It requires and promotes entire human beings, and makes people more satisfied because they can see what they have created. In other words, artisan production is always part of industrial product development–the work at the computer is of primary importance, but craftmanship, manual work, will always remain. Any product development is preceded by prototype manufacturing. It is very important to deal with digital technologies, which have their place and their importance but certain impressions, the beauty, and uniqueness of things can never be realized without a craftsman who is able to dialogue with his material. What role does craft play in the age of industrial production? To finish the outside, I use unorthodox materials like lime, clay, vinegar, and other minerals. I create the rough external form, then I hollow it out, and then refine the outside even more. Then I roughly square off a piece using a chainsaw before I turn the wood on a lathe. I have a kind of dialogue with the material when I have to recognize the “hidden” object inside. The very first–and most important step–is selecting the wood. My works are made out of unseasoned logs of timber–mostly oak–with knots and splits. Most timber also smells really good when you work with it. For me it is one of the most versatile, elegant, and beautiful natural materials and it is enormously diverse: Every timber requires a different treatment. “Artisan production is always part of industrial product development.”Įrnst Gamperl, a wood carver based in Germany, won the 2017 Loewe Craft Prize for Tree of Life 2, a sculptural vessel carved from a fallen tree.Įrnst Gamperl, Tree of Life 2 2016.

As the winner and a handful of finalists explain, craft’s role is far from obsolete: It ties us to our history, makes us more physically aware, and empowers us creatively. Co.Design asked a few of the designers who were recognized by Loewe about why they think craft matters. The Loewe Foundation–a private cultural organization that supports performing arts, visual arts, design, and architecture–is attempting to answer that question, too, with its annual Craft Prize, an award that celebrates excellence in craftsmanship. This leads me to wonder: Where does craft sit in a world where digitized, mechanized fabrication is becoming more sophisticated? Enterprising makers have earned millions on Etsy, big-box design retailers are sprinkling small-batch offerings into their stores, and DIY design is gaining steam. Still, consumers are hungry for craft, even as it becomes a casualty of industrial production.

Good craft 2