SPATH

Society for the Promotion of Appropriate Technology and Housing, Cameroon

About the end of handicrafts

Prof Dr Norbert Pintsch / SPATH, IPC

I may clarify right in the beginning: There will not be an end as long as the handicraft worker is an expert in his trade and maintains his cultural roots,- without losing the spirit of time.

At this point I may point to Art Nouveau and as one of its excellent example the Palais Stoclet in Brussels; it only proves: Excellence keeps standing!

For everything else is valid: When mass production predominates and the hope is to find consumers, who are less informed and more inclined to snap up anything offered at a super price, in the hope to be able to call something special as their own, then it is surely the rightful end of this article, which was anyway not real but a pseudo handicraft.

It is not a problem to scan and reproduce a unique article with help of CNC. This may sadden, but it is only a matter of getting used to it, like the 2-D copies.Even an experienced buyer cannot differentiate between the copy and the original piece. Only absolute experts with taste, knowledge and money know to appreciate it!

All others remain silent in the spirit of delusion!

The absolute majority vanishes, in the industrial uniformity and run for trade marks, wish for a seeming regular change through fashion and other such actions.

Insofar, this picture depicts not only the situation of handicrafts but also of everything which can be designed, including body products, clothing, internal and external designing up to the whole spectrum of industrially designed products.

Environmental protection and wastage of resources remain stuck at discussion level only.

Conclusion: There is no reason for sadness. In each period of time, only little remained back of cultural heritage; the meaningless taking the transitory path,- like the falling leaves in autumn, which vanish as dirt in the course of the year.

In the course of a human life, the direct relationship between the creator and the created is important and has its special value,- the economic relationship is an income generating measure and a charade. To see through it is left to the future generations!

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posted by S A J Shirazi @ 1:13 PM,

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