DIVERSE VALUE OF OBJECTS
Inspired by: The Nature and Art of workmanship, David Pye.
I began to write out my notes and personal thought to this reading after the seminar on April 11th and it evolved into the following.

Daniel Emery’s laser-cut MDF table really got me thinking about the debate of whether or not machine-produced objects are lacking in the qualities that a highly skillful handcrafted object can have, and the emotional effect this provokes to the viewer/ user. Emery’s table is a good example of a middle point, where the two worlds undoubtedly come together. This final year Victoria University student’s project helps the viewer to understand the computer and laser-cutter as creative tools, used to execute a well-developed product through deep explorations and mastery of the technology. Not to mention the skilled hand-craftsmanship it would then take to assemble the machined parts. It helps the viewer to understand the design as ‘craft’, and accept that automated machines simply developed from the hand tool, and that we need to update our understanding of the term 'handicraft' into the context of today.

This made me question the essence of the debate about the machine or hand-made object. Isn’t it about the quality to which something is crafted and the values that it holds? Although it’s still questionable whether or not anything that is machine-produced could ever carry the same spiritual value as a purely hand-made object, for example, the feeling one might get from holding the wooden handle of a knife hand-carved by their grandfather, as opposed to a professional chefs knife, machined to precision. Its that thing of human contact, knowing that your grandfather held that very object in his hands as he carved it, and that it was used for a lifetime by your own father. The material holds memory, family history and therefore holds an indescribable emotional attachment for he who possesses it today.

Think of the values held within an old handmade antique object without that strong family connection as I described above. Antique objects can be handed down through families, which will maintain an emotional connection to he who holds it, although, depending on how tight the family is, it may reach someone who holds it only out of obligation, and it is eventually sold to someone outside the family who appreciates it just as much as one of those dedicated family members. This person may simply share that common appreciation for objects, which were handcrafted with care, maybe the object is similar or reminiscent of an object from their past, or simply the decade in which it was produced. Reminiscent qualities can give appeal to an object that isn’t handmade, or even particularly well made. It can be appreciated for being expressive and celebratory of a time, a fashion or even just because it has gone ‘out’ and is now a recycled fashion. Even a table from the 70’s with a faded Formica top and rusty chromed legs can be appreciated, It could have been a bargain, and it looks cooler that some cheap crap from that department store.

But what about that emotional connection that one may find with an object, knowing that it was hand made in a time where the quality was appreciated over convenience and low cost? Have we simply lost this quality in our industrialised world of readily available low cost, mass-produced products, or is it time for a new understanding of the meaning of good craft? And what is the equivalent of the term ‘hand crafted’ in a society so different from the days before machine production took over?
Seeing Daniel Emery’s table I immediately had the feeling that he would hold an emotional connection, equal to that of anything purely handcrafted. How could someone have this emotional attachment to an object designed and, on the greater part, made using the computer and automated machinery?
Designers understand the process of CAD design and automated machining. We understand what it involves. We understand that the craftsmanship takes place on the computer. We, as design students have experienced this emotional effect that such a process can have on designer. But imagine how the general publics’ understanding of the material world might follow behind that of designers. Not everyone has experienced that emotional connection with modern technology, and people can’t understand that what they don’t know. Maybe the general public require an understanding of these processes in order to develop a deeper connection with objects produced using them, or maybe it is that such a connection stops with the designer, that the connection is just too distant.

This brings me to the idea of user-design, which is a whole new and interesting topic to expand on. My www.blogger.com account feels good to me because I could choose the interface, and I feel good with my Microsoft Word office assistant character that I chose. We are commonly offered these small choices through computers that allow us to personalise our interface. MySpace takes this to the next step, you can be really expressive by personalise the content to a great extent. User-design becomes really interesting when you see the Nike website which allows us to design a shoe using existing models and any combination of pre-determined elements/ colours. The website ‘Ponoko’ provides a place to sell your own designs, and collaborate with other designers; it really demonstrates the potential of the Internet and user-design systems that could potentially offered by product companies. www.ponoko.com

The iPod: Machine produced, but beautifully crafted, interesting use of material qualities etc…
Mass-produced, fill an obvious gap in the market. Seemingly Simple concept: transportable external hard drive containing Mp3 files. Agreeable appearance (every second person has one)
So why are we content with one when everybody else one too? Its about personalisation, user design. An iPod in its essence isn’t an Mp3 player; it’s YOUR music collection. Every one is unique, and therefore treasured.

People are sick of stomaching low quality products, many know the difference, and the issue of weather or not something is handcrafted is completely irrelevant in today’s society. It’s about quality, not means of production that define the value of a product. Tooling is a broad term, and tools advance, just like everything else. The quality of the design, manufacture and presentation/ image of the product is what really matters. We all know that quality products are more expensive, but we continue to buy cheaper goods, because we can. So can we only blame ourselves?

As we advance and the products we use become more complex, I think that the term handicraft becomes less relevant. It wouldn’t make sense to make modern products by hand or in an old fashioned way. Maybe we should change the issue to ‘craft’ instead of ‘handicraft’. An iPod is beautifully crafted, but you can also pay less and get an Mp3 player with a much lower quality finish. So you can see, craft is a huge issue here, but the term handicraft holds no relevance.