This Crafts talk took place on Thursday, 16 May 2024 at Crafts Council Gallery in London to set the scene for This Country , a year-long programme running from autumn 2024 to summer 2025 exploring English identity and culture through the lens of craft. The speakers were Gus Casely-Hayford, director of V&A East, artist Corbin Shaw, and designer-researcher Shai Akram. In conversation with Crafts’ editor Debika Ray, they considered the often thorny relationship between craft and heritage in England – and looked to conjure new ways to think about identity and culture.
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About the speakers
Gus Casely-Hayford is director of the forthcoming V&A East, as well as a curator, cultural historian, academic and editor-at-large of Crafts.
Corbin Shaw is an artist who explores ideas of masculinity through textiles. Corbin is best known for his unique take on the St George's cross.
Shai Akram is a researcher, designer and co-founder of Studio Alt Shift, as well as a former Crafts Council curatorial fellow. Shai’s PhD research focuses on the integration of indigenous making techniques with industrialised production, aiming for a hybrid manufacturing future.