The white turban - "Has a sensual symbolism"

One of the county's most widespread works of art is Paul Sahlin's old Jämtland costume, with typical motifs from the county and a text that begins with "In Jämtland är artut to be". Now Frösö handprint has produced a modern version of the classic work - with shells and exotic fruits.

Art is free and its purpose is to evoke emotions. These were the starting values ​​that the designer Carolina Sardal Jerhov went in with when, together with Frösö handprint, she decided to make a new interpretation of the classic Jämtland clothing, but adapted for our time rather than Paul Sahlin's more agriculturally oriented 20th century.

The result is a screen print in ten colors, with a large shell in the center of a series of symbolic motifs taken from the Mediterranean region and the text "In the forest the winds dance, to them your glass rises, under the sun and the clear light of all her stars". The snail and the fruits are flanked by field winds, a stubborn weed that has started to spread to southern Norrland in recent years, and over it all stretches a starry sky with moon and sun.

- Stars, moon and the incredible sunlight, that's Norrland for me. I had never seen anything like it before I came here, says Carolina Sardal Jerhov.

She recently took her master's degree in textile design in Gothenburg, and it was in connection with her three-month internship at Frösö Handtryck ending on Thursday that she presented her work to the public.

The fact that the new Jämtlandsbonad does not resemble Paul Sahlins' model, she considers to be the very purpose of it.

- I have used Pauls Sahlins' method to build up the composition, with overlays, underlays and a middle layer. But I didn't want to make a copy and there are no rules for style; because that's how new art forms are created and to arouse emotions is what you want, says Carolina Sardal Jerhov.

The reason why she has chosen to put a shell in the center of the bonnet's motif is that it is nature's only real design object. It consists of a dead material that is nevertheless created, shaped and built upon by the creatures that inhabit it. The shell is the first known accessory that early humans adorned their bodies with and is often used as a symbol of female sensuality and sexuality.

- Even the papaya and the pomegranate have a sensual symbolism. What I want with it is to appeal to a new generation of women. Especially young, controlled and talented girls with the message that it's actually okay to be girly, fiery and messy, says Carolina Sardal Jerhov.

Just as fundamentally different as the new costume is in relation to the original is the way she has composed the motif.

- I have created it with the help of artificial intelligence. I've instructed Chat GPT what I want, in text form, and received suggestions back. I then developed these in dialogue with the program until I was satisfied. It has been interesting to use such a modern method on such a traditional craft, says Carolina Sardal Jerhov.

The bonnet is screen-printed in six colours. Nevertheless, the eye perceives ten, because Carolina Sardal Jerhov has used a technique called overprinting, where the colors are printed on top of each other and thus create new shades.

She has created 67 unique copies of the garment, with the hope that they will strike the right chords with the young generation of fellow citizens she is targeting.

- Parents usually think it's a bit stale with clothes, but my generation thinks it's cool. I really want people to like it and want it in their home, says Carolina Sardal Jerhov.

Text: Marcus Berglund, Östersundsposten