Does crafts have a future? Can hotels in Évora, Portugal, or in the other geographies, be the drivers of this art form?
Create itineraries. Develop actions. Promote artisans inside and outside your physical space.

Definition of handicraft and artisanal

h a n d i c r a f t

  1. Craft and technique of the craftsman.
  2. Group of artisans of a specific genre or location.
  3. Set of pieces or products resulting from the activity of artisans.
  4. Final product of the craftsman’s work.

a r t i s a n a l

  1. Relating to handicrafts.
  2. Which is crafted by craftsman.
  3. Which is done without resorting to sophisticated means or elaborate or industrial techniques

This manual art, knowing how to do it, creating something with your hands, has been around for a long time. We can place it in the Neolithic period, when stone was polished, pottery was manufactured to cook and store food, and clothing was made by weaving animal and vegetable fibers.

Is handicraft in danger?

From north to south, we find unique and differentiated forms of art. Many will be in the hands and minds of artisans from the old generation, living on isolated villages, with no apprentices, no future.

There is, however, a revival movement of this new art form through a new generation of artisans. A new touch. A new trait. A new look.

Can tourist entities help boost this art?

Portuguese soul: the various forms of art

handicraft
Handicraft show at Évora Olive Hotel – exhibition curatorship of Joana da Matta and photography of Alexander Bogorodskiy

The bronze

bell (handicraft)
Bell and rattle – Rodrigo Sim Sim

The cane

Ciranda
Ciranda – Miguel dos Santos

The ceramic

Pottery serving pan (handicraft)
Pottery serving pan – António Mestre & Manuel Pica
Plate (handicraft)
Plate – Leonor Mire
Mosaico hidraulico (handicraft)
Mosaico hidráulico – Francisca Faísco & Ana Faísco

The cork

Cocho (handicraft)
Cocho – Joaquim Pinto
Torno (handicraft)
Torno – Inga Sempé

These are just a few. We have so many others across this country. The weaving. The tapestry. The furniture. The embroidery. The lace. The jewelry. The basketry. …

Hotel & Handicraft

Let us be ambassadors and guardians of this ancient art.

Anyone visiting the Alentejo, or Portugal as a whole, wants to see authenticity, which is unique. The traveler wants to have experiences with meaning. Unique and memorable.


It is up to us to promote artisans from the old to the new generation. Eternize these cultural treasures.

Give them life, give them a future.

_

If you liked this article, continue to follow our blog, where we will continue to show you pieces of Alentejo culture, among others of our beautiful Portugal.