Browsing by Author "El Harouny, Noora"

There has been very little research on bead embroidery on the context of contemporary art. The aim of the study was to describe the use of beads and bead embroidery in contemporary art by using one case as an example. The research assignment was to examine how the technique used by textile artist Aura Kajaniemi has emerged and evolved and how the materials and the used technique affect the artist's expression. The study describes a case that serves as an example of bead embroidery as a means of artistic expression. The research is a qualitative case study and the research data consist of an interview with textile artist Aura Kajaniemi. The data was transcribed and analyzed by a theory-driven content analysis method. Three main categories emerged from the data: 1) bead business, 2) working process, 3) being an artist. The categories were divided on to subcategories. The result of the research is a narratively whole case which describes the meaning of beads and bead embroidery and their effects on expression and the experience of being an artist. Examining the emerge and evolvement of the technique it turned out that beads and bead embroidery contained many meanings that still influenced artist's expression. The beads did not seem to restrict the creation and enabled the visual unity of different themes. Due to its features the material was also used in the sketching phase. The used materials and technique appeared to be mediums to express an idea rather than to be its source.