Page 20 - Constructing Craft

Chapter One: Origins

The studio craft movement that blossomed in New Zealand from the late 1940s
through to the early 1990s built on three distinctive craft traditions. The first and by

far the most dominant were the British, European and, to a lesser extent, American

craft traditions imported into New Zealand. The second was New Zealand’s own
trade-based and domestic-based craft practices. The third, and perhaps the least

understood or acknowledged, was Māori craft. These links with past traditions were
what one writer described as ‘the sparks that kindled the New Zealand identity in

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crafts’.

European Craft Traditions

The European influences arrived through a variety of channels. Many of the
pioneers of the studio craft movement came from Britain, Europe or the United

States of America; most received their training in their country of origin and

craftspeople born in New Zealand were heavily influenced by imported ideas. The
books and articles that New Zealand craftspeople read, and were most influenced

by, were British and a number of influential craftspeople from Britain, Europe and
America immigrated to New Zealand or made visits after the Second World War.

New Zealanders, according to one commentator, ‘judge our artistic achievements
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by British standards (and submit them for judgement to British critics).’ Other
influences were evident, for example Oriental traditions, but usually they were

filtered through the writings of British, and to a lesser degree, European and
American authors. Therefore, to understand the foundation of the craft movement in

New Zealand we must consider the history of craft in the West – particularly Britain.

The history of craft in Britain and Europe can be divided into three stages of

development. First was the time when everything was craft. The British craft
historian, Edward Lucie-Smith, noted: ‘All processes of making are hand processes,

everything made, whether utilitarian, ritual or merely decorative (and often one
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cannot separate these functions), is essentially a craft object.’ Second was the
Renaissance when art and craft became intellectually separated and art assumed a
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superior role. Finally, there was a gradual separation between craft objects and

Constructing Craft