ARTH 357 Studies in the History of Craft and the Decorative Arts | Department of Art History

• Instructor: Susan Surette

The Arts and Crafts Movement that began in Britain in the late-nineteenth century in response to design and social problems associated with industrialization quickly became influential throughout the UK. It tackled design reform of functional objects and domestic architecture and explored how to propel craft practices into social and economic benefits for economically and culturally marginalized populations. Through speaking tours by its leading proponents, exhibitions and The Studio Magazine, its philosophies about design and social reform influenced makers in Europe and North America. When disseminated throughout the British Empire these ideas were couched in an imperialist, colonialist and Orientalist approach that, while supporting and praising the historic craft productions of its colonies, framed their contemporary practices as needing design and production reform. Using a decolonising approach, this course will investigate various ways the aesthetic and social ideas and practices of the Arts and Crafts Movement were adopted and adapted as they spread into Europe, India, Japan, and North America at the turn of the last century, entangled with political and social movements linked to empire and nation building and the defence of regional and cultural identities. The nineteenth-century Arts and Crafts Movement is also historically intertwined with the institutionalization of heritage. As such, we will explore each of the four geographical regions’ current heritage craft practices through specific case studies within the context of contemporary national heritage initiatives, UNESCO’s 2003 Intangible Cultural Heritage Convention and the World Crafts Council’s recent program to promote “craft cities”. The social history thrust of this course will be anchored by an examination of specific objects and craft processes.