This is NOT art... or is it?
This is NOT art... or is it?
I’m a little late today and that’s because I spent all yesterday and part of today finalizing the details on the print version of Mag Bash and it’s FINALLY HERE! Well, almost, because I need to wait for the publishing gods at Amazon KDP to give it the thumbs up…but soon!
The Finds
All I’m saying is, never trust Owen Wilson to do what you expect, like taking on the role of not-Bob Ross.
Winter has finally hit Southern California in full swing (we’re always a bit late to the chill fest), and it makes me wish that we lived in the wonderland that exists only in European travel posters.
Like most curatorial sites online, BOOOOOOOM has a ritual of their favorite photos of the year. Unlike most sites, these don’t suck.
If you’re a Roald Dahl fan, this will make you very mad.
Kendall Ross knits her innermost thoughts into sweaters, like this truth bomb about the difference between fine art and craft. (link credit to Danielle Krysa)
Where Is the Line?
There’s a magazine I occasionally peruse whenever I’m at the bookstore called Craft, and it’s filled with amazing pieces of handmade furniture, textile arts, ceramics, and sculptures. And when I look at most of what’s in that magazine, I can’t help but think it’s more art than craft.
When I saw the sweater above featured by The Jealous Curator, I had a bit of a creative existential crisis. What is the delineation between art and craft? Where does the line exist? Does that line exist only within our personal perception?
On a whim, I asked ChatGPT (because it’s great at these kinds of things) what is the difference between art and craft. Almost as expected, I got a fairly noncommittal answer.
The distinction between art and craft can be somewhat subjective, but there are some general differences between the two:
Purpose: art is typically created primarily for its aesthetic value or to express an idea or emotion, while craft is often created with a functional purpose in mind.
Skill level: While both art and craft require skill and creativity, craft tends to emphasize technical proficiency and mastery of a particular medium or technique.
Originality: art is often seen as a more personal and expressive form of creation, with a greater emphasis on originality and individuality, while craft may involve following established patterns or traditions.
Intention: art is typically created with the intention of conveying a message or evoking a response from the viewer, while craft is often created with the intention of producing a useful object.
However, it's worth noting that these distinctions can be blurry, and many works of art could also be considered craft, and vice versa. Ultimately, the distinction between art and craft may be a matter of perspective and context.
It’s interesting that something can start as craft and be deemed art by some yet remain defined as craft by others. By the same measure, can art also become craft?
If I make a painting, it’s art. If I send that painting to get limited edition prints by a print shop, does that make it craft since the prints were made by a craftsman?
If I manufacture a bunch of collectible vinyl toys based on my art, is that craft? What if I customize each one individually?
Virgil Abloh once shared a thought about a candle his company was manufacturing. The candle was nothing special, in fact, looked like someone made it out of a discarded canned meat container.
“If I put this candle in an all-white gallery space, it looks like a piece of art. If I put this in a garage, it looks like trash.”
He goes on to say that he could spend his time designing the candle in a way that tries to imply that it’s worth the high price tag he would put on it (and it would be HIGH), or he could design the room around the candle and prove it’s worth.
I don’t know if that answers the question between art and craft, but I can’t stop thinking about those quotes and how I might change the surroundings of my art.
Cheers,
Dave
Extra
Finally the definitive expression of right and wrong.