Open Book: By Hand

By Hand: The Use of Craft in Contemporary Art

Work by Margarita Cabrera

Biography & work by electricwig

Work by Kirsten Hassenfeld

Work by Brendan Monroe

Cardboard's thoughts:

To begin with, By Hand: The Use of Craft in Contemporary Art has a nice heft to it and the hardcover is soft to the touch, like fabric. They say to never judge a book by its cover but in this case, the feel of the item itself lends authenticity to the subject it covers. This book introduces 32 artists/craftspeople and delves into their current bodies of work. The editors provide a short preface and introduction to the idea behind the book but the brief biographies are done by the artists themselves. The artists reveal the history behind their work, what they've learned, how they work, what they work with, and why they do it. The basic concept behind the book is to show how "art" and "craft" co-exists and that sometimes the end result isn't the most important thing. Many of the artists showcased in this book take months to complete one small item and the "sense of attachment to the materials and methods" is what ends up cultivating the most meaning. If this book has taught me one thing, it's that sometimes true greatness isn't only found in the shiny gallery piece; sometimes it's the process that becomes important.

I found Satoru Aoyama's embroidered photographs to be stunning. From a distance, they still look like photos (of subway cars, sunsets, jewelry) but, upon closer inspection, the individual threads stand out and throw me right back to standing in front of my mother's cross-stictch in awe. I'm tickled by Robyn Love's incessant need to use her hands. She knits cozies for parking meters, gravestones, street signs, and militaristic statues in parks.

Porcelain's thoughts:

My painting professor in college once lectured to us about how important the process of art making was, even more important than the final result. This has always stayed with me. The artists in By Hand also share this mentality. They spend weeks, months, and probably even years working on pieces. It may seem excessive to some but for them, the process is part of the piece.

I found By Hand to be a very inspiring book. I was excited to see all of these artists incorporating mediums that are normally deemed crafts into "fine art". My two favorite artists featured in the book were Kirsten Hassenfeld and Anna Von Mertens. I loved Kirsten Hassenfeld's dreamy mixed-media sculptures and the paradoxical meaning behind them. And I loved the contrast of the Von Mertens quilts' simple color palates and incredibly intricate stitching.