Loose Ends: Woven Memories Across Time

‘Loose Ends: Woven Memories Across Time’ responds to Sweden’s overlooked history of the 17th-century witch trials and the continued silence of the Swedish Church. More than 400 years later, the Church has yet to issue an official apology for the persecution and execution of hundreds of women, many punished for defying gendered norms and authority.

Rooted in the tradition of Swedish children dressing up as Easter witches, the project connects a seemingly playful ritual to a violent past. At its core is a sculptural storytelling instrument, inspired by the Norse goddess Freyja’s mythological chariot, which combines metalwork, ceramics and sound. An embedded string instrument weaves together erased voices, contemporary struggles and imagined futures.

Through speculative design and fictional archaeology, ‘Loose Ends’ becomes both a memorial and a political gesture. It asserts that an apology is not merely symbolic, but a necessary step toward historical accountability and confronting the ongoing legacy of gender-based violence.