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Abstract

David Gates - The Language Of Craft This paper posits a view that with rare exceptions the nascent discourse around contemporary craft largely addresses agendas central to Design History and Material Culture rather than establishing routes of communication between, and of practice to further a platform of making and intelligence. This situation can be shown to have historic links to education, class, the limitations of language and entrenched western philosophies, notwithstanding the reticence of many practitioners to engage in fuller debate. David Gates is a maker and academic based in London. Using mostly hand-making techniques allied to a contemporary aesthetic David produces furniture ranging from the practical to the questioning. His practice and research examines the intelligence of making, sustainability, ethics, manual drawing and tools. An interest in the complexities of the creative process and how it might be conveyed through language and artefact has led to his current research activity. This work has practical relevance to the changing face of crafts education and in the communication of contemporary craft practice to a wider constituency. www.davidgatesfurniture.co.uk http://www.londonmet.ac.uk/jcamd/research/rae-2008/david-gates/david-gates_home.cfm http://makingaslowrevolution.wordpress.com/ www.carrythecan.org Some books: Dormer, P. (1997). The Culture of Craft. Manchester: Manchester University Press. Johnson, P. (ed.) (1998) Ideas in the Making; Practice in Theory. London. Crafts Council. Polanyi, M. (1974). Personal Knowledge; Towards a Post-Critical Philosophy. Chicago, University of Chicago Press. Pye, D. (1995) The Nature of Art and Workmanship, revised ed. London: The Herbert Press. Smith, P.H. (2004) The Body of The Artisan; Art & Experience in the Scientific Revolution. Chicago & London: University of Chicago Press. Sturt, G. (1923) The Wheelwrightâs Shop. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. David Gates is a maker and academic based in London. Using mostly hand-making techniques allied to a contemporary aesthetic David produces furniture ranging from the practical to the questioning. His practice and research examines the intelligence of making, sustainability, ethics, manual drawing and tools. An interest in the complexities of the creative process and how it might be conveyed through language and artefact has led to his current research activity. This work has practical relevance to the changing face of crafts education and in the communication of contemporary craft practice to a wider constituency.