Preserving the past to serve the future

Lilli Zickerman (1858–1949) was an entrepreneur who took part in organising the Swedish handicraft associations late 19th century. She also a pioneer archives and active feminine sphere of textile handicraft. From 1914–1931 she conducted huge inventory called Folk Textile Art that consists more than 24,000 photographs descriptions vernacular textiles manuscripts for planned series books films. By mapping handicrafts, aimed to preserve traditional craft techniques inspire their continued production. Her intention create archive inspiration education future artists. The has had effects are still apparent today; this paper illuminates ways which Zickerman’s ideas about handicrafts have contributed continuation cultural heritage how it become authorised discourse continues guide scholars practitioners involved history Here, we will present first article within ongoing project on conducted. We contextualise knowledge contains by focusing past serve future. critical perspective, discuss geographical as method investigating invent­tory; inclusion exclusion areas, techniques, materials people; expressed inventory; networks created. doing so, aim highlight connections between people, people materials, current day.