According to Merriam-Webster, America's oldest dictionary, "authentic" became the most popular word of 2023. Increased interest has been fueled by talk of artificial intelligence, reflections on self-identity, and social media. Interest in the problem of identity in the modern world coincided with the growing need for Ukrainians to study their own self-identification, a new wave of which appears every time during events that threaten the sovereignty of the state and the existence of the nation. The book "Contemporary Ukrainian Crafts | "Traditional Handicrafts in a Modern Design" is absolutely outstanding.
First of all, it is a story about unique and distinctive crafts that have a thousand-year tradition; about talented Ukrainians, real enthusiasts who research, study and interpret them, creating new meanings, programming modern Ukrainian code. At the same time, this edition is also a chronicle of the present, which tells the stories of the lives of our compatriots - about their search for their purpose and favorite business, how they find themselves precisely in folk artistic crafts, creating beauty with their own hands that brings joy to people. This reveals the genetic industriousness of Ukrainians, a tendency to create with their own hands, a desire for crafts that are passed down from generation to generation.
The book has eight chapters dedicated to such folk arts and crafts as ceramics, carpet and tapestry, home textiles, carving, wood carving, candle making, handmade furniture, shoemaking; as well as a chapter on rethinking materials. This is the first issue in a series that focuses on craft items for the home; the next one will be devoted to clothing and jewelry.
