Cross-cultural interpretations of traditional Emirati crafts at Milan Design Week 2023

Sharjah [UAE], April 20: Irthi Contemporary Crafts Council (ICCC) has unveiled an inspiring showcase of modern, cross-cultural interpretations of traditional Emirati crafts as well as two invaluable works of research at the world's largest annual design event, the Milan Design Week 2023.
For a week until 23rd April, Irthi's entire display, co-curated with brand consultancy, Lawrence Studio is being staged at the famous 5VIE Design District in 5VIE's headquarters at Cesare Correnti 14. The exhibition is a revolutionary step forward in educating not just the global design community, but crafts specialists, curators, urbanists, conservationists, geologists, researchers and students about ways in which ICCC and their regional and global partners are taking the UAE's rich biodiversity and indigenous practices, and integrating them with cutting-edge design thinking and latest technologies to pave the way for a sustainable future.
The 6 exquisite crafts collections and two in-depth research publications, which the council is exhibiting in Milan this year, are all inspired by the UAE's natural environments, food preservation methods, and local crafts practices. The research and recipes that have guided the exhibitions have also defined the unique design language of Irthi's complete showcase in Milan.
Years of collaboration and in-depth research have given birth to Architecture of Culture, the product of a three-way research fellowship collaboration between Design Labs II, American University of Sharjah and ICCC, which highlights the importance of looking inwards and returning to the vernacular to find local solutions for vital sectors of food security, architecture and construction, local commerce, and economic growth.
Divided into four exhaustive subsections featuring over 100 contributors from across the globe, the publication maps the UAE's major natural environments of palm oasis, desertscape, waterscape and mountainscape, to present the vernacular materials, architectural methods, crafts and recipes originating from each of these unique environments.
As part of the research, Irthi and its partners reimagined the future of these vernacular materials through design. The contemporary craft recipes in the book were shared with Irthi's artisans with the aim of transferring the knowledge back to artisans on a macro scale.
One of the exhibitions at the event, the Design Labs II Collection - This collection was inspired by the research findings and showcases a sequence of tables made with locally sourced materials found in the UAE. These materials include wooden plinths, palm sheath, frankincense, sand, oyster shells, and limestone-based bricks and tiles. The overall exhibition design was influenced by the use of these materials, which were creatively incorporated to create a unique and captivating display.
Irthi has been highlighting the role of women in preserving and championing traditional crafts for years, and with this exhibition in Milan, they have taken this narrative a step further by zooming in on the vital role of women in preserving traditional recipes and writing the history of what we today call gastronomy from the domestic sphere.
Recipes for Future: A Cross-Cultural Alchemy, Vol. 1 - an outcome of creative connections between Sharjah and Milan, the publication is a co-curation of recipes rooted in the rich gastronomic and food preservation heritage of the UAE and the wider region with contributions from Irthi'sBidwaartisans, leading designers from the UAE and the region, Mr Lawrence studio, Casalinghe di Tokyo and Studiopepe.
The publication features 9 recipes by Casalinghe Di Tokyo, and contemporary tableware and food preservation methods, presenting a map for exploring the nuances of the complex culture of the UAE.
Source: Emirates News Agency