The Art and Craft Divide – on the Exigency of Margins
The Art and Craft Divide – on the Exigency of Margins

Summary/Abstract: The subject of the art/craft distinction continues to occupy a marginalized position in the history of modern and contemporary art and remains almost invisible as an object of critical inquiry. The marginalization of craft will be pointed out here, yet the article does not aim at a unilateral defense of craft as art, since reversing the hierarchy of art and craft or dismissing it outright seems to be a mistake. Rather, it will focus on the changing dynamics of the hierarchy of art and craft and will present the marginalization of craft as an illuminating example of power and authority at work in the art world. The article aims to show how craft – typically marginalized or even invisible as a force shaping the art scene under modernism – was implicitly central to modernism’s constitution and has explicitly become one of the most prolific spheres of artistic activity today. The article primarily aims to present the moment of the emergence and perpetuation of the historical distinction between art and craft. Then, it goes on to shed some critical light on one particular medium that was traditionally associated with craft, namely fiber and the way this material was showcased in American art in the 1960s and 1970s. The article demonstrates how three different groups of artists negotiated the boundaries between art and craft. Finally, it goes on to present how contemporary artists embrace craft and how craft continues to act as a touchstone of what is designated as art, aesthetics, their centers and margins.

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