Recognition
The Quilted Blanket of life nominated for The European Prize for Applied Art
The Quilted Blanket of Life by Nina Vastl Štefe, which was presented as part of the Center for Creativity exhibition Crafting Futures, is nominated for the Maestria Award – European Prize for Applied Art (EPAA). The prize is awarded to the best creations of contemporary creation in the field of applied art and craft design by the World Craft Council Europe.
The Quilted Blanket of Life is a timeless textile piece dedicated to the stories of an individual, a family or a place. The blanket is created for important moments in life: birth, death, marriage, leaving home, for moments of encouragement, joy or honor. It is useful as a blanket, bedspread, picnic blanket, rug, curtain, room divider or wall decoration. But it can also serve as a special ritual textile reserved for special occasions. With the Quilted Blanket of Life project, Nina Vastl Štefe creates an intimate textile heritage that can be passed on to the next generation, preserved or added to a new part of the story. It is more than just a textile, it is a diary of life, stitched, sewn onto fabric.
Maestria – The European Prize for Applied Arts (EPAA) was given in 2009 for the first time to the best creations of contemporary creation in the field of applied art and craft design. This year the awards ceremony will take place on November 24, 2024, the day of the opening of a major exhibition bringing together some of the finest makers on the contemporary applied arts scene at the Anciens Abattoirs in Mons. This sixth edition will showcase around 100 unique pieces by 58 artists from 16 different European countries. The exhibition aims to show some of the finest work produced in Europe, displaying a range of perfectly mastered techniques with high aesthetic standards. Ceramics, glass, metal, wood and paper crafts and contemporary jewellery, will all be represented. Besides the skills required to produce these creations, their contemporariness is an important element. Current makers are going beyond the traditional codes and thinking “outside the box”. New materials and new techniques are being incorporated into the traditional recipes to create an art form that is both modern and ancient, codified and reactionary.
Two prizewinners will each be awarded 3.500€, thanks to the support of the World Craft Council Europe and the Ministry of Culture of the Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles.