Welcome to NordFo's conference at Konstfack in Stockholm, Sweden 23–25 september 2026.
Logotype created by Jospehine Skapare, 2026
The theme of the conference is Material Intelligence
Lectures, paper presentations and workshops with a focus on socio-material perspectives of sloyd/crafts, drawing inspiration from, for example, embodied learning and posthuman theories.
Material agency, affordance, new materialism, the importance of sloyd/handicraft skills in today's society and creative encounters between material and human beings are concepts and themes that are highlighted during the conference days.
Keynote lectures are in English, paper presentations in language by choice.
Some dates
4 March – 20 April 2026: Submission of abstract
11 May 2026: Latest notification of accepted abstract
4 June 2026: Deadline Early bird registration 3.500 SEK
16 August 2026: Deadline conference registration (4.000 SEK full price)
Welcome!
Siri Homlong and Annelie Holmberg from the The Department of Visual Arts and Sloyd Education at Konstfack University of Arts, Crafts and Design
Any questions are referred to the email address nordfo2026@konstfack.se.
Wednesday 23rd September: Theme: Perspectives on the materials of sloyd
About a folk-art craft and the constant struggle on the knife's edge. Craftsman Jögge Sundqvist begins with a lecture about his struggle with and against the material. Using an ax knife he shapes a wooden handicraft object within "the four walls", whilst working with an unbending desire to craft with his unique aesthetic expression.
Associate Professor Simon Ceder on socio material theory, material agency and assemblage, with examples from current sloyd research.
Thursday 24rd September: Theme: The Sloyd and the Brain
Professor Marte Gulliksen about her work with wood carving after her ability to see 3-dimensionally disappeared. Brain researcher professor Henrik Jörntell on connections between the brain and the rest of the body e.g. fine motor skills, health and the importance of crafts in this context.
Friday 25rd September: Theme: Material intelligence - from tradition towards the future
Konstfack's professor Maja Gunn and PhD student Ernesto Garcia present some current research projects related to Konstfack, based on sustainability, materials and craft skills. Assistant professor Ingá Elisá Påve Idivuoma about the relationship between humans, animals and materials in a tribute to the reindeer.
See the detailed program for more information.