Learning, Practicing, and Developing Traditional Handicrafts in Latvia Today

Abstract

Latvian folk crafts are characterized by a predominance of women's handicrafts: weaving, knitting, embroidery, and so on, which are practiced both in groups and individually. This article focuses on the interaction between cultural heritage and creative trends in folk crafts in Latvia, examining the way in which artisans learn traditional crafts and the main areas of their activity. Given the context, the aim of this paper is to provide an overview on the development of Latvian handicrafts today based on empirical study which relied on information found on social networks about the latest activities of craftspeople. In addition to personal observations, publications dedicated to the development of folk art in Latvia during the Soviet period and today were also used as sources for the study. In recent years, the growing popularity of the Latvian national costume has stimulated the desire of many people to not only wear the costume but also learn how to make their own version. The Latvian national costume is a combination of various types of handicrafts, and some elements of folk costumes are also used in modern clothing. Nowadays, learning crafts in studios and hobby groups has become the main way to acquire handicraft skills. Training in these settings is based on ethnographic research and information available from modern sources. Works created in handicraft studios and hobby groups are regularly exhibited at local and national exhibitions. Craftspeople in modern-day Latvia merge the study of traditional, ethnographic material with creative self-expression in the production of objects for modern use. Creativity and inherited traditions are therefore combined to various extents depending on the type of objects and their use. Masters of traditional handicrafts participate in the annual public workshop series called Meet Your Master!, which has become a well-known event for popularizing folk crafts in Latvia.