Use and the Art Experience 1 2 3 4 - PRINTER VERSION
>>After this experience, I realized that technique, material and form alone could not entirely explain pottery's ability to produce such a strong reaction. They were only elements of that expression; what made them really powerful was that they were all directed towards an end to create an aesthetic moment of heightened sensibility that not only challenges, but also refreshes and comforts the viewer/user. The realization that pottery was not an end in itself, but merely a means to an end was not easy to accept. It required me to do more than merely fashion handsome forms that were easy to use. If I wanted to add to the language of craft in any significant way, I had to create work that was accessible while at the same time it challenged the viewer/user's preconceptions about the nature of beauty and use. Useful crafts, if they are going to be more than fashionable commodities for trendy boutiques, have to be thought about and created with seriousness of purpose. The act of eating and drinking can then be elevated and enriched by objects that require, even demand, the viewers' total attention while at the same time allowing them to reflect on their relationship with their surroundings. From this perspective we see that function ceases to be a limitation for the artist and becomes an element that he or she can use to help the viewer resolve the seeming or apparent contradiction a work might present. For the viewer, it is a way to access an artist's work and become an active participant in the art experience rather than a bystander.
For far too long, we in the craft field have believed that function is what holds us back in our struggle for cultural recognition. It never seems to have occurred to us that culture, as represented by the fine art world, might be wrong about its dismissal of this aspect of craft. Or more to the point, that this dismissal might, perhaps, be our fault for not understanding the importance of use and exploiting it to its fullest potential, instead of trivializing and denigrating it. In the hands of the serious and questioning craftsperson, the dynamics of use can make art both accessible and participatory, and by doing so re-establish it as a meaningful and potent activity in our culture. To quote Cage again: "The meaning of something is in its use, not in itself."
References:
1. John Cage, "Defense of Satie", John Cage, Richard Kostelanetz, (Praeger Publishers, Inc. 1970).
2. Rose Slivka, "The New Ceramic Presence", Craft Horizons, No. 4, 1961.
3. Vicki Halper, Clay Revisions: Plate, Cup, Vase, (Seattle Art Museum, 1987).
4. Seizo Hayashi, Kaiseki: Zen Tastes in Japanese Cooking, Kaichi Tsuji, (Kodansha International Ltd. 1972).
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© 1980 - 2024 Rob Barnard . All Rights Reserved. Site design: eismontdesign
>>After this experience, I realized that technique, material and form alone could not entirely explain pottery's ability to produce such a strong reaction. They were only elements of that expression; what made them really powerful was that they were all directed towards an end to create an aesthetic moment of heightened sensibility that not only challenges, but also refreshes and comforts the viewer/user. The realization that pottery was not an end in itself, but merely a means to an end was not easy to accept. It required me to do more than merely fashion handsome forms that were easy to use. If I wanted to add to the language of craft in any significant way, I had to create work that was accessible while at the same time it challenged the viewer/user's preconceptions about the nature of beauty and use. Useful crafts, if they are going to be more than fashionable commodities for trendy boutiques, have to be thought about and created with seriousness of purpose. The act of eating and drinking can then be elevated and enriched by objects that require, even demand, the viewers' total attention while at the same time allowing them to reflect on their relationship with their surroundings. From this perspective we see that function ceases to be a limitation for the artist and becomes an element that he or she can use to help the viewer resolve the seeming or apparent contradiction a work might present. For the viewer, it is a way to access an artist's work and become an active participant in the art experience rather than a bystander.
For far too long, we in the craft field have believed that function is what holds us back in our struggle for cultural recognition. It never seems to have occurred to us that culture, as represented by the fine art world, might be wrong about its dismissal of this aspect of craft. Or more to the point, that this dismissal might, perhaps, be our fault for not understanding the importance of use and exploiting it to its fullest potential, instead of trivializing and denigrating it. In the hands of the serious and questioning craftsperson, the dynamics of use can make art both accessible and participatory, and by doing so re-establish it as a meaningful and potent activity in our culture. To quote Cage again: "The meaning of something is in its use, not in itself."
References:
1. John Cage, "Defense of Satie", John Cage, Richard Kostelanetz, (Praeger Publishers, Inc. 1970).
2. Rose Slivka, "The New Ceramic Presence", Craft Horizons, No. 4, 1961.
3. Vicki Halper, Clay Revisions: Plate, Cup, Vase, (Seattle Art Museum, 1987).
4. Seizo Hayashi, Kaiseki: Zen Tastes in Japanese Cooking, Kaichi Tsuji, (Kodansha International Ltd. 1972).
<<
© 1980 - 2024 Rob Barnard . All Rights Reserved. Site design: eismontdesign