It's interesting how history repeats itself. The current
craft movement is taking off. But it was during a very similar time over 100 years ago when another craft movement took off.
Arts and Crafts flourished between 1880 and 1910. It was in revolt to the industrialization of work that had been the realm of the master craftsman. It was about humanizing created objects. Today's movement is very similar. With most consumer goods being made by unknown people in a far away land, a sense of connection to objects is difficult at best. That is unless they are humanized and individualized.
iPod cozies,
resized clothes, and a
plethora of recycled items all attempt to reconnect the human to the mass produced objects that fill our everyday lives. And all allow the cultural rebellion of individuality.
During the Arts and Crafts movement, focus was on the mastery of the craft and the rights of the craftsman. Guilds were formed and socialism helped influence the expectation of workers. Today the focus is on individuality more than mastery. Six billion humans and a Western culture conditioned for mass consumerism of bland goods leaves the individual with few choices for uniqueness. A single
Spencer Tunick photograph expresses this lack of physical uniqueness in humans. Along with the obvious protection from the elements a nude body gains, clothing gives the wearer the ability to be visibly unique. Lately, that uniqueness has been corrupted by an aggressively invasive
culture industry that replaces objects with actual content (
your father's vintage sweatshirt) with slightly skewed soulless clones (
distressed A&F hoodie.) But with self made items, fashion becomes unique and personal. A boring refuse from the
corporatocracy is
transformed into a unique symbol of individuality. A new identity is born within the boundaries of the existing schema.
Ironically, the latest technological innovation empowers the movement. While the Arts and Crafters of old fought against the evils of industrial technology, modern crafters embrace it. The Internet has allowed communication between crafters throughout the world. Complete How-to's for almost any craft are readily available for anyone access. This is in contrast to the classic mass media that is distilling into
demagoguery and
infotainment. And while the entertainment industry has taken to copyright litigation of it's own customers for profit, many crafters are following the ideals set forth by the
open source and
creative commons movement to share their techniques openly. The guild of old is now all of humanity. Anyone with a computer and Internet access can learn, discuss and transform any craft technique into personal art. So in a way, the
progressive dream of an egalitarian craft movement is finally succeeding.
Crafting is also about recycling. With the billions of packaged goods produced each year, thousands of tons of waste are added to our landfills. Many crafters are using this refuse as raw material for imaginative
solutions and
installations. It's certainly not a complete solution to the waste problem, but it is at least a recognition of the value these objects still contain.
Due to economic restraints, most crafters are hobbiests. Mass production has almost eliminated scarcity in crafted goods. Because of this, hand crafted objects have difficulty competing with imported goods, even with an aesthetic premium attached. There are some that have been able to make a living, but by and large most crafts are made by people in their spare time, as a diversion from the usual television viewing or web surfing. But even the hobbiest can take their turn at shop keep. Sites like
Etsy and
Ebay allow crafters to easily sell their works to a global market. The returns may not make them millionaires, they do at least help support the habit.
And perhaps this is crafting's higher purpose. In a time of media inundation, telling us which clothes, music, hobbies, politics and beliefs we are supposed to have, the simple act of crafting allows a quiet defiance to prepackaged, homogeneous culture. A rebellion not so dissimilar to the
khadi of Gandhi . A rebellion of the simple ideals of liberal democracy upon which the modern West has been built; individual freedom and equality. A rebellion of making your own things.
