Sunday 15 December 2013

Not a dying art...(get it?!)




People don't print out their pictures anymore. Everything is stored digitally. The traditional craft of developing a photograph is becoming obsolete, along with many other handcrafts, which is a great shame. I feel this as a weaver too- many a time I have been told "Ahh but weaving is a dying art..." 

I have only the upmost appreciation for modern technology but my one concern is that the digital age is relieving us of doing things for ourselves. Missing out on the human experience of ‘making’ we become desensitized.

Mass produce has become so easily accessible that it is devaluing. I think this will lead to a rediscovered appreciation and resurgence of the handcrafted; adding emotional and sentimental value rather than just monetary value to owning an artifact.

My parents have box upon box of photo albums under the bed, all in date order. Photographs of relatives, birthdays, holidays; cataloging our lives- until around 8 years ago when they bought digital cameras.

There is something to be said for the nostalgia of re-living memories through the means of a tatty, slightly yellowing photograph that you can actually hold in your hand and keep. It’s a more intimate experience than looking at a screen.

You hold a photograph of your grandmother. The wear and tear of the paper and its softened texture show how many times it has been held. She held it once too. Her particles might still be on it. Her eyes took in the same image as you. Through this photograph you are sharing an experience with her.

Portraiture is something that always took a painstakingly long time to create, whether painted or sculpted. Due to the fact that it was a slow and intricate procedure, obtaining a portrait used to be a bit of a luxury. There is something in the craft of hand weaving a portrait that is reminiscent of that.