Disappearing crafts. Empowering traditional artisans with co/rizom co-founders Alina Serban and Nadja Zerunian – Episode 11

In this episode Canan and Laura talk to co/rizom co-founders Alina Serban and Nadja Zerunian about the disappearing of the traditional crafts, what does it mean for our society if artisanship dies out, and what tools co/rizom is developing to support traditional artisans. We get to know the master artisans at the heart of this industry, what fantastic skills they possess, and what challenges they face especially during the pandemic. Our discussion is an invitation to reflect together on our relationship with objects, the value we want to give them, and how they impact humankind’s identity. It is also an invitation to step up and take concrete actions to support this industry. Our guests share what you can do to contribute. Alina Serban has been living in Vienna since 2004 enjoying the multicultural vibes of the urban space, being involved in theatre and performance projects, participating in the cultural scene of the city and getting inspiration for her work in political equality & participation. She has been working in philanthropy managing programmes at ERSTE Foundation for 8 years focusing on community development, social entrepreneurship and collaboration with Roma communities in Central and Eastern Europe. Her love for the aesthetic and the inclusive work-philosophy was the connector to the world of crafts and the motivation behind setting up co/rizom association together with Nadja Zerunian and Andrei Georgescu in 2018 https://www.linkedin.com/in/alina-serban-04881b49/ www.corizom.org Instagram & Facebook @corizom Nadja Zerunian specializes on collaboration with global artisans, developing small limited-edition series highlighting the immense potential, relevance & knowledge of local craft. Current projects are in albania, austria, georgia, romania & uzbekistan. After years as a creative force for big international players like georg jensen, calvin klein & the swatch group, she now focuses on the immediate interaction with the makers. In many cases allowing them their first international exposure. She advised the ERSTE Foundation Roma Partnership program, was creative consultant for UNIDO, United Nations Industrial Development Organization and is co-founder co/rizom. I love to tell stories but am afraid of words. an obsessive of sorts - composing & assembling / arranging & rearranging to showcase excellence of master artisans I met over the years. their competence of making things & the ease to materialize thought demand to be shared. preserving crafts & keeping traditions alive might feel obsolete or seem redundant. an afterthought. a sentimental notion. but creating objects is a fundamental part of human condition & the beginning of it all. www.nadjazerunian.com www.corizom.org Instagram & Facebook @corizom Show Notes and Links Corizom: www.corizom.org @corizom on Instagram & Facebook Mesteshukar ButiQ – MBQ: https://mbq.ro Report: Creating Manufacturing and Handmade: A Sector Whose Time Has Come https://reports.poweredbypeople.io Music Credits Migrant Mother by Mild Maynyrd licensed under a Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 United States License, Creative Commons. Get in touch with us Twitter: https://twitter.com/NLEpodcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nlepodcast/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NotLoudEnoughPodcast/ Email: [email protected]