Promoting the Craft Illusion - Essay Example

Introduction The word ceramics was derived from a greek word, keramikos, 'having to do with pottery'. The term covers inorganic materialsthat are formed by the use of heat on clay. These products were hard, brittle, porous and brittle. Therefore the study of ceramics consists to a large extent of methods which will ease these shortcomings and improve the strengths and marketability of these materials (Wikipedia, 2006). The processing of these materials would evolve in the later years following its first uses, extending to wide areas spanning art, engineering, and other fields. Clay, the main ingredient in ceramic has been used in different aesthetics forms. Anna Chapenney (1998) in her article, A World of Clay, noted that though potters, ceramists and studio potters did not follow a single, broad, aesthetic style or embrace one particular philosophy, the only thing they had in common was the use of clay (3). Several philosophies and thoughts have emerged over the years. In his book The New Ceramics: Trends and Traditions, Author Peter Domer (1994) asserted that: With hindsight it is discernable that in the 1980's ceramics existed in a middle house between craft and art rather than design and art. In the 1990's this situation has become strongly apparent. The contemporary fine art world is centred on the galleries and the museums.......ceramicists want to join this enclosed, increasingly private realm of art...an art that has successfully disconnected itself from the responsibilities of the outside world and where practitioners deny any role to do with design, function or common meaning. But in artists, curators and other priests of art I'm not keen to embrace clay workers. (p.196) In examining the issues raised by Domer we must not forget our world is constantly evolving and developing new ways of doing things. We will take a look at the his assertions, searching for common ground or difference(s) in opinions or beliefs under the following headings; Ceramics as Craft and Art; The notion that craft is art has generated numerous comments; in describing the differences between craft and art against their functionality or usefulness, Kevin A. Hluch (1990), Professor of Art, quotes from Octavia Paz book In Praise of Hands that "there was a constant shifting ....between usefulness and beauty. This continual exchange has a name: pleasure. Things are pleasing because they are useful and beautiful. This copulative conjunction defines craftwork, just as the disjunctive conjunction defines art and technology: usefulness or beauty" (1). To buttress this point Kevin Hlutch (1990) stated that fine art is defined by contemporary art orthodoxy as that type of human expression that is at its core functionally useless (1). Hlutch further contends that to "equate craft as art and crafts people as artist" misses the point because craft and art have different aesthetics (1990, 1) He somewhat concludes that "as the original definition of craft looses credence in the craft world, the ceramic form that signifies that definition, utilitarian pottery has lost its 'market share' in that world" (Hluch, 1990). Ceramics as Design and Art If defining a place for ceramics in Arts and craft posited debates, as Domer himself pointed out, ceramics should have been seen as design and art, not as craft and art. Kevin Murray (2003) a ceramicist believes that the terms 'craft' and 'design' rest on a continuum and the continuum is understood as the degree of responsibility by the individual for the physical construction of a work. In the case of craft, it is assumed that an individual has made the work him- or herself, whether by hand or machine [while] design in contrast is often executed by others (9). He claims that "the design aura is an obvious advantage to those wanting to give their products extra value and protect their intellectual capital" explaining that "It is reasonable for designers to develop their 'brand identity' as much as their 'product'" (Murray, 2003). He continues stressing that the differences between craft and design are evident on a number of dimensions including: Skill versus creativity: where producing an object requires both skill and creativity, craft tends to emphasize the skill of the practitioner, in design it is creativity which tends to be most valued as the history of design is partly told in the imaginative leaps made by individual designers (10). Expressive versus consumer: another critical difference between craft and design is in the gallery context. Craft tends to be closer to the visual arts as an expressive medium, through which the maker attempts to make a personal statement. Design is more likely to be approached as a consumable item-something to be purchased rather than admired in its own right. Murray writes further "that craft is often perceived as having a lower status than design hinging this on "recreational pursuits and weekend markets" (2003, 15). In somewhat disagreeing with Domer's assertion, Murray concedes that aspects of Crafts exist with no relevance to design, as "crafts remain a humanistic art form that privileges that maker's mark. Handmade ceramic..... have an enduring quality that is linked to the manual skills of the craft practitioners, as the value will remain as expressive goods. The presence of a brand or fashionable designer label can detract from this personal meaning." (2003, 26). Ceramics, Arts, Museums and Galleries According to Peter Domer, the "contemporary fine art world is centred around the gallery and the museums..... [and] ceramists long to join this enclosed private world" (1994, p.196), it's obvious what Domer's thoughts were from his statement. Several others have written extensively on this 'truth'. Author Kevin Hluch submits that "Contemporary fine artists for the most part, have become docile cogs in an elaborate design (....) for galleries, museums and other art related institutions" (1996, 2). In examining the work of Peter Voulkous, Hluch says that "authentic and significant artistic expressions, as defined by contemporary western culture, are not limited by media" (1990, 3). He went on to confirm Domer's earlier statement, pointing out that "Ceramic Sculpture, as well as other art work springing from non-traditional fine art media, [are] finally being accepted by fine art museums and galleries as a legitimate forms of artistic expression (1996, 2,) Hluch's (1996) passion is evident as he notes that "Art and Artists have been isolated from the larger public audience, principally for monetary reasons" (3).With Fine Artists "producing precious works for wealthy collectors and it is this fountainhead that craft artists [including ceramists] have so assiduously envied and sought" (3), thus affirming Domer's position. These has of course led to an alienation and a disconnect between the artists, ceramists and their society as the concept of the craft artists producing works that were accessible and admired by the general public has been derailed, perhaps, permanently (Hluch, 1990, 3). On the other hand, contends Hluch (1996) "throughout history countless art works had been commissioned by innumerable Pharaohs, Kings, Popes and other important personages, not only did these works serve the rich and the powerful but they also served the society at large" (1996, 3). Function, Roles and Common Meaning. The perceived function, roles or common meaning of ceramics have varied across time. Therefore, asks Kevin Hluch (1996) "what is the advantage of freeing craft media and technique for fine art expressions if the crafts themselves are still bedevilled by function" (13), in answering his own question he posits that Craft media have traditionally been associated with utilitarian forms (13). From the old pottery studios to the more modern museums and galleries their uses have been stretched. In an interview R.G Madden, an eminent design retailer highlights the critical role of craft; he notes the lack of relationship between mass production and craft process while discussing the weakness of the design culture in the USA (Dimasi 2002). To free them from a stereotyping, Hluch (1996) insists that; Craft artist must disentangle themselves from the straight jacket of the fine art aesthetic that reject out of hand beauty, timelessness, tradition, relevancy and function. They must instead re-establish the well-spring of an art whereby the concept originates from everyday life and common human experiences not confusing value and quality with monetary riches (13). In another article a design retailer commenting on the functions of design argues that designs are very easily imitated, [thus] reducing the value of product with economies of scale. He notes that by contrast, the skill and understanding of materials possessed by those [ceramists] involved in making products cannot be easily copied ("Longmuir,", n.d.). Recently more uses of ceramics have shown it versatility as it enjoys wider role in technology. In reaction to the deletion of ceramic courses at a school, a group highlights a social role for the craft stating that: Ceramics is also vulnerable as a discipline that works in the third dimension. Reality today is increasingly flattened out to fit into the ever growing number of screens. Of course, these problems are exactly what make ceramics such as critical medium for our time. There is something especially human about the process of making three-dimensional form out of the earth. This is particularly important to preserve as the screen monoculture takes over more of our common reality and the only nature we see is through the windscreen of our 4-wheel drives ("The future of ceramics," n.d.). The future The well spring of the fine arts, as compared to the craft arts, is currently at perilously low ebb. The presumed redemption for crafts artists, consequently, will not be found in the muddied waters that presently pervade that world. A search for a new source to replenish this reservoir must be begun in earnest and the craft arts can point the way (Hluch 1996). Many have written about what next for ceramics, with ground breaking technology in the last thirty years, the potential of these materials have soared now more than ever. Today with software packages like PhotoShop, there is relatively minimal technical skill needed to design something impressive. When such resources become common, we renew our appreciation of an individual's drawing [or crafting] skills (Murray 2003). Among the new genre is the field of virtual ceramics a field using computer generated images in 3D. Dutch ceramist's Jeroen Berctold a pioneer in this field claims that: "virtual ceramics are exactly the same as any other intelligently applied craft, as they both involve the use of brains and feelings". He continues that "the main ideas are thoughts, love and style claiming that shapes have to do with love---touching form, shade, light etc". Craft, says Berctold is all about looking, touching and feeling with your own eyes and emotions as we already live in a world where images are far more important than the object (Berctold n.d.). Adding his voice to the seeming disinterest in the arts in place of more methods a la the Computer Aided Designs, CAD, Hluch (1996) regrets that today's public neither understands nor respects the bulk of contemporary artistic endeavours. Thus, the inability of the larger potential audience to develop an empathetic response to contemporary art has had the pernicious affect of making art appear meaningless, irrelevant and unimportant (5). Though overwhelmed by the impact of the CAD on the crafts landscape, some watchers belief that: PhotoShop [or other CAD'S] is not an evil in itself. It is valid for ceramists today to take what they can from the new technologies. There is room in the future for an experimental ceramics that makes new connections with different disciplines: ceramics and music, ceramics and photography, ceramics and architecture. Ceramics offers a way of giving other disciplines expression in three-dimensional form ("The Future of ceramics," n.d.) Conclusion In examining the comments of Peter Domer with particular reference to opinions of practitioners in the field, one has sometimes found concurrence with his views and at other times a thin line almost too intricate to differentiate. While it is correct to say that the craft 'movement' has witnessed several challenges it is also important to add that it has still maintained its relevancies. The location of the great artists might have changed with their philosophies becoming adjusted openly and closeted at the same time, but it does not completely dismantle the function, roles and meaning they have had for ages. Kevin Hluch (1996) wrote Craft artists communicate values different from contemporary fine artists. [Their] relevance, function, connection, warmth, continuity, and place are reaffirmed time and time again. It is the language of common human sense that the craft arts speak. Beautiful pottery makes ones life richer, fuller, deeper, and more human. Greek pottery, Shaker furniture, Palestinian embroidered dresses, Japanese kimonos, African masks, Inca jewellery: all glory in the process of construction and making, the richness of materiality, the sensuousness of tactility and the knowledge that shared values were conveyed directly to an audience in a most intimate, viable, and meaningful fashion. Craft objects possess a resonance and meaning that is immediate, direct, and unconfused (15). Hannah Arendt (1958) adds that "...writing something down, painting an image, modelling a figure, or composing a melody is of course related to the thought which preceded it, but that what actually makes the thought a reality and fabricates things of thought is workmanship which, through the instrument of human hands, builds the other durable things of human artifice (p.169). Warningly Kevin Hluch (1996) asserts that "until the fine arts culture recognizes that the power of art is not bound by economic exclusivity, aesthetic dissonance and abject greed but is concerned with human inter-relatedness, spirituality and transcendence in every facet of human existence, then the expressions of the [ceramic] craft arts will remain isolated in an oasis; there they should rightly abide" (16). References Arendt, H. (1958). The human condition. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1958, p. 169 Bechtold, J. (n.d.). Exclusive Interview with Dutch Ceramist Jeroen Bechtold. Ceramics Today. Retrieved January 10, 2006, from http://www.ceramicstoday.com/articles/092997.htm Chapenney, A. (1998). A World of Made of Clay. Rufford Craft Centre. Retrieved January 11, 2006 from http://www.ruffordcraftcentre.org.uk/ceramic/history/essayview.aspselect=6 Dimasi, R. (2002). R G Madden and 15 Years of Design. Dramatic Online. Retrieved January 11, 2006, from http://www.dramaticonline.com/do3/news/news.aspId=26205 Domer, P. (1994). The new ceramics: Trends and tradition. London: Thames and Hudson Pg 196 Hluch, K. A. (1990). Promoting the Craft Illusion. Mudslinger, 18 (2). Retrieved January 11, 2006, from http://users.erols.com/mhluch/90-promoting.pdf Hluch, K. A. (1996). Crafts: A Deconstructionist's View. Mudslinger. Retrieved January 11, 2006, from http://users.erols.com/mhluch/96-Decon.pdf Longmuir, R. (n.d.). Manufacturing Craft in Victoria. Craft Culture. Retrieved January 10, 2006 from http://www.craftculture.org/archive/longmuir1.htm Murray, K. (2003). Design and Craft. Ceramics Today. Retrieved January 10 2006, from http://www.ceramicstoday.com/articles/craft_design.htm Murray, K. (2004). The Fundamentalists Urge in Contemporary Ceramics. Craft Culture. Retrieved January 10, 2006, from http://www.craftculture.org/archive/kmurray3.htm The Future of Ceramics. (n.d.). A Forum in Response to the Closure of Ceramics at the VCA. Craft Culture. Retrieved January 10, 2006 from http://www.craftculture.org/tab/vcaresponse.htm Wikipedia contributors. (2006). Ceramics. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 18:28, January 12, 2006 from http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.phptitle=Ceramics&oldid=34895405 . Read More