Art vs Craft: United or opposed?

In the Early Modern period (c.1450 – 1750), the boundaries between fine art and craft began to break down. As the value of artisanal craft gained recognition among collectors, the perception of craft shifted. Artists, in turn, began working with materials and techniques that were once confined to the realm of craft, challenging the long-standing hierarchies of the art world. Despite this, distinctions between art and craft persist today. This article will explore the perceived differences between art and craft, using contemporary examples to answer the question: will art and craft ever be regarded as equal forms of artistic expression?

It is this shared fundamental that has allowed the lines between craft and art to become blurred, leading to the questioning of what distinctions are still relevant today when analysing modern works.

When pondering these two terms, different processes and ideas come to mind. Craft, often defined as a hands-on process focused on producing a product, is typically judged for its technical execution, technique and precision. In contrast, art is often valued conceptually, with traditional artists working with oil paints to create realistic imagery. What constitutes art, however, has broadened over recent years, with the rise in performance works, graphic design and film changing the scope of art. Materials associated with craft, such as textiles, clay and metal, are increasingly being implemented in the art space, therefore unifying these two disciplines. What unites art and craft is the creative spark that underpins them, with originality prized over all other factors. It is this shared fundamental that has allowed the lines between craft and art to become blurred, leading to the questioning of what distinctions are still relevant today when analysing modern works.

Many contemporary artists seek to blur the boundaries of art and craft. Sarah Zapata is a queer American fibre artist who uses textiles to detail her experiences growing up in a strictly religious Peruvian household. Covering the floor of the Deli Gallery, her work titled ‘If I Could’ (2017) features masses of technicoloured wool. Sculptural forms rise from the sea of fibres, their mummy-like forms embedded with metal crosses. Viewers of this installation were invited to remove their shoes before entering the exhibition, heightening their engagement with the material and adding further religious introspection.

(Zapata’s) sense of familiarity bridges the gap between craft and art, highlighting how craft is able to conceptually communicate universal experiences, as well as challenging elitism in the art world.

Through the use of textiles, Zapata allows us to reconsider the importance of craft in her works. It can be argued that the materiality of this piece has the potential for greater personal connection than traditional fine art. The artist argues that wool and yarn are materials which many people associate with a sense of nostalgia, weaving and knitting often being a part of childhood experiences or family traditions. This sense of familiarity bridges the gap between craft and art, highlighting how craft is able to conceptually communicate universal experiences, as well as challenging elitism in the art world.

American sculptor Arlene Shechet also uses integrates craft into the region of fine art. Her work ‘Swan Vase’ intentionally references the legacy of Meissen porcelain, one of Europe’s oldest and most prestigious porcelain manufacturers. Meissen porcelain played a pivotal role in redefining the status of craft in the early 18th Century, elevating handcrafted objects to the realm of fine arts. Shechet draws upon this tradition, whilst also disrupting these conventions through its unusual form and unique texture. The irregular shaping of the vase introduces an element of unpredictability and dynamism that elevates the functional object into a visual sculptural form. The reinvention of classical European ceramics questions the perceived hierarchy of art and craft. Shechet’s work considers how materials labelled as craft can now be vehicles for artistic expression, inviting viewers to reconsider the role craft plays in contemporary art.

Both Zapata and Shechet embody this movement, repositioning themselves as revolutionary and expressive artists that pioneer this change.

As more artists turn to craft to explore broader and more personal narratives, the gap between art and craft continues to close. Texture, material and technique are no longer seen as factors that dictate what is considered art. Both Zapata and Shechet embody this movement, repositioning themselves as revolutionary and expressive artists that pioneer this change. Whether craft and art will ever be fully regarded as equal remains an open question. But as this article demonstrates, the conversation still continues to shift, with artists today redefining the future of creative practice.