A Theory of Craft: Function and Aesthetic Expression

What is craft? How is it different from fine art or design? In A Theory of Craft, Howard Risatti examines these issues by comparing handmade ceramics, glass, metalwork, weaving, and furniture to painting, sculpture, photography, and machine-made design from Bauhaus to the Memphis Group. He describes craft as uniquely blending function with a deeper expression of human values that transcend culture, time, and space. Craft must articulate a role for itself in contemporary society, says Risatti; otherwise it will be absorbed by fine art or design, and its singular approach to understanding the world will be lost.

Author: Howard Risatti
Publisher: University of North Carolina Press
Published: 02/01/2013
Pages: 352
Binding Type: Paperback
Weight: 0.95lbs
Size: 9.20h x 5.70w x 1.00d
ISBN: 9781469600901

About the Author
Risatti, Howard: - Howard Risatti is professor emeritus of art history at Virginia Commonwealth University. His four previous books include Skilled Work: American Craft in the Renwick Gallery and Postmodern Perspectives: Issues in Contemporary Art.