Workshops with Nanjing University of the Arts

2021

2021.11.22 - 2021.12.24

#01

Concept and Media

To begin, the term "Touching" does not refer to the emphasis of the creative practice in this class but rather to a conceptualization of a creative methodology. When we talk about the "concept" of contemporary jewellery or craftsmanship, what exactly do we mean? Undoubtedly,  the word "concept" in this context refers to the word "concept" in "conceptual art." Lucy Lippard, an American art critic, once stated that there are as many definitions of conceptual art as there are conceptual artists. Ann Coxon, however, provided a consensus that "conceptual art" focuses primarily on "ideas" and "meanings," with form and expression of ideas coming in a distant second.

When we juxtapose "concept" with "jewellery" or other craft mediums, we can see that we imply the creation of handcrafted products containing "ideas" and "meanings." In "conceptual art," the concept comes first, and the form follows. Therefore the creator's practical efforts revolve mostly around selecting the most appropriate form for the concept. Many ideas are released in this way by breaking conventional forms, and many traditional forms are likewise disrupted under the concept-led principle. However, when conceptual art ideas assist contemporary jewellery or other handicraft media in breaking the restrictions of materials and expressions, it leaves the final "quantity," which is the handicraft medium itself (whether it is jewellery, utensils or other).

As a result, in the conceptual production of contemporary handicrafts, this unavoidably leads to a "friendly touch" between "ideas and meanings" and "medium," so that it is the "best choice" rather than "mutual limits." For example, Norwegian craft critic Jorun Veiteberg once stated that in the relationship between pure art and craftsmanship, functional objects commonly found in the medium of craftsmanship are believed to be "conditioned" by function, which means that they will never be able to sublimate themselves to the free form of the intellectual product that pure art advertises.

Consequently, how might the relationship between "ideas" and "medium" "drive" endless and appropriate creative practises? In other words, what is the independent characteristic of contemporary craftsmanship? This course will focus on the production of synthetic materials and will encourage students to experiment with one or more of their properties and methods.

"The medium is the message" is a well-known statement by Marshall McLuhan. The term "medium" refers to the "extension of human"; hence, craftsmanship is implied. Previously, the emphasis was placed on the "content" delivered via the medium, while the medium itself was considered "off the field." However, McMaster argues that the content delivered by any medium is less significant than the medium itself.

This motivates us to experience the handicraft era and the industrial age, and in the current digital information age, when confronted with a handmade piece, we must consider not only the "content" expressed by the handicraft artist but also the medium's impact on the concept. The result is that we must carry meaning in the medium, and this meaning includes the reason why the medium carries the meaning.

At the same time, as Graham Harman noted, "objects are inexhaustible." The "object" in this context refers to both the real object and the sensual object. This demonstrates that the "messages" provided by the media are infinite, as are the "residues" of our understanding of any particular issue.

Consequently, our practice entails treating the phenomena of the medium (or the attributes that become prospective phenomena: physical, chemical, social, and cultural) as equals and connecting these properties with the extension of the theme (concept generation). In a different metaphor, this process more closely resembles the medium and the theme (or the research direction, which can also be extended from the medium). Countless "tentacles" have grown via observation and investigation. Consider how to allow one or more tentacles at both ends to "touch" in order to complete the task.

This "bidirectional drive" can generate infinitely appropriate inventions in both "quantities" as opposed to "wishful thinking" in either. Simultaneously, the creation generates a vast amount of social, cultural, and historical information and thought.

This comprehensive material course of "Touching" will combine theory and practice to enable students to consciously transform comprehensive materials into visual language, contribute meaning to conceptual narrative, and simultaneously comprehend the self-driven nature and methodologies of contemporary handicrafts. The outcomes will be presented as jewellery, utensils, or other objects.

Students‘ works

Images from DONGHE Collection