Critical and Contextual Studies: Artists, Craftspeople and Designers
Understanding the Role of Artists, Craftspeople and Designers
Artists
- Artists use visual language to communicate ideas or expressions. These can range from emotion and personal experience to culture, politics and environmental issues.
- Every artist has their individual style, influenced by their experiences, ideas, and the techniques they employ.
- Variance in their work can also be attributed to their responses towards different art movements or historical contexts.
- Examples include Pablo Picasso – a key figure in abstract art, Georgia O'Keeffe – known for her paintings of enlarged flowers, and Ai Weiwei – a contemporary artist and activist.
Craftspeople
- Craftspeople are skilled individuals who create functional or decorative objects by hand. These could include pottery, furniture, textiles, or jewellery.
- Craftsmanship emphasizes on material, process, and technique, but also involves creativity and design.
- Many craftspeople keep traditional techniques alive, while others innovate and experiment with these techniques.
- Notable craftspeople are Peter Carl Fabergé – famous for his exquisite Fabergé Eggs, Katsushika Hokusai – a Japanese ukiyo-e painter and printmaker, and Clarice Cliff – known for her Art Deco ceramic designs.
Designers
- Designers solve problems and fulfill human needs through designing products or systems. This can be in various fields, including fashion, product, graphic, interior, or digital design.
- The process includes identifying and researching a problem, brainstorming solutions, creating prototypes, testing and redesigning.
- Designers work is often led by functionality, but aesthetics and sustainability are also essential considerations.
- Prominent designers include Dieter Rams – a German industrial designer known for his 'less, but better' approach, Zaha Hadid – a British-Iraqi architect known for her radical deconstructivist designs, and Paula Scher – an American graphic designer and typographer.
Evaluating Work: Artists, Craftspeople and Designers
- In critical and contextual analysis, consider subject, form, process, and content when examining artworks, crafts, or designs.
- Subject: What is the theme or topic of the work? What is it about?
- Form: How has the artist or designer used elements such as line, colour, texture, shape, space, form, and value?
- Process: What methods or techniques have been used? How has the medium been manipulated?
- Content: What does it say or represent? What is the intent or message behind the work?
- Art is inherently subjective, therefore personal responses and interpretations can vary widely.
Contextual Understanding: Artists, Craftspeople and Designers
- It is vital to understand the historical, social, cultural and political context of works. These elements greatly influence the creation and reception of artworks, crafts, or designs.
- This aspect of analysis goes beyond the visual content and delves into the circumstances surrounding the work. It may involve an understanding of the artist's life, the time period, the sociopolitical environment, or the cultural setting.
- It helps to answer questions such as ‘why was the work created in the way it was?’ and ‘what factors influenced the artist or designer's choices and messages?’
Understanding these facets of artists, craftspeople and designers can develop visual literacy, expand creative thinking and deepen appreciation of the arts.