Saturday, 2 February 2008

why craft : material things

I was recently out with a friend when he asked me:

'are you still making material things?'

I questioned him on what exactly he meant. His response was…

'you know, things with fabric and knitting'

I wondered if he also intended the other meaning of material… and with it the implications of being 'materialistic'?

Craft is material in many ways... it frequently results in a material, physical object - a possession.

I like owning things, especially things that are unique and made just for (and by) me. I enjoy being complemented on something I have created... I could be said to be 'materialistic'.

I sometimes think one of the attractions of craft is because it is anti-consumption/anti-consumer connotations.

Yet... craft today can be an expensive hobby. Many knitters and sewers have a stash larger than they would ever have time to use. The ‘new wave’ of craft involves boutique shops, artisan yarns and exclusive accessories.

And…

skill + time = money -> ‘high end’ craft objects are very expensive (and desirable).

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