Craft-based contemporary art practices

This research focuses on the conceptual potential of craft-based contemporary art practices that transcends craft's self-identity and disciplinary boundaries. It studies conceptual craft practices which are also referred as "Neo-Craft" or "Postcraft", with a post-disciplinary approach. It challenges the assumption to categorize craft as merely functional objects and explore new meanings and readings for craft from a new materialist perspective. This research maps the prominent practices and strategies of craft-based contemporary art within the last 15-20 years. To grasp the conceptual framework of these approaches, the study focuses on post-disciplinary historical contexts, rather than disciplinary ones. With an intention to consider the research a creative process, the research adopts a fluid approach where theories can follow multiple paths by departing from static paradigms and strict disciplinary categories. New materialist perspective of the study refuses craft's inferiority based on dualist traditions. It argues that dualist tendencies of both modernist and post-modernist cultural theories, underestimate the conceptual potential of craft. It defines craft as a product of intellectual and practical knowledge. It recognizes craft as a dynamic, fluid, relational, activist set of hybrid practices, expressions, statements, and circumstances that are in flux. This study is composed of two main parts. The first part explores the historical context of craft-based contemporary art practices. It analyzes crossover practices and approaches, blurred boundaries between art and craft. It re-evaluates craft elements and re-position them by expanding the definitions. The second part discusses craft-based contemporary art practices through two main conceptual trends that are identified by this research. One of these trends is using craft media and techniques in relation to their sociocultural associations. Since the beginning of 2000's men, women and queer artists are subverting undervalued amateur craft elements to explore their political, social, and cultural possibilities. The other trend is to explore the material possibilities of craft elements for aesthetic expression. These hybrid forms which stand in between autonomous art objects and functional craft objects, question the relationship between body and objects in relation to utility and functionality. They explore the limits of sensual experience outside of object's primary meaning. Keywords: conceptual craft, neo-craft, postcraft, contemporary craft, post-disciplinarity, new materialism