The concept of belonging has always fascinated me. It may take various forms, from where you were born, to the house you grew up in, to the individuals you're associated with. As an individual who grew up in 4 different countries, the sense of belonging has always been a mystery to me. Within this project, my aim is to explore the subject of belonging “Nowhere and Everywhere” while focusing on traditional arts and crafts from four different countries (Russia, UAE, Spain and the Netherlands).

I am intrigued by the combination between tradition, culture, and design. My research seeks to explore the challenging relationship between those aspects and the influence they have on an individual's sense of belonging. These traditions can fade or become lost entirely when living in a different cultural environment. What if instead of losing those traditions, we can combine them and create something new and unique?

Within this project, my aim is to explore a sense of belonging, growing up as a cosmopolitan. While focusing on traditional arts and crafts from four different countries (Russia, UAE, Spain, and the Netherlands), my research seeks to explore the challenging relationship between tradition, culture, and design in our modern world. The outcome was a short film and a book.