The co-creation process went very well. The different techniques fit together perfectly in the creation of our "starry sky lamp". The project required the meeting of two artisanal arts: the tanning of sheep and goat skins (my part) and the processing of alpha to create the structure on which to mount the skins (the part of the women of the semmama). The whole project led to an alternation of artisanal techniques that then came together in the finished product. The moment of fixing the skin on the structure was very beautiful because at that moment, after each of us had done our part teaching the other the processing techniques, our creative minds came together and worked together to find a solution. The co-creation process took place at first in alternating steps of different artisan techniques: the tanning of the leather, a technique that I brought, and the creation of the alpha structure, knowledge brought by the Tunisian artisans. at a later stage the process led to a close collaboration to study the fixing of the leather on the structure and finally we cut out the stars on the dry leather.
The activities were carried out as follows: immediately after Eid (06/06/2025) we took the skins of the animals sacrificed during this celebration and we began the process necessary for their subsequent tanning. While we waited for the skins to be ready we had an afternoon of brainstorming with the artisans of the center to talk about the design of the lamp on a theoretical level and understand what was the best way to create the structure in alpha. Afterwards we tanned the skins together and they were left to dry. In the following days they taught me the basic techniques of working with vegetable fiber and together we created the structure of our lamp. The final phase was fixing the skin on the structure which took much longer than expected due to the spherical shape of the lamp but together we found a solution. Finally we cut out the shape of many small stars on the dry skin... and then we turned on the light All the activities related to the project took place inside the cultural center from 9 in the morning until more or less 17.
Absolutely yes, Zainab (coordinator of the artisans of the center) and I got along very well. We have a very similar artistic mind, we both deal with circular economy but with completely different materials. We cooperated, exchanged techniques and advice. The design I brought was very well received and we have already designed new models together not only of lamps but of various other furnishing objects. Inchallah we will have the opportunity to continue developing projects together in the future.
Ludovica Parentini