Organized by: Ministry of culture and public affairs of the Republic of Karelia, Center of cultural initiatives
Venue: Vyhod Media Center, Karl Marx Ave. 14, Petrozavodsk
Open: 9 June – 30 August 2009
Contact us: (814 2) 78-38-04, 76-14-41
7 921 01 46 033
http://www.kareliancraft.com

Karelian Craft: Home Space selling exhibition opens on June 9, 2009 at 4 p.m. in Petrozavodsk in the Vyhod Media Center. It’s a follow-up of the selling exhibition “Karelian Craft: a New Name of a Souvenir” hosted by the Vyhod Media Center in summer 2008 which was very popular with the citizens and visitors of Petrozavodsk. The exhibition was organized to present the results of the international project on the development of the souvenir industry in Karelia which was implemented in 2007-2008 by the Center of cultural initiatives and the Institute for Adult Education of Eastern Finland within the framework of the Euregio Karelia Neighborhood program.

Like a year ago this time the exhibition also features local souvenirs and gifts united under the Karelian Craft brand and produced by the best craft makers and designers who share the art of the living traditions of the North. The Karelian Craft is about traditional, up-to-date, eco-friendly and functional souvenirs with time proven quality.

The exhibition offers a great variety of crafts from home woven goods, wooden and birch bark utensils, ceramics, patterned knitting, dolls and toys to outstanding felted accessories, T-shirts, mugs and a special Rock Art Collection of fantasy jewelry based on the themes of the Karelian petroglyphs (rock carvings).

Hand and machine knitted sweaters with ornaments based on the Karelian embroidery patterns, a collection of textile bags with hand embroidery and hand printing and a series of Karelian Village and Karelian Cuisine magnets are the newly designed products for the season 2009.

This diversity of handmade goods was successfully incorporated in the created home environment with a kitchen and a dining room area, a living room, a kids’ room, a dressing room and even live geraniums on the window sills by designer Inna Kazakova. This unusual transformation of the familiar Media Center spaces added a sense of coziness of the home.

Most of the featured exhibits can be purchased in the Karelian Craft souvenir store in the Vyhod Media Center (Karl Marx Ave. 14).