NY Times:Glass goes from craft to art

[kazindc]

Article in today's NY times about glass museum opening. Also discussion of glass going from craft to art.
see http://www.nytimes.com/2003/04/28/arts/ ... 8CRAF.html

very interesting.
karen teemer

[Tony Smith]

Some curators consider the word craft a negative term and seek to avoid it. Last year the American Craft Museum in New York changed its name to the Museum of Arts and Design.

David Revere McFadden, that museum's chief curator, explained: "We did a lot of consultation and work with focus groups, and when we asked them what craft means, they came up with reactions like handiwork, busy work, rural, nonprofessional, folk art, humble, brown and scratchy, macramé plant hangers. There's been such an eroding of the traditional borders between various fields that we decided it was a mistake to keep using that word."

"Since we announced the change," he said, "we've had a tremendous positive response from artists. They tell us that they've always considered themselves artists."

Not surprisingly, the museums were the last to know

Tony

[Colin & Helen]

Craft v Art ...last year I entered one of my NON functional platters in the Viewpoint* Craft Awards ...on the opening of this exhibition the judge made the statement "If it isn't 100% functional it isn't CRAFT" by saying this about 80% of the entry's weren't in the running for the award mine included ...OK so a glass artist makes a bowl now that could be used....so its called a functional item ...but if it were a wall hanging...now that's not in the contest as now its art.........So could someone please explain ...If I make a model ship that's only roll is to sit on a display stand for visual pleasure only .. and by all accounts is totally NON Functional ...but this is considered Craft....Why can this be so???

Colin

*West Australian craft body

[Jo Holt]

Ever notice not enough people seem to take pride in their work?

It can be very frustrating dealing with all levels of workers who don't seem to care about their job and you end up doing half the job yourself to get the results you want.

A retired foundryman from PA has been described numerous times as an artist. Years after his "retirement" they always called him in to pour a particularly difficult casting that only seemed to work with his touch. Seems like years of caring about his job and finished product developed that pride - and art.

So...how about pride of the finished product (whatever that product may be) as the criteria to distinguish art vs craft?

Jo

P.S. And, that should include the product that you 99% love but can find just one thing you would have done differently