Podcasts
Miia Collanus University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.
This podcast is intended for educational use only.
The notion of skill (skilled work, skilled knowledge) is a metaphor of making in craft world. As a verb it means, 'to know how to do something' and, as a noun, 'the ability to use one's knowledge effectively and readily in execution or performance' (Oxford English Dictionary, Merriam Webster). But, this view of making emphasizes the paradigm of technical rationality, in which the focus is only on motor achievement. It seems to refer into doing things in a right manner and properly, and does not take into account the expressive nature of craft making.
The concept of intelligent making as a synonym of craft, on the other hand, is 'a mix of formal knowledge, tacit knowledge, physical and mental skill, contextual awareness, innovation and personal creative autonomy' (Press & Cusworth1997, 5). Although this notion recognizes creativity, it neglects the role of body and senses in making.
My presentation is a part of my PhD study about Do-It-Yourself craft as a political activity and a pleasure of making. I argue that contemporary craft is a message; it is communication, a pleasure, and a way of making a statement. Furthermore, we need new vocabulary, new methodologies, and new concepts for analyzing contemporary craft as a self-expressive, corporeal, and sensual activity. In Neo Craft I will focus on conceptualizing the pleasure and politics of DIY craft making.
Keywords: DIY craft, artistic expression, corporeality, senses, politics of making, phenomenology
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L'auteure présente une partie de sa thèse de doctorat qui consiste en une étude des activités artisanales de loisir. Ces activités nécessitent entre autres, un nouveau language, en vue d'analyser leur signification au niveau d'engagement politique et d'engagement des sens.