Philip Poburka on mon 9 sep 02
For me, the resoltion to the conundrums of this, lay in how
I feel that the terms 'Art' and 'Craft' have been confused
by casual mis-use, to connote simply too wide of disparate
elements of catagories, for
these catagories to have to them, enough in common, to even
be Catagories at all.
In which mis-use, the mere facile manipulation of materials
for some effect,
satisfactions, casual amusement, aquiescence or pretense, or
to
enter into some initial
phase of aquaintance with some materials, or methods of
their
use, does not get distinguished from more capable or
sensitive
expressions.
Phrases such as 'Art-Class', in schools...rather than
'Classes in the rudiments of Painting...Watercolour...or
whatever'...bespeak the contempt or patronization at the
expense of clearity or respect.
Painting (the biggest connotative cliche liable to conjur
the association, and all the more the 'danger' as it seems
to invite, of the
attribution of 'Art' being exclaim'd,)...is 'Painting'...and
it was long understood by
it's sincere or other practioners, to be a Craft.
This is fairly recent...the contempt as to 'call' Art, such
as is an introduction to, or a rudimantary (whether or not
'professional') occupation or passtime with,
some rudiments of techniques as may
be associated with the methods of what had been and
remains a 'Craft'.
To me, 'Art' is an embuement some Craft may attain to have,
to
express or to 'say'...as it may, if it may...through the
abilities of it's practicioner to do so.
And a Craft, to my way of thinking is not limited to the
production or manipulation of tangible Artifacts, but may
express or make use of intangible or ephemeral ones as well.
For the use of the term 'Art' to have become oblivious to,
or disinterested in, the aesthetic, or rather the quality of
the aesthetic expressed in or through a Work, seems to hint
at the absence of that aesthetic, or an absence of the
ability to
construe it, or a disinterest in it, or occulation of it, in
those who casually apply the term 'Art' too widely,
vulgarly, or casually...when they 'mean'...(or should
'mean') something
else.
When they 'mean' a catagory they have not surveyed or
sensed,
to have elements or hierarchies in it as may be arranged,
or seen in some 'arrrangement', rather than merely jumbled
into a pile and a blurr...even if that 'pile'
has some recognised of 'famous' on top.
'Picasso's Art' was not 'in' the 'Paintings'...it was in him
and through painting he expressed it.
Zillionaires or others as may 'pay' millions 'for' a famous
'painting' seldom have in them the 'what' whose shadow they
seek to posess.
A desperation and an anaesthetic they ennunciate with
dollars, even as 'Picasso' say, had 'said' something
else...more-or-less...but I digress...
This has confused the gullible, and added to the 'mystique'
fawned over by spiritual paupers the world over.
To me the term 'Art', if it is forgivable anylonger to use
at all, or to use spareingly, denotes a high level of
facilty for expression or ennunciation IN a Craft.
And this ennunciation may be to many observers, 'subtle', or
so subtle, or too subtle,
as to be missed if they are not attuned to such kinds of
expressions...or to such kinds of ennunciations...or capable
of them in some way, 'in' themselves, or to see
them in endevours of others as are other than one or two
specific
Catagories or kinds-of 'Craft'...
A good freind of mine will argue till the Cows-come-home,
that the only "Arts' are those regognized as 'Painting,
Sculpting in Stone or perhaps other media, and (maybe)
Bronzes'...
I had known a little, a renoun 'Art' historian and Critic,
who was maybe brilliant in his understanding of cultural
dimensions of the content of Painting on cloth.
He was also clueless if not entirely stupified in his
appreciations of other Craft or such 'Art' as may
sometimes be expressed in or through them...
His election of his clothing, Automobile, cuisine, or
noticeing of things in people, in Vegatative or Creature
forms...in the World around him,
or appreciateing...much of...anything 'else' in the World,
as people may do,
or in the Artifactual world as in which we Live...
This was conspicuously at odds with the discernment he
brought to the
survey of 'Paintings'...or of 'Art' as he would have termed
it.
Or...an elegant and vibrant Work of genious may be tripped
over (by him and many others)
as one is gawking over some kitch as 'must' be 'art' as it
is 'on'...'canvas'...is mental or emotional torpidity and
lassitude, at best...or a kind of 'idiot-savantism' in his
case, or the imtimations of some kind of it, if not
worse...maybe 'worse'...and...
And it is a popular distraction to do so...be so...as
so...too, it seems...he was well admired.
Whether that Craft is the Ballet, Song, Music in general,
Cooking, Engineering, Painting-on-Canvas, Acting in Plays or
Motion Pictures, Making Pots, Writeing stories, or 'telling'
them...
"Tinker, Taylor, Soldier, Salior...Richman, Poorman,
Beggerman, Thief"...and on and on...as these things are
essentially, each of them a Craft, or may be, and in that,
may express such integrities and synergism, such 'Art' as is
'in' the practioner to 'say' in the aesthetic of their
expressions and facility to do so, 'in' the Craft...'with'
the Craft...through the Craft...
To transcend any obligation to recall of banality having
ever existed...and palpably...is maybe 'Art'.
Something which any Craft may get to 'do'...but only as the
practitioner of it, may through the Craft so 'say'...so
'do'...
The rudiments of Craft may not be the rudiments of Art.
The rudiments of Art are the aesthetics one may bring to
whatever endevour...and if that endevour is a Craft, then
those tendencies may find expression in ennunciations made
'in' or 'through' the Craft.
That is how it seems to me...
Phil
ell vee
----- Original Message -----
From: "John Jensen"
To:
Sent: Sunday, September 08, 2002 8:58 PM
Subject: Art vs Craft
Mel;
I think you're on the wrong track when you say artist wake
up everyday
thinking,"how can I be different." Can't speak for all
artists, of course,
but artists of my experience wake up each day continuing a
path of
exploration which includes craftsmanship, understanding of
their medium,
unraveling of mysteries, opening the heart and all the
senses, and more.
Including ongoing spiritual struggle. The artists I know
put their life on
the line everyday and are commited to honest growth and and
sincere
uncompromising expression of their understanding and
insights.
I can't even think of any artist I know who thinks or acts
as you have
suggested. Such a person might be a fine and noble soul,
and we do need
people to seek out new and different avenues of thought and
expression. But
the artists I know find the new and different within the
context of honest
and serious work.
John Jensen, Mudbug Pottery, Toadhouse.com
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