front: story vases

detail of the bead work that is constructed around the form of a vase
photo © editions in craft


for milan design week 2011, editions in craft present 'story vases' by swedish design collective front
and the siyazama project - a collection of women working with traditional beadcraft - at spazio rossana orlandi.
'story vases' was conceived during a workshop held in durban, south africa in november 2010.



'story vase' by siyazama project + front
made by kishwepi sitole + front
made in south africa
limited edition
photo © anna lönnestan


the project tells the personal narratives of five women living in the remote villages of kwazulu-natal, south africa:
beauty ndlovu, thokozani sibisi, kishwepi sitole, tholiwe sitole and lobolile ximba,
who are all members of the siyazama project.

the project is recorded by front, each of the stories an individual documentation of the daily life of women
in rural post-apartheid south africa, many of which are rarely told. together with each of the women,
front selected excerpts of their conversations, each women developing their story into text through means of
threading glass beads onto metal wires. bead craft is an important part of the zulu tradition, not only as a form
of artistic expression, but also as a way of communicating. in the past, patterns and colors have been woven into beadwork,
symbolizing emotions and ideas. with these vessels, the wires containing the beaded stories were constructed around
vase-shaped moulds, in which glass was then blown by swedish master glassblower reino björk.



'story vase' by siyazama project + front
made by kishwepi sitole + front
made in south africa
limited edition
photo © anna lönnestan


the vision for the collaboration was to develop a new product together by sharing techniques and exchanging ideas
and is an ongoing series, each piece available in a limited edition produced by editions in craft.



'story vase' by siyazama project + front
made by lobolile ximba + front
made in south africa
limited edition
photo © anna lönnestan


'story vase' by siyazama project + front
from left to right: lobolile xima + front (blue), kishwepi sitole + front (red), beauty ndlovu + front (black)
made in south africa
limited edition
photo © anna lönnestan



thando mchunu + tholiwe sitole
photo © editions in craft



detail of the 'stories' being beaded
photo © editions in craft



tholiwe sitole
photo © editions in craft



charlotte von del lanken, tholiwe sitole + thando mchunu
photo © editions in craft



detail
photo © editions in craft



detail
photo © editions in craft



the vases in process
photo © editions in craft



beauty ndlovu + thokozani sibisi
photo © editions in craft



charlotte von del lanken, thando mchunu + kishwepi sitole
photo © editions in craft



up close look at the vases
photo © editions in craft



kishwepi sitole
photo © editions in craft


kishwepi sitole's story:
'the one bad thing my husband did was take another wife. he stays at my house some days,
other days he is with his other wife. some days are not good and I am not satisfied,
but other days I just don't care and just let things be. I am not accepting it, but I didn't have a choice.'



beauty ndlovu
photo © editions in craft

beauty ndlovu's story:
'my name is beauty. when I was young I dreamt of my own house. I used to draw houses,
and I wanted to become a decorator. now I have built my own house. I have three children,
and I am happy to have taught them how to make beads, so they can make their own income.'



thokozani sibisi
photo © editions in craft


thokaozani sibisi's story:
'my dream was to get married, have four children and to have a good house, a beautiful house with a veranda.
my house is not as beautiful as I wanted it. I am married but it's now how I thought because my husband does not work,
so I do not have a veranda.'



lobolile ximba
photo © editions in craft


lobolile ximba's story:
'I already made plans for the future. if I would get a life threatening illness, I have signed up for legal wise.
this will give me legal advice, handicap coverage for my family and a wheel chair if necessary.
my dream was to get married and to own a motorcar.'



sofia lagerkvist preparing the 'story' for glass blowing
photo © editions in craft



a look at the beadwork and glass fused together
photo © editions in craft



glass blower reino björk
photo © editions in craft



a look at the glass and bead work coming together
photo © editions in craft



swedish glassblower reino björk
photo © editions in craft



a vase going into the furnace
photo © editions in craft