Dan Wilson on fri 20 sep 96
It seems to me that the Art vs. Craft debate has gone far enough don't you
think? How many years are we gonna go around in little circles amongst
ourselves trying to re-define the notions of Craft and Craftperson; Art and
Artist? Measuring the value of one against the value of the other is
foolishness. Those potters and artists out there who insist on making an
issue out of the thing are suffering needlessly at the hands of a culture
out of control- in the midst of redefining itself. Get yourselves under
control. Pottery has a tradition as long as your arm. Art has a tradition
as long as your other arm. When you put your hands together with a little
clay in between theres no tellin what the result is gonna be. Whether it
comes out lookin like a teapot or an abstract expressionist sculpture isn't
the issue. Quality is the issue. Beauty is the issue. Those of you thinkin
maybe they aren't are foolish too. Without Quality and without Beauty
everything you're doin in the name of art is "Theory". Very few of us
humans survive on theory which itself demands an even greater commitment to
quality. While I'm at it I'd like to say something about promotion. The
idea of promoting Craft as Art is foolish as well. Promoting your "craft"
by shoving it in the faces of Museum Curators and Critics who may be more
concerned with promoting Post-Impressionist painters or Minimalist
sculptors is nothing more than asking them to give their dog a new name.
This behavior only leads to a life-time of self-abasement which destroys
the spirit and eventualy the work itself. The best way to promote your
craft is to stand up and be proud. One more thing. You iconnoclasts out
there standin at the feet of the merceless goddess of "Art" beatin on your
breasts or emmolating yourselves in her name? She's a merceless monster
without a care for your personal needs and desires. Even if you do convince
her to change her hair color she's gonna swallow you up one night in your
dreams, just to be spitefull. She likes makin her own decisions and she's
not given to changin her mind on a whim. Well, I've said about as much as
I'm gonna say on this subject for now. You'll all be tested in a week, so
make sure you've got your hair combed and your ties on straight. Its gonna
be a tough one.
Dan. I supppose you know where I'm from by now.
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