Two Hands has been developed by Kevin Murray. As Director of Craft Victoria, he initiated the South Project, a program of south-south exchange which included gatherings in Melbourne, Wellington, Santiago and Johannesburg. These events attempted to be quite open, including not only academics and artists from cities, but also rural artisans, Indigenous peoples and township people.
During these events, it became clear that there were many important and interesting conversations happening between designers from the North seeking to working with artisans of the South. Such conversations had the opportunity to promote local crafts and ground design more broadly in the world. But behind these conversations was much mistrust, as participants dealt with the legacies of colonisation, dictatorship and neo-liberal economic policies.
What seemed missing was a forum whereby these issues could be discussed openly. Two Hands attempts to be that kind of forum.
Dr Kevin Murray is Adjunct Professor RMIT University, Research Fellow University of Melbourne and Adjunct Research Fellow Monash University. He is online editor of the Journal of Modern Craft, coordinator of Craft Talk, member of the Advisory Board of Indigo and representative on the World Craft Council. For more details, gohere.