CCC KAZAKHSTAN

In August 2022 I travelled to to Kazakhstan to participate in Cross Cultural Chairs Workshop, organised by Matteo Guarnaccia and Zhanna EE. The purpose of the project was to design a horse saddle in order to explore the tension between the western sedentary culture and the nomadic culture from the steppe.

Beyond making the saddle, during that time I made new friends, found myself while running in dusty roads and cemeteries and allowed myself to be more free.

Special thanks to Belén, who brought me here, Matteo, Zhanna and everyone who I met along this journey.

Photos by Matteo Guarnaccia, Lucas Momparler and me.

I worked with Elena Ianeselli and Nomuk Munkhbaatar to design the saddle alongside the help from a craftsman. We decided to explore how modern nomadism could be brought to life through the saddle by creating an artefact that takes inspiration from modern outdoor gear without missing the forms of the traditional kazak saddles.

To relate the strong connection between the nomadic culture and the planet, we decided to upcycle a vintage military raincoat as the main material for the saddle, which it also provides modern features found in outdoor gear, such as being waterproof and long-lasting. The saddle name “Size 2” is inspired by the label the raincoat originally had.