The Craft Revival and Etsy.com
Description: I wanted to focus on the DIY (do-it-yourself) revolution that has revived handmade crafts and how this translates as art/action and counter-publics in today's culture. I also want to explore what affect it has had on the views of women in this era, especially views generated relating to the website Etsy.com.
Evidence: Websites like Etsy perpetuate the ideas of anti-consumerism and originality that diverts from mainstream and mass-produced products by fostering the selling and buying of handmade products. It takes part in the Handmade Consortium, which is a pledge to buy handmade items (especially during holiday seasons). Participating in this movement is seen as a protest against chain stores that are making the nation mass-produced. Etsy.com also fosters the idea of a craft community, where crafters all over the world can connect in their revolution in the virtual world that knits craft and the Web 2.0 era together.
Purpose: A website the allows users to post, sell, and buy DIY products like jewelry, clothing, accessories, etc. A major example of growing popularity of an underground culture. This craft revival has also influenced the view of the 21st century woman as being resourceful, skillful, and independent. The craft movements knits together previously mundane hobbies like sewing and knitting and fuses it with the need to create a counterculture or counterpublic, forming something new.
Audience: The general public. However, this DIY revolution tends to be more involved with females. The revival can be related to embracing feminism. The idea is to influence as many members as possible to join this craft revival. The site itself attempts to be more visible and accessible in the public, although it does not use conventional advertisements, but word-of-mouth instead.
4 comments:
the diy is a cultural terrain that has interested me too. do you participate? it would be interesting to think about how this relates to high art, and also if this has had any effect in or on art education (i.e. institutes for the arts and crafts). will etsy.com be your focus?
p.s. it also occurs to me that your mention of the audience is important, since the whole craft thing is also related to a certain idea about women in the 2000's... ie. it seems to bring back a lot of the more recently discarded versions of women.??
I do participate. I find it as a fun hobby and a way to be unique/creative. Etsy.com is a possible focus, but I was thinking of other places too. It's still a work in progress. But it's interesting that it relates to views on women. I could definitely discuss the relation between women and crafts.
sounds good. i like the idea and want to know more from you about the etsy thing (even if it will open up into other things, it might be good to start here, or somewhere else, but i want that particular place to be clear and identifiable at the start, even if it changes). can you do an AB of the etsy homepage or website and post it here too?
Post a Comment