This project is a three-part collection of crafted objects that have the same type of ornament in common. These are three of the more widespread symbols in Estonian traditional handicraft.
These are often called “national symbols” and used as decorations for souvenirs and on package design for local produce.
This collection highlights the fact that these are largely universal ornaments found on traditional handicraft around the world. Instead of setting cultures apart, these symbols connect different people from different times through a universal visual language.
These ties cannot be proven and might as well be accidental. Nevertheless, this project takes the liberty to let go of facts for a moment and let the viewer speculate on the meaning of these similarities.
Thesis project completed at the Department of Graphic Design, Estonian Academy of Arts, 2020
Author: Anneli Kripsaar
Supervisor: Sean Yendrys
Thank you: Reet Piiri and the Estonian National Museum, Ivar Sakk, Kristjan Mändmaa