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[deliriumcrow]

I am indeed a lemming.

This one should come as no surprise to anyone....


Period Goth


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So I feel liek doing a random rant. Nothing in particular, just a few things, from a conversation with Remy. Art, gods, and stuff. So.

Art vs craft. I don't really see any real difference between art and craft, not by the traditional differences. (Craft is supposed to be a useful object, art is supposed to look pretty) If a painting jsut hangs on a wall and looks pretty and does nothing more than that, it is not art, no matter how well executed. It is merely interior decorating of the lowest calibre. If an object does not in some way contribute to its surroundings to improve them aesthetically, it was poorly crafted. Art should move, inspire, educate, whatever, do something at least vaguely intellectual or emotive, in addition to having some sort of aesthetic value. Kind of like literature and music. Both of these have practical functions, as well as aesthetic. Similarly, craft should have, as well as function, some sort of redeeming appearance. And for that matter, craft, such as furniture, can say something. The Arts and crafts movement had distinct style, as well as philosophy, as did several other movements that extended into the decorative and architectural arts. Nouveau, deco, several others whose names I do not recall. So I think I'm coming to the conclusion that art is both--craft, the construction and structure and purpose of a given item, and art, the aesthetics. So yes, Avery, I'm disagreeing with you. Feel free to argue, I need something on which to sharpen my opinions.

Gods. I've noticed myself being ever so much more aligned with creator type deities than before. Not so much into the death and destruction thing, but there's a fair deal of that as well. In order to create, something has to be taken apart/broken/changed. But really. Big hipped girl, who makes stuff. All sorts of stuff, with varying degrees of skill. One of these days I'll figure out waht I'm good at.... But realy. I lvoe spiders, and always have. The summer I was 15, there were two very impressive spiders in my yard, one about an inch and a half long, the other about two inches. And I naked them. The smaller, white, yellow, green and black stripes who wove a house out of leaves and web, she was Arachne. The other, very large black one with a white carpet in her web and a little male behind her, that was Athene. Well, obviously. And now I work woth textiles. Both created, And as Remy pointed out, who here would be the one that survived? Athene's temples are in ruins, but my house if full of spiders. And I will not suffer them to be killed in my presence. I played with them as a child, now they are like symbols of the creative impulse. Icarus isn't really a god, so much as a bit of a symbol of a more Decadent life. Dedalus preached moderation as a means of survival and longevity (or at least gettign off the island alive). Icarus found the joy of his wings and tasted the kiss of the sun, and the thrill of excess. It killed him, ultimately, but he found joy and beauty in those moments before death. He siezed what he wanted, and paid for it, but he had it. For a while he was a bit of an inspiration to me, that will to go as far as you please, as long as you are willing to accept the consequences.

But it's late. Remy fell asleep reading, and I think it might be a good idea to join him soon. So good night, and best dreams.

Comments

ART!?

[(Anonymous)]

See, I would disagree, probably because I like what Duchamp did so much (there was an artist with some brass balls...) I think Art's exisitence only depends on an artist designating it as such. "This is art," I say, and it is. Your argument seems to me to be more about the relative value of that art produced: the strength of its reaction in a viewer. I think "craft" is a subset of art, designating more functional items. Craft is also an adjective, which speaks of how well a particular piece of art is made. If you're choosing a medium in which the creation of art requires skill, then craft becomes much more important. Flashing the seams on a cast peice of sculpture. Having good control over the brush and the oils.
Perhaps this doesn't sound like much of a disagreement -- but it really raises my hackles when someone says something is "not art." Who are you to say it's not art?
-chicago alan

Re: ART!?

[deliriumcrow.livejournal.com]

Actually, I do agree with you. And Duchamp is one of my most favorite artists. I'm actually not so much disagreeing with your points as one of my other friends who insists that if a thing is useful it is not art. I was a little too harsh in some of my statements, I realize, as most of what I said was not actually thought out beforehand, and I didn't exactly edit it. At all. Partly it comes from an ever increasing annoyance at the endles Thomas Kincade calendars we have to sell, adn disagreements with the aforementioned freind's artistic philosophies. I do think a chair can be art. And your definition of craft is more or less the one I was trying to get at, just doing so very badly.