Exploring Contemporary Craft: History, Theory and Critical Writing

by Jean Johnson (Editor)

The craft of craft, the art of craft – here in Canada we're just starting to really talk about these things. In March 1999, Jean Johnson, who runs Toronto's Craft Studio at Harbourfront Centre, organized a wildly successful symposium on the state of craft in Canada. Curators, writers, critics, academics and craftspeople spoke about all aspects of craft: history, practice, theory, criticism. Taken together, these papers create a clear picture of the vibrant crafts scene in Canada.

The symposium was a groundbreaking event, a first in Canada, offering to the crafts community a new depth of consideration. The book, too, is a Canadian first, and it will allow a dialogue about the academic side of the craft movement to continue.

Each of the book's three sections, History, Theory and Critical Writing, contains a keynote paper and essays by experts in each field, including Mark Kingwell writing 'On Style,' Blake Gopnik on 'Reviewing Craft Exhibitions for the Art Pages,' and Robin Metcalfe addressing 'Teacup Readings: Contextualizing Craft in the Art Gallery.'

124 pages, Paperback

First published September 19, 1998

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Reviews

[Alexandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent overview of basic craft theory; i.e., how craft differs from art and a theoretical framework for analyzing craft production and activities.

As craft and DIY activities grow in popularity, new ways of looking at the social impact, value and quality of craft need to be articulated. This book is a good start.