April 7 – June 30
Craftsmanship has traditionally had the power to bring people together.
Some of the work involved in making objects is inherently collaborative and communal in nature. Snutka golińska is a type of embroidery practiced in Golina (near Jarocin) since at least the mid-19th century. Although it doesn’t imitate or pretend to be anything else, snutka golińska resembles lace. Yet it is not lace. It is embroidered with white threads on white fabric. After the decorative elements are stitched, most of the fabric is cut away. The name “snutka” comes from the Polish word nasnuwanie, meaning the act of connecting individual motifs within a composition using thread.
Craftsmanship requires the involvement of many people and a commitment to ensuring that there are still those willing to carry it on. A natural impulse is to try to interest potential future practitioners in the technique, thus helping to preserve it from being forgotten. In the project “Snutka Connects”, visual artist Agnieszka Grygiel decides to do something more. This exhibition seems to stem from a reflection on the good that can be done through snutka. The answer the artist finds is as unexpected as it is heartening. Just as the connecting threads unite decorative motifs, snutka can also have the power to connect individuals—particularly those who are often overlooked by those concerned with preserving the craft. Snutka will bring together people who might never have met otherwise.
