Made in Platform
Collaborations Design Residency

Crafting New Heritage

Zenica City Museum is organizing residencies where, over a period of six weeks, participating designers and other profiles will be guided through the process of researching the value of heritage, testing the possibilities of different materials, and producing an object – from traditional heritage bases through craftsmanship to new objects/exhibits.

005_Vahid Ohran potter (17)

About

20 May – 20 September 2024 | Zenica, Bosnia and Herzegovina | Zenica City Museum
Designer: Rok Oblak, craftsperson: Vahid Ohran

Zenica City Museum is organizing residencies where, over a period of six weeks, participating designer and craftsperson will be guided through the process of researching the value of heritage, exercising imagination, testing the possibilities of different materials such as wool, clay, metal, and precious metals, and producing an object – from traditional heritage bases through craftsmanship to new objects/exhibits.

In the starting phase of the residency, Rok Oblak, a Slovenian creative in experimental design, ceramics, and woodcraft, collaborated with Bosnian pottery craftsman Vahid Ohran. They prepared clay, experimented with both traditional and contemporary techniques using a hand wheel, and incorporated motifs from traditional Bosnian art. The research also extended to exploring traditional Bosnian ceramics, such as spring water containers, bee calming devices, and fire-proof cooking ware. Vahid has unique clay preparation methods, and the pair delved into utilizing local materials, including the plant Čuvarkuća (houseleek), for decoration and functional purposes.
  • IMG_20240613_114834
  • 1719343573129
  • madein-ro-1
  • madein-ro-6
  • 1719343573157
  • IMG_20240613_114829
  • IMG_20240613_101508
  • IMG_20240613_114921
  • madein-ro-4
  • IMG_20240613_102716
  • IMG_20240613_121149
  • madein-ro-5

During this phase, Rok and Vahid created several prototype planters, blending traditional and modern techniques, which will continue to be developed with the aim of culminating in an exhibition.

The foundation
The goal is to explore the rich local heritage, including crafts of which over 400 were registered a century ago, the wealth of raw materials and materials still used today in certain living crafts, and through imagination and traditional techniques, to create something new out of the old, tried, and tested.

The imaginative process
By applying the principles of old crafts working with wool, clay, metal, and precious metals, participants will develop new products/exhibits for permanent ethnological exhibition in Zenica City Museum.

The new exhibition setup
Planned results include detailed documentation of the working process, prototypes of new products based on combining traditional materials, tools, and manufacturing methods with new, unique designs and products, as well as videos that will also be part of the exhibition setup.

Related content