A good read can be found here:
what is Art? What is an Artist?
Textiles were seen very much as a craft until recently.
Where is the difference between art and craft?
Is a life well lived an art in itself?
Is the soap wrapped in a facewasher any less a creation of an artist than the work of a well known painter.
Has the creator of each piece taken pride and creative satisfaction from creating these pieces. Has thought and problem solving skills been used for both? Is each a unique piece created by a unique person?
I sat in a committee meeting where selection of "craft" was discussed for a local craft fair. Many of the committee members where unhappy to include the facewasher wrapped soap. These "crafters" sat in judgement of their fellow "crafters". It reminded me of the hens in my chook pen. They were establishing the peeking order of "craft" and those that didn't measure up where peeked to death.
Artistic snobbery is just as offensive as any other form of snobbery. It is used to exclude and demoralise.
To my shame I didn't stand up for the soap wrappers! It shows my lack of understanding of what art and craft really is.
3 comments:
Unfortunately it is also the result of having only a limited number of positions and many candidate. Quilt shows and Job interviews use the same thing. If the "Soap Wrappers" are persistent they will find an audience. Who knows, with some thought they might come up with a really smart presentation and you will see them again next year. Or Not. We are all part of this hierarchy...
PS, I sympathies with your position, I have been on both sides too. It is never easy...
Your standing up now. Hopefully a non soap wrapper will read this and feel a little shame.
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