Discovering Lefkaritika
Updated: Dec 15, 2020
August 2020
I am so fortunate to be on a month long #erasmus funded course, based in the village of #lefkara, where my paternal family was from. My research focus is the #unescoheritage protected craft of #lefkaritika made by the local women, including possibly my #yiayia.
Today, walking through #lefkaravillage for the first time, I met a wonderful woman called Aphrodite and found out she is my cousin!
I'm especially interested in #lefkaralace because of its unique approach to creating by #deconstruction - that is cutting holes into the linen, before embroidering the borders. The designs are based on local landscape and artefacts. I am studying it with the aim of translating the process into a pedagogical framework for writing with #memoryloss. Accepting and embedding holes (or gaps), into the very fabric of a piece. Listening to the #silences
And what is happening of course, is I am discovering and learning memories I have forgotten or never owned. Filling the gaps. Losing the silence.
All I can say at the moment, is protect and preserve.