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Every year Melbourne celebrates Design Week with a series of lectures, tours, exhibitions and workshops. This year the event explored how design can shape the future – a constant question surrounding the practice. I was very intrigued by the ‘Material practice in Craft and Design’ lecture, held by RMIT at the NGV.
The gallery website advertised the lecture as:
“A free public forum co-hosted by RMIT to discuss the rationale underpinning practice and theory in contemporary craft and design.
A panel discussion will frame a discussion on three key questions: Who are the makers of craft; what are the technologies of craft; could a material situationist perspective offer a contemporary theory and practice of craft?
The presentation will examine how makers and researches use practice, theory and material knowledge to critically probe possible futures or suggest alternatives to what already exists, providing leadership within the rapidly changing international field of craft and design.”
The panel speakers were all advocating the use of craft in design and the necessity of passing on the knowledge of craft. Several issues surrounding the craft profession were raised, including the influence of industry, the directing of students away from the vocational route, and the shifting status of materials.
Industry vs. craftsmanship
One of the panellists noted that the industrial alienates from material – a statement that reflects the alienation of much of society from the physical and real as opposed to the virtual and online. Art gives a sense of place, which we take for granted in a fast paced world always on the go. To quote another of the panellists, “User-friendly means we don’t understand what we’re using.” We only need to know how to use something, and most aren’t willing to allow the time to understand it.
To become skilled in any craft you need to dedicate time and “sacrifice oneself to the acquisition of the skill”, which may dissuade people from learning craft if they find the outcome doesn’t denote the effort. There’s no set amount of time it takes to become skilled at something. To work in craft you must find beauty in the process as well as the outcome. Beauty takes time, yet revenue leads production and industrial objects can be produced much faster than any craftsmanship, therefore selling more and making more money.
University study vs. vocational study
There are so many paths for students to take out of high school, but it’s the academic routes that are looked upon with admiration by society. It’s considered a higher achievement to be knowledgeable academically, but knowledge isn’t just book smarts. Knowledge is also experience. One of the panellists stated, “Making something beautiful is an expression of knowledge.”
The panellists discussed how students are led towards university study, and vocational study is seen as a cop out for those who aren’t academically inclined. There’s little public understanding of the skill required to craft something, and although we respect art, and sometimes artists, there’s less respect for university craft studies or the industry in general. Students may take electives to learn samples of skills, but only those with respect for the knowledge ingrained through experience will go on to achieve mastery of a craft.
Style vs. meaning
Craft is appreciated for the beauty it brings into the world and the knowledge each work of craftsmanship contains. Everyone has their own sense of style or what they consider to be stylish, and certain crafts are more admired by others depending on the shifting status of materials. For example, ceramics are currently incredibly popular. They’re stylish for interior design and learning the craft has become quite fashionable, but it wasn’t always so. I think a main point of difference has come with the awareness of cruelty in the production of some products. Veganism is eliminating animal products and encouraging people to seek knowledge of where products come from, as well as their sustainability.
Sustainability isn’t just about the environment either. It’s also about history and culture. Cultures and communities pass down the skill of craft and it therefore contains an element of custodianship. Society is becoming more aware of repressed cultures both historically and currently. There’s a greater appreciation for the skills of craft and their cultural meaning, as well as the preservation of such skills. I hope for this to only become more acknowledged in the future, as people become more open minded and accommodating to their own learning. Craft tells stories and contains in its form both knowledge of skill and a history of culture.
Craft vs. design
Another interesting topic of conversation was the difference between craft and design. It was noted that they’re both somewhere between cultural studies and anthropology. Both are forms of knowledge, but where craft is tactile knowledge, design is conceptual knowledge. Design focuses on usefulness and craft on material. I found this distinction very helpful because there are areas of artistry which are much more craft based, and areas much more design based. Then there are some which are a mix of the two, as I would consider architecture to be.
Craft in architecture
Someone in the audience commented on the lack of craft in the architectural field. They noted that studying architecture was much more hands-on than working in an office. At first I agreed with them, but then I reconsidered. Designing architecture doesn’t involve much craftsmanship, but constructing architecture most certainly does. Architects, therefore, are much more design based, but architecture can be very involved with craft depending on the architect’s design.
It’s true that architecture has become mostly computer based since BIM (Building Information Modeling) software has become widely available. It’s less common to see a physical model in an architecture office than movies would have it seem. As designers, architects control so much – materiality, spaces, colours, lighting, experience… honestly, the list is so long – but they rarely work with architecture at the craftsmanship level. It would be incredibly difficult to do within given timeframes and budgets.
Industrial manufacturers have taken over much of the construction industry, and unique artworks are more common in historical or older buildings. I could write a whole essay on how industry has influenced architectural style, but it won’t be in this post.
I don’t mean to insinuate that architects are lacking because they don’t have knowledge of craft. If you ever decide to build something, I definitely recommend working with an architect! Some architects have a deeper respect for craftsmanship than others, however. Many of the architects I got to know through university enjoy experimenting with materiality and the natural qualities and capabilities of construction materials. There are also many architects who work with sculptors, artists, etc. to include craftsmanship in their buildings. So although the architecture field in general has become much more industry based, there are still certain architects and firms who work to preserve craft as well as design. They may not know the particular intricacies such as an expert would, but they’ll put in the time and effort to get an expert on board to help.
Interdisciplinary design
So many professions exist that it’s difficult to learn everything! I love learning and struggle to commit myself to just one field when I can combine different areas. I may not be an expert at web design, but I enjoyed creating this website. Studying graphic design at university helped me design craft (such as enamel pins) and apply digital marketing to my website (such as my logo). I also built a fictional world using skills I learnt studying architecture.
Craftsmanship in architecture is just another example of an interdisciplinary project. It would be fantastic to see more collaborations in combinations I wouldn’t expect! So, returning to the question of how design can shape the future, I now ask you; in which professions do you see the most potential for collaboration?