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Title of Abstract:

The Organics of Craft and the Significance of Goethe?s Holism (Ref #206)

Date:
26-10-2006 13:47:47
Status:
Accepted with revisions
Rating:
7
Details:
Based on recent PhD research, this paper will argue that contemporary craft is founded upon a holistic philosophy that the German poet and scientist Goethe developed. This philosophy also influenced the Romantics. While William Morris could be described more as a Romantic, it is Goethe?s holism that has survived in more recent but neglected writing in craft and in much contemporary craft practice.

Romantic philosophy originated in Germany around 1797 in thinkers such as Schiller, Schelling, and Novalis. The Romantics saw no separation between the animate and inanimate and the organic and inorganic only differences of degree. The Romantics were greatly influenced by Goethe, although he himself dismissed the term Romantic viewing it as too subjective. The ideas of both the Romantics and Goethe also influenced Key Arts & Crafts thinkers such as Morris and John Ruskin particularly through the Scot, Thomas Carlyle. Carlyle translated Goethe?s Wilhelm Meisters Apprenticeship and the two men corresponded for many years until Goethe?s death. The full extent of Carlyle?s influence (and consequently the influence of Goethe) in shaping contemporary craft has never been fully acknowledged.

There is also contemporary evidence in the more recently neglected craft writing of authors such as Carla Needleman (1979), Mary Caroline Richards(1962) and Seonaid Mairi Robertson (1961) that what has persevered in contemporary craft is not romanticism but holism. The organics of craft then is characterised by an emphasis on self-actualisation, growth, transformation and ultimately movement and is concerned with the transformation of the craft person as much as the craft object. The features of the organic view are a love of nature and a desire to work with rather than control nature and the desire to create a life of quality and meaning.

Both crafts contemporary philosophical origins and the extent of holism evident in more neglected craft writings leads us to a re-examination of Goethe?s holistic approach that acknowledges the place of both the subjective and the objective in the creative process. The pedagogical implications inherent in Goethe?s methods of observation are also significant.

While craft is being pulled further in the direction of a reductionist analytical framework in both its discourse and pedagogy, the organics of craft aims to restore coherence in both areas. This paper advocates the organics of craft ? craft as living force.

Reviewer Comments:

Review #1 : Left on 11-11-2006 13:27:09 #
Whilst the philosophical and historical slant to this is interesting it would be make perhaps a more valuable contribution to the conference if the paper drew out how these ideas might actually be used in the education of new craft practitioners and in the wider realm of contemporary craft practice. The suggestion that this approach might counter the 'reductionist analytical framework' of discourse and pedagogy is refreshing - but let's see how this might look 'as a living force'.

7
Review #2 : Left on 15-11-2006 14:34:40 #
It would be interesting to explore or perhaps bring to light the ways in which a holistic creative methodology are significant in developing innovative craft objects. This would be useful in making an argument against a reductionist approach to craft research.
7