Crafted by hand

The artisans: who are they, what inspires them, what are their skills and how do they fathom their mission today? This photo diary leaves a visual imprint of a journey into the depths of the Bulgarian craftspeople’s destiny by creating portraits of skilled masters, illustrating their creative processes and showcasing the sophistication of their articles.

Under the circumstances of an increasingly digitized daily round, the issue of the preservation and future of manual labor as a sustainable livelihood and as part of the cultural heritage of a given nation, has gained in relevance. In this sense, Crafted by Hand shines the spotlight on master craftspeople who have chosen to devote their lives to professions practiced by only few in this country, and in some cases even worldwide. Using the format of a photo diary with supplemented texts for each master and his craft, Crafted by Hand presents six documentary photo series featuring some of the rarest crafts in Bulgaria. The photographs capture the face behind the craft, the environment at work, the specific tools, the creative process and some of their finished works. The goal and mission of Crafted by Hand is not only to give greater publicity to these rare occupations, but also to recall the need for the preservation and development of the crafts typical of Bulgaria. With their craftsmanship and artistic worth, the products of manual labor are part and parcel of the Bulgarian national heritage and identity and may serve as an excellent promotional tool to present the country to the rest of the world.