of impression that entails ideologies. The ideologies are a source of exchange in design portrayal, creativity and cultural diversity, which are the essential elements of the organisation. In this way, a global organisation tries to keep a common heritage.

It is where people can learn abundantly from the wisdom of the knowledge that is already at the artisan stage, but also now spreads in the value chain of the buyer and supplier organisations. The other aspect is that knowledge over here also highlights the thoughts of the artisans portrayed effectively through the products, since people also require meaning and tradition. Thus, the dissemination of knowledge, through all the stages preserves the reigns of the craft!

References:

Adhi Nugraha (2012) ‘Transforming Tradition- A method for maintaining tradition in a craft and design context’, Aalto University publication, Finland