Од занает до индустрија – креирање идеолошки и визуелен код преку македонската текстилна орнаментика во НР Македонија (1945 – 1958)
From craft to industry – creating an ideological and visual code through Macedonian textile ornaments in Macedonia (1945 – 1958)

Summary/Abstract: The institutionalization of Macedonian textile ornamentation after 1945 established a dual model: industrial and cultural-protective. The company “Makedonski folklor” represents a rare example of state intervention aimed at preserving and codifying traditional craftsmanship, situating it within the framework of socialist cultural policy. This process constitutes a complex phenomenon in which the ideological, economic, and cultural priorities of the socialist state intersected. The formation of the dual model – industrial and cultural-protective – enables an understanding of the ways in which traditional textile heritage was simultaneously transformed and preserved.On the one hand, through industrial production, ornamentation was adapted to the demands of mass production, often resulting in simplification, standardization, and a detachment from local and individual craft specificities. On the other hand, the cultural-protective model sought to preserve the authenticity, symbolism, and formal diversity of traditional motifs, positioning them as carriers of national and cultural identity.In this context, the activities of the company “Makedonski folklor” occupy a particularly significant place. As an institutional attempt at the systematic collection, documentation, and codification of textile ornamentation, the enterprise functioned as a mediator between traditional craft knowledge and contemporary cultural policies. State intervention, although conditioned by the ideological framework of socialism, enabled the creation of archival collections, educational models, and production standards that contributed to continuity in the transmission of knowledge and skills related to textile ornamentation. Textile ornamentation was simultaneously protected as cultural heritage and transformed into an ideologically and aesthetically regulated expression, adapted to the dominant cultural narratives of the period. The institutionalization of Macedonian textile ornamentation after 1945 may therefore be understood as a dynamic “process of convergence” between tradition and modernity, between artisanal individuality and state cultural policy. The example of “Makedonski folklor” illustrates the complex role of institutions as both protectors and transformers of cultural heritage. This process has left lasting consequences on the ways in which textile ornamentation is perceived, valued, and represented today, opening space for further research into the relationship between cultural policy, heritage, and contemporary creative practices.

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