These articles and interviews aim at helping you discover and appreciate the world of crafts and restoration of Cultural Heritage.
Articles and more
THE CATALAN VAULT
An ancient technique to build a better future By Andra Ritisan & Charlotte Pierre Human ambition has always been to move forward, to innovate and to progress. Yet innovation and progress have not always been in tune. In many cases, including the building industry, the desire to innovate has led...
Restoration by IPARC of the Art-Nouveau furniture, designed by Victor Horta for the Wolfers’ shop
IPARC – in collaboration with Denys NV and architect Barbara Van der Wee- restored the cupboards of Victor Horta’s famous Wolfers’ shop (by Victor Horta) for the new display in the Cinquantenaire Museum. The Wolfers’ shop The Wolfers’ shop shows the authentic interior as designed by the Art Nouveau architect...
Endangered Crafts in a Precarious World
by Selin Genç In an age of a mass extinction of biological life, we simultaneously face the extinction of many craft professions too. These two occasions are more connected than it might initially appear; industrialisation is a driving force in the emergence of an ecological crisis, while also being the...
Colorful Sicilian craftwork: the famous Teste di Moro.
Text by Maria Giulia Nencini Have you ever wondered what these head-shaped vases that stand out among traditional Sicilian craftworks represent? Legend tells us that they are the distant memory of a love affair that ended in tragedy… The legend dates to the Arab domination in Sicily, which left an...
What can Europe do to protect crafts?
by AKSSISE Fatiha / Mad’in Europe CRAFTS : THE BEAUTY OF DIFFERENCESCraftsmanship: a key sector for the strengthening of European identity The European Union has made of unity and cooperation one of its pillars to build a European identity. In this perspective a « Europe Day », celebrated on 9 May, was...
Building a boat.
Nick Barberton Because of Covid lockdowns I have had reduced chances to sell my work. I was given a Walnut tree and when we could travel again last year had it planked and stacked up in my wood shed. The logs that were too small to plank were beautiful and...
Découvrir le métier de restaurateur de tableaux
La conservation – restauration de tableaux a pour but de stopper l’évolution des altérations subies par les œuvres d’art au fil du temps et de permettre ainsi leur transmission aux générations futures. Ce métier obéit à une déontologie internationale selon les normes conformes au métier de conservateur restaurateur inscrite dans...
PIERRE HENIN – Histoire d’une collection en hommage au beau geste du travail
Ce témoignage inaugure une série de “portrait d’objets et d’outils” que Pierre Hénin et Mad’in Europe auront le plaisir de vous présenter. Liens : VIDEOS / LES 2 MINUTES DE LA COLLECTION PIERRE HENIN SITE WEB : http://collection-pierre-henin.com/ PUBLICATION : disponible sur le site web de Pierre Henin
LA BOVEDA CATALANA
“Esta técnica ha estado a punto de desaparecer, pero se percibe un cambio que por mi parte y por organizaciones como Mad’in Europe y otras, estamos intentando impulsar” ¿Cómo se puede describir la bóveda? ¿Puede decirnos dónde se encontró esta técnica primero y cuando? Hay varias técnicas para realizar bóvedas,...
Stories about women in Art and Crafts
By Maria Giulia Nencini / Mad’in Europe Women in Art and Crafts Movement: female artists began their fight for an equal place in the art world, by addressing the traditional notions of crafts and decorative arts. References Arts and Crafts Movement – When Women United in Creativity (online https://www.widewalls.ch/magazine/arts-and-crafts-movement-women-artists). “Feminist...
Hand-engraving or “intaglio engraving”
Hand-engraving is a very old technique of “intaglio engraving” which appeared in the 16th century, and was first used in the 18th century with the appearance of the first machines adapted to reach its peak in the 19th century. Engraving is the production of an engraving made up of straight...
Bernard Guillocheur Main
Le guillochage main c'est remplir une surface de reflets géométriques obtenus par la gravure de lignes qui s'entrecroisent. Pour guillocher, il est très important de posséder de vieilles machines traditionnelles à guillocher, sans quoi, ce travail devient impossible. Les anciennes machines, au travers de leur âme, donnent un rendu inattendu...
VÉRONIQUE JOLY-CORBIN – QUILL DRAWING ON PORCELAIN
Like the Madeleine de Proust, I invite you to find on my hand-painted porcelains old imagery, encyclopedic engravings and botanical plates. A whole world of curiosities. I draw on porcelain with a calligraphy pen holder. As a painter, porcelain is for me an expression medium like a blank canvas or...
Antonia Sánchez, damasquinadora
Mediante presión manual incrustamos metales preciosos sobre hierro o acero blando.
Ancient Urushi craft
I would describe myself primarily as an Urushi Artist and I work together with my wife Marina who is similarly skilled. I am also a designer/cabinetmaker and it was through my work in this trade that I became aware of Urushi lacquer decorative finishes. Urushi is the name given Japanese...