Art vs craft

I’m exploring the differences and similarities between art and craft, what defines each genre and where are the overlaps? When I think about craft, what comes to mind is honed skills and traditional materials. Whereas art, in contrast I think of creating pieces that have a strong connection to meaning and expression.

Craft is defined as “an activity involving skill in making things by hand”. However you could also describe art as this, but I think art engages more of the intellect rather than being admired just for it’s physical attributes.

Art is defined as “the expression or application of human creative skill and imagination, typically in a visual form such as painting or sculpture, producing works to be appreciated primarily for their beauty or emotional power”. 

For me, art that is admired for its beauty still has some originality beyond craft.

Quite often craft has a domestic function too, think of handmade furniture, knitted jumpers. A lot of craft is focused upon the materials, using craftsmanship to make something beautiful and functional. Of course there are artists that use functional objects or create functional objects as art pieces. You could argue Grayson Perry’s vases in their form are functional ceramic pieces, but highly charged with political and social symbolism.

Grayson Perry

Art Nouveau was a period in art history where craft and art merged. It is considered a design movement that had its roots in honouring nature, but clearly influenced the art world. With artists such as Gustav Klimt, Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec clearly integrating themes of nature, asymmetric lines and curves.

Gustav Klimt, the kiss

So where would we place the Scottish architect Charles Rennie Mackintosh? He created functional objects with profound skill, but also embraced the new ideas of Art Nouveau. It’s difficult to pin down because he was part of the Arts and Craft movement, which embraces both sides rather than seeks to distinguish two practices as separate.

Charles Rennie MacKintosh

There is of course art that’s created purely for conceptual purposes and could be considered to lack skill, but is centred around the idea. A famous example is Tracy Emin’s ‘My Bed’. This art installation shocked the public by ignoring society’s expectation of women, Tracy was literally airing her dirty laundry. This clearly contrasts any kind of craft that is functional and hand made with skill.

Tracy Emin, My Bed

A contemporary artist that creates beautiful functional works is Chihuly, who is categorised as a glass sculptor artist. But perhaps the large scale of his work pushes it beyond craft into art? They are impressive installations, typically found in hotels, parks and museums, perhaps within environments we more typically associate with craft objects. 

The line between art and craft is a fine line, and I think it also has a lot to do with the maker's intention. If you desire to create something meaningful, forward thinking, that engages thought with impact it pushes the object into art. Whereas you can create art without having traditional skills that are tied to craft. For example, photo montage can be created by printing off images and cutting and pasting them together, and does not require any drawing skills.

The two disciplines have clear commonalities and influence each other. As an artist I believe craft can be admired as much as art for it's handmade qualities and skill of the maker. However for me, I distinguish myself as an artist because I want to express something more than creating an attractive object.

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