Collaborations Design Residency

Unfolding Kropa's nail production: between utility and cultural impact

Kropa, a small Slovenian town with a remarkable history of ironworking, will become a setting for a residency for two designers to explore the historical, cultural and socio-economic dimensions of blacksmithing and nail production.

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About

May-Jun 2024 | Kropa, Slovenia | MAO & Center ROG
Designers: Flora Lechner & Žan Kobal

A closer look at blacksmithing, which is often perceived as a male-dominated craft due to the way it’s represented in popular media, reveals a far-reaching significance that goes well beyond the manufacture of weapons. Exploring Kropa, a small Slovenian town with a remarkable history of ironworking, sheds light on the central role of nail production in shaping the economy, social structures, and the overall culture of the area.

Workshop Tracing Topographies

1416 October 2024 | at Center Rog | Rog Center & MAO
Designers/tutors: FLORA LECHNER, ŽAN KOBAL

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Tracing Topographies is a three day design workshop in which the participants will investigate the possibilities of urban environments as sights of craft. Looking at the history of Kropa, who’s economy, social structure, culture and architecture were all shaped by craft, the participants will seek to reverse these processes and use the urban landscape of Ljubljana to develop individual projects.

Through group discussions and one on one tutoring the participants will learn/develop a multidisciplinary, conceptual approach to design, as well as learn the basics of working with metal sheets, embossing and engraving. Through experimentation with different techniques, the participants will be asked to discuss the conscious choices of their design process, as well as the conceptual and technical considerations involved.
Knowledge of design and making is not mandatory, but preferred. In the workshop you will be working with your hands and use light tools (hammers, drills,…). All of the materials and tools will be provided.

The workshop is free of charge!

Timetable

14 OCTOBER – DAY 1
16.00 – INTRODUCTION
Introduction of the tutors, participants and the programme of the workshop
Presentation of basic metalsmithing and embossing techniques through examples

17.00 – EXERCISE 1
First experimentations with materials and techniques
Exploring the possibilities of adding different textures to materials

18.00 – EXCURSIES 2
Hammering metal sheets in and on a mold
Learning 3D shaping techniques

15 OCTOBER – DAY 2
16.00 – KICK-OFF DAY 2
Small get together talking about the exercises and tasks for the day

16.30 – TASK 1
Each participant receives 5 aluminum sheets and a hammer
Explore the surroundings of Rog and use the urban topographies to trace the shapes and textures of the city

18.30 – TASK 2
Individual talks with tutor
Development of the final project based on the outcomes of TASK 1, through sketching, drawing, collaging and material experimentations

HOMEWORK
Think about your final outcome and what steps you need to take in order to finish

16 OCTOBER – DAY 3
16.00 – KICK-OFF DAY 3
Individual conversations/feedback with the tutors

17.00 – INDIVIDUAL WORK
Final works on your projects
Conversations/feedback with the tutors if needed

19.00 – PRESENTATION OF THE FINAL OUTCOMES
Present your project

Tracing Topographies Workshops at Center Rog, Ljubljana, Slovenia. photo: Luka Karlin / Center Rog & MAO

Not long ago, the nail held our world together, permeating much of human history and making it a highly culturally charged artefact. This simple, ubiquitous artefact subverts the male-driven narrative of blacksmithing, with men and women producing nails side by side, and reveals humanity’s technological processes and development. From the gruelling manual labour of the Roman ‘fabricas’ to the slitting mills of 17th-century Britain that facilitated mass production, and their over-articulation in the work of Otto Wagner and his pioneering of a new modern aesthetic, nails prove to be more than mere fasteners. Instead, they embody a rich history and a compelling account of craftsmanship. They serve as a link between various related crafts and inspire research into their larger, diverse significance – one that connects Kropa to a wider cultural context.

Flora & Žan experimented with blacksmithing techniques based on the craftsmanship of a simple nail, including the creation of a self-made tool to twist aluminum.

About the Designers

Flora Lechner (Vienna, 1994) is a designer based in the Netherlands. In her work she takes an interdisciplinary approach, combining design, moving images, and sculpture. She likes to see her works conceived as small stages or potential arenas for action, playing with the idea of activation and ghostly stagnancy. She graduated in 2018 from the University of Applied Arts in Vienna and in 2020 with a Masters at the Design Academy Eindhoven. Since then she has worked as an independent designer on various projects and takes part in exhibitions around Europe.

Žan Kobal (Maribor, 1993) is a designer, researcher, and writer based in Ljubljana. After graduating Cum Laude in Industrial Design from the Academy of Fine Arts and Design Ljubljana, he continued his studies at Design Academy Eindhoven, obtaining a Master’s degree Cum Laude in Contextual Design there. Approaching design as an investigative medium, his work often crosses the traditional boundaries of design by delving into film and installation to frame objects as narration devices, exploring and revealing the way materials, craft, and discourse co-create reality.

  • PortraitFlora_by CarolinaRevertera

    Flora Lechner, photo: Carolina Revertera

  • PortraitŽan_byLucijaRosc

    Žan Kobal, photo: Lucija Rosc