In contrast, contemporary craftsmanship is often associated with innovation, as a creative and reflexive practice that does not require a specific identity reference. Recently, however, a bill promoted by the Mincap’s Handicrafts Department was released that seeks to highlight the concept of “territorial identity” as a defining element of handicrafts, equipping them with values associated with environmentalism and sustainability.
Following the reading of the sociologist Richard Sennett, who sees the artisan as responsible for the material culture of a society, and artisan knowledge as an authentic good of social capital. For the author, knowledge and skills are accumulated and transmitted through social interaction, and are opposed to the degradation of consciousness generated by capitalist production. The pieces in the exhibition dialogue and wrap themselves in these premises.
La materia en cuestión highlights work processes closely linked to territories, where the creators take a position on the abrupt social changes we are experiencing and propose different ways of understanding the identity. The exhibition addresses both the selection, cultivation and treatment of natural elements and the development of techniques by the creators. It also presents strategic gestures that seek to highlight the power of the raw material, making creative and responsible use of it. In the works exhibited, cultural identity is balanced with the contingency of a present that looks to the future, maintaining effective links with local and international markets and projecting itself to audiences with diverse backgrounds and sensibilities.
