Veronika Kotradyová, Martin Mjartan
The current situation in traditional folk production and crafts is uncertain for several reasons. One is the competitiveness of products for daily use, where price is often decisive, regardless of quality or lifespan, which is a reflection of a consumer society. Mass produced objects are cheap and easily available. When they break, there is no need to repair them, they are replaced with new ones. Another reason is the absence of a young generation to continue professional craft work. Young people often do not see any perspective in craft as a way of making a living. It takes years to acquire the skills, and product sales are questionable. Many crafts and their production have lost their function and justification in the contemporary life of the community, but it would be a shame if they remained only an attraction for tourists.
It is therefore appropriate to think about opportunities for transforming, interpreting crafts with the modern design of the 21st century, where modern technologies also have their place, as well as conceptual art. This approach needs to defend its position in the preservation of traditional folk culture.