From: IN%"[email protected]" "Ceramic Arts Discussion List" 2-MAR-1993
10:59:18.06
To: IN%"HRL@xxxxxxxxxxxx" "Howard Lawrence"
CC:
Subj: art vs. craft
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Date: Tue, 2 Mar 1993 10:50:05 -0500
From: Victoria Neff <vln@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: art vs. craft
Sender: Ceramic Arts Discussion List <[email protected]>
To: Howard Lawrence <HRL@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
Reply-to: Ceramic Arts Discussion List <[email protected]>
Message-id: <01GVBWJ9GYG496VKU6@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
Thanks for posting your comments on art vs. craft. This is an issue
I've
been thinking about on and off for 20 years, too. I used to be a
student
at my local Potters' Guild, and now I'm involved in various sorts of
fiber
work.
I've always been seriously annoyed at people who take something that
could be functional, and render it non-functional (disfunctional?? :-)
)
and call it art. So-called "quilts" that cannot be used, say.
I've also always been seriously annoyed at people who think they make
Art,
and who look down their noses at people who can and do make functional
teapots.
This is not to suggest that I think no one should attempt to make Art
with
Craft Materials, but rather that I think a teapot that is properly
constructed (and doesn't drip! :-) ) and beautiful is probably Art.
In your message you talk about Art as an attempt to express something
about the human condition. I like this. And I think that a
functional,
beautiful teapot IS Art, and addresses the human condition. Does it
not say "here is a comfort, provided in a sensible, functional, and
beautiful way"? And does this not imply that comfort is needed, which
in turn addresses the human condition?
This is a quiet, homely sort of Art, but I'll maintain that it is at
least
as important as a ceramic sculpture dealing with war.
In fact, I'm starting to go off an a male/female tangent -- who says
that
the smaller, quieter Arts that are needed to nurture human beings on
an moment to moment basis are less important than the larger, noisier
Arts
that horrify or move people to action???
Hmmmm. Hadn't thought about this aspect of the art vs. craft argument
before
this very minute, but I suspect that this is why I've always been so
annoyed -- it looks to me like "women's work" or women's interests
being
devalued as ususal..........
Now THERE'S a can of worms you didn't mean to open! :-)
Thanks for making me think!
-- Vicki
10:59:18.06
To: IN%"HRL@xxxxxxxxxxxx" "Howard Lawrence"
CC:
Subj: art vs. craft
Return-path: <[email protected]>
Return-path: CLAYART <@PSUVM.PSU.EDU:[email protected]>
Received: from Jnet-DAEMON by ARCH.PSU.EDU (PMDF #12866) id
<01GVBWJ9GYG496VKU6@xxxxxxxxxxxx>; Tue, 2 Mar 1993 10:59 EDT
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2 Mar 1993 10:59 EST
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(LMail V1.1d/1.7f) with BSMTP id 5710; Tue, 2 Mar 1993 10:50:53 -0500
Date: Tue, 2 Mar 1993 10:50:05 -0500
From: Victoria Neff <vln@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: art vs. craft
Sender: Ceramic Arts Discussion List <[email protected]>
To: Howard Lawrence <HRL@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
Reply-to: Ceramic Arts Discussion List <[email protected]>
Message-id: <01GVBWJ9GYG496VKU6@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
Thanks for posting your comments on art vs. craft. This is an issue
I've
been thinking about on and off for 20 years, too. I used to be a
student
at my local Potters' Guild, and now I'm involved in various sorts of
fiber
work.
I've always been seriously annoyed at people who take something that
could be functional, and render it non-functional (disfunctional?? :-)
)
and call it art. So-called "quilts" that cannot be used, say.
I've also always been seriously annoyed at people who think they make
Art,
and who look down their noses at people who can and do make functional
teapots.
This is not to suggest that I think no one should attempt to make Art
with
Craft Materials, but rather that I think a teapot that is properly
constructed (and doesn't drip! :-) ) and beautiful is probably Art.
In your message you talk about Art as an attempt to express something
about the human condition. I like this. And I think that a
functional,
beautiful teapot IS Art, and addresses the human condition. Does it
not say "here is a comfort, provided in a sensible, functional, and
beautiful way"? And does this not imply that comfort is needed, which
in turn addresses the human condition?
This is a quiet, homely sort of Art, but I'll maintain that it is at
least
as important as a ceramic sculpture dealing with war.
In fact, I'm starting to go off an a male/female tangent -- who says
that
the smaller, quieter Arts that are needed to nurture human beings on
an moment to moment basis are less important than the larger, noisier
Arts
that horrify or move people to action???
Hmmmm. Hadn't thought about this aspect of the art vs. craft argument
before
this very minute, but I suspect that this is why I've always been so
annoyed -- it looks to me like "women's work" or women's interests
being
devalued as ususal..........
Now THERE'S a can of worms you didn't mean to open! :-)
Thanks for making me think!
-- Vicki