Broom-making is a traditional craft that is rarely practiced today. Cheap products and a throwaway culture are increasingly pushing it out of existence, even though a handmade broom can last up to 40 years. The “HandLauf” aims to bring this nearly forgotten craft back into the spotlight and make it accessible to the public.

Pia Matthes explores the disappearance of traditional craftsmanship and translates it into a contemporary artistic language. Her works exist at the intersection of design and art; they are both material explorations and vessels for stories.

The materials used tell stories of regions, people, and traditions: of broom maker Harald Klein in Ramberg in the Palatinate, who tirelessly fights to preserve his craft, or of Cyril Ott, the sawmill manager and sociologist, who is witnessing how his trees are suffering increasingly due to climate change.