Leesfragment: The Craft and the makers: Between tradition and attitude

Ambachtelijkheid, vakmanschap, handwerk - het is zo zeldzaam geworden dat de waarde weer zichtbaar wordt. En de schoonheid ervan, de precisie, de toepasbaarheid. In het gelikte koffietafelboek The Craft and the Makers: Tradition with Attitude verzamelden Duncan Campbell en Charlotte Rey kleermakers, horlogemakers, borstelmakers, messenmakers, porceleinbakkers, kanobouwers, globemakers, handtassennaaiers, meubelmakers, brouwers, glasblazers, jeansmiths, fietsenmakers, meubelontwerpers, motorbouwers, tegelbakkers, zeepmakers, edelsmeden, leerlooiers. Kijk, blader, koop.

De samenstellers schrijven:

'It struck us that the perception of the word craft had perhaps changed in recent years. Just as the word luxury has lost its lust, we wondered if the notion of craft itself had become somehow tainted — perceived as frivolouis, unnecessary, or inferior. It's not our job to comment on the validity of one type of craft over another, but we did know the spirit that we wanted to celebrate in this book. We wanted to think about craft that had a purity of purpose, that melded tradition and innovation and that avoided both cozy nostalgia and newness for its own sake. It was important to look at a broad range of makers and crafts, from the rarefied, the luxurious, and the decorative to the practical and the utilitarian. What, we hope, unites everyone featured is both a dedication to their chosen vocation and the beauty and integrity of the final product.'

Campbell en Rey? Zijn dat niet de editors van het onlangs gestopte Acne Paper? Inderdaad. Freunde von Freunden zocht het stel op in Londen, en vroeg ze naar hun achtergronden en hun opvattingen. Geïllustreerd met foto's van hun huis, die duidelijk maken dat deze mensen goed kunnen kijken en kopen. Bijvoorbeeld:

'Duncan: We rarely make a special concession to go and “be inspired.” It doesn’t really work like that. Books, architecture, art and travel are all sources of inspiration, and I also love historical typography found on things like shop signs and bookplates. In addition, we are lucky enough to be able to work together in a way that has become very instinctive.
Charlotte: I think we are both incredibly curious people, we are always looking at things, picking things up, collecting things, putting them together in different ways, creating connections, references and layers before tearing it all down again and starting over to make something else. One of the best things about working in partnership is that you don’t have to spend any time explaining what you mean to the other person, there’s a kind of innate understanding of references, which saves a huge amount of time. Also, it means that when things are a bit stressful or there’s a deadline, you have someone who understands, and when things are going well, you have someone to share it with.'