people: Lotta Lundstedt

The first Post Industrial Making Working Group meeting brings together researchers exploring possibilities and challenges in the intersection of traditional sloyd/craft and digital design, between hi-tech and low-tech making. Previous example projects include combining traditional and cultural woodcraft with digital laser cutting, and more technical explorations from architectural perspectives on making with recycled and living materials. Another focus is on contemporary subcultures of contemporary makers in relation to traditional crafts, framed as modes of sustainable, post-industrial design practice. The working group also brings attention to tinkering as an investigative practice within the creative fields, ranging from hacking, coding, circuit-bending, and bricolage. 

In a Nordic context sloyd traditions embody a specific form of cultural heritage encompassing particular materials and techniques. Research in this working group spans all creative disciplines and works together to publish research articles, conduct hands-on workshops, and exhibitions. Examples include post-industrial approaches to high tech design, new sustainable forms and materials for architecture, traditional woodworking supported by digital fabrication tools.

Like to Join? Please contact working group chair Ylva Fernaeus  Associate Professor at Umeå Institute of Design, and Deputy Director of UmArts.

Warm welcome to the presentation and the exhibition of Lotta Lundstedts dissertation.

6 February Opening and Presentation at 17.00-18.00

Open 7-9 Feb 12.00-16.00

Society is spinning out of control, moving at an accelerating pace. We rush to keep up, stress over rapidly changing fashion trends, and consume at unprecedented rates, only to discard items moments later. This thesis resists these trends and rejects the urge to follow the crowd.

Through a series of slow textile art and clothing projects, Lotta Lundstedt explores the aesthetics of aversion. The process has been time-consuming, difficult, tangled, and at times boring. It has employed repetition and return as methods, using textiles and garments as materials, and drawing on emotions, memories, and habits as driving forces. These elements aim to forge new relationships with matter, people, and the Earth.

In everyday life, Lundstedt seek to slow down the relentless push toward novelty. Rather than embracing the faster, easier path, these projects focus on the relational, tactile, and identity-building aspects of textiles and garment-wearing. Her goal has been to resist solutions, to avoid quick fixes, and even to turn away from problems altogether. The thesis highlights and discusses many concepts related to the aesthetics of aversion.

At UmArts Research studio Lundstedt is showing us selected works of this process.

Link to dissertation