Art / craft / museumwork was justifying needklework

[Mirjam Bruck-Cohen]

Good evening all !!!!

I read all 31 [ up to now ] posts with great interest.
I find myself in a rare position, in this debate, being both a
Fiberartist and Craftpesron, as well as curating exhbitions, and having
judged the ocassional art for exhibitions. I have had to work hard many
years, [and still do], to develop my CRAFT skills, but believe I was born
with my Artistic drive and skills, but it took many years to refine
skills and abilities in BOTH parts, and quite a while until I learned to
put the Line, and to be able to know when I do craft , or art. THERE
IS a deffinite Difference , between my ART & my CRAFT, It starts with the
Different intention, in making it, and it shows in the Finnished work ,
in the manner in which it is displayed , and in the place[s] and contexts
where it is/was/will be displayd.
Differences are of course, even in my own work, changing with
trends and times .
Rereading this letters here shows an interesting Image, some of
the people want to be called or considered artists, and rightfullly so
, since a clever pr and commercialism has tried to use the artistic
talent , that many people have as another source for either wealth
making or gaining a status, both Human wishes. hence the
Post-Modern tendency to call a hair dresser Stylist, and the local
Underwear shop Boutique.
Add to this confusing terms, The Use many Sharletans did in
showing off some iffy material , and trying to represent it as
`Contemporary` or `Modern` art, And You get this group conversation.
Some claim here that they Are artistic By the mere way In which they stich
"if the surface is smooth the stiches in place "... somebody said her work
was Museum work, because of it`s perfect appearance. I am not going to
point at other artists, but it might surprise some of you to know that
My craft looks many a time much better `finnished` [ smooth fronts clean
back] , than my art ,, where I might `Not finnish` some parts , On
purpose!!!{ since many of you xst,i will tell this example, I will include
in my exhibition a mostly xst work with applique and parts of the canvas
left as was , and I did it to make a point , relevant to That work].
Also using the word Museum , does not automaticlay make Art , Museums
have curators who have Their Opinions, or museum might have a policy, of
what they show. lately I had some artists [ who used to look down at
Fibersrt , now they call to see the works , Before the exhibition , one
did not hesitate to tell me he wanted to see my work , to try and Figure
out How Manager and Curator of said Museum, THINK.]
Several of you claim that they are creative or artistic, just because they
change a stich or a bead, I would rather use the word
innovative, independent,, but I would not Smear ART over every little
change. Since Art needs meaning , message,now just do not Flame me with '
"There is a lot of No message art". I also am one of those that
claimsthat Old craft sometimes becomes art ,
My grandmother`s Trousou tablecloth was Craft, but when it was saved
by her neighbours during the time she was In Threseinstadt, given back to
her after the war and she started to embroider in a scattrered way ,
Family and friends writen signatures and drawings, it became art. The two
layers "together" the shattered splashed all over names, Over the
stiff orderly straight lined, mittered corners Former embroidery.
I have no intention of ghing into the compared music and cooking ,
music is defined as Performing art !!!! and a gifted cook might
have artistic talents,,,,Because if you use this Music exampple , may
I remind you that recorded music , sounds Much better sometime than
live music , as in the recording they clean out all the mistakes and
what you hear are in fact several recordings glued together... thus
the concert on you tape is `Better` than the live one ?? We all walk
on tight ropes with this subject[s].
Some of you say they do not care what it is called , if they didn~t care ,
why the Heated debate, let`s face it, WE all do care !!! what The "Fruit
of our hands movements"is called. What we should learn is SEE and listen
to who said it ? when and inn what connection. I used to have Hours of
long bitter debates with `Conventional` artists, until I just joined a
group of them , worked with them, thus they realized Our Dillemas are the
same , but we work harder to get results.
In order to be a Good artist
one has to be a good craftsman , But not every craftsman is an artist .
Not every piece hanging in a museum is art. Not every person`s Thinking
That He/she makes art Is enough to really Make it Art in The Accepted
terms By those who Top the system. The world is built on some agreed
procedures, those who think they indeed make Art, sholud try and show it
in the accepted places. Husbands , and family Are Not The proper
Judge for that. It is almost like getting a Driver`s liscence, you have to
pass The TEST, by some sort of Official.
When I judge art , I sometimes, hesitate, as I have to make aline between
my initial feelings, and my cultural understanding of what is considred
art , at This moment of Judgement. So I might ask for a second meeting, to
ponder about it . Of course being with others in commite helps.
Hope my thughts added some more insights.
As to the Question about Justifying the WAY YOU CHOSE TO WORK.
Do not get upset , sit down and think what it was exactly that offended
you???
when I left My first carreer to Bring up my children , I was often asked;
" Why Don`t you work?" I used to mumble feel ashamed etc,,,, Than one day
, it came I bluntly asked back : " why Do you work ???".
You probably have Your REASONS why you stich . Reversing such questions,
might be quite a good solution.
Somebody asked me How I came to the museum [ where I will exhibit] , I
truthfully answered "By bus" , Both the asking man and me Knew He meant
something else !!! Than he asked , How come Your work was accepted ?? my
answer,I Do not know why don`t you ask THEM !!!
I have debates with Artists belitteling my work as Art. My list
where, how and in with whom I exhibited takes care of that.
mirjam