tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8103310594112564087.post6489515556914113848..comments2008-05-27T20:12:40.072-04:00Gabriel Craighttps://profiles.google.com/110980388908383458650noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8103310594112564087.post-41434285092433553112008-05-27T20:12:00.000-04:002008-05-27T20:12:00.000-04:00I like the concept of going forward to a proto-modernism. Have you read "We Have Never Been Modern" by Bruno Latour (1991)? I found it almost unreadable but the basic concept is attractive - to be modern is to separate nature from society, human being from object, to separate ourselves from all of human history before modernism. As an alternative he offers hybrid systems that mix politics, science, technology, and nature. Latour's argument seems a natural for craft in the 21st century.<BR/><BR/>On the other hand, Robert Irwin says modernism is about 200 years old and he figures we are about in the middle of it, and it may be too early to know if it was a good idea or not. I like this statement. It sounds like the answer one of the Chinese leaders gave (Chou-En-Lai?) when asked about the influence of the French revolution: "It's too soon to tell."<BR/><BR/>We had an online conversation with John Perreault last week on the Furniture Society forum, and John asked "Is the American craft movement over?" and then answered that the balkanization of the craft media proved that it was- <BR/><BR/>"Why are the craft disciplines so isolated? Wouldn't it be productive to have panels or forems on topics that could be addressed by ceramists, glass artists, fiber artists, furnituremakers etc? Aren't there mutual concerns? Or is everyone too busy looking over his or her shoulder at the art world? Hey, wake up the art world doesn't give a damn. I am so tired of ceramics people only talking to ceramics people, furniture people only talking to furniture people, and glass people only talking to themselves. This alone proves that the American Craft Movement is over. It's all about niche.And, by the way, we are no longer allowed to use the word craft, right?"<BR/><BR/>My own point of view is unresolved - I can't quite see the future- but I firmly believe in the unity of art and the crafts. Are we not civilized? Can we not live with pictures on the wall, objects on the table and music in the air ?Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08871967011596063089noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8103310594112564087.post-41824225434376000722008-05-22T12:37:00.000-04:002008-05-22T12:37:00.000-04:00"I hate modernism. It totally ruined craft. Imagine if you never again had to hear about the Art vs. Craft debate? Awesome. Who even brought that up? Modernism. Who attempted to break with all previous history in order to create new more meaningful art, and in so doing isolated craft from its socially conscious roots? Modernism again."<BR/>Wow. Amen. Can you come defend my work at my 15 hour review next semester?...<BR/>jk! I am fine defending my own work, I just hate that in the educational system I am in, I have to first prove that it is art before I can even talk about the work. I am not interested in that argument. Craft, art, whatever. You define it, I just make it.Lynettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17025086110336725390noreply@blogger.com