Page 299 - Constructing Craft

asserted their pre-eminent position as New Zealand’s first craftspeople by taking

control of their traditional designs – endorsing Pākehā craftspeople who
demonstrated an affinity with them – or adapting them in the new art-oriented

environment. Both women and Māori had to adapt if they wished to be part of the art
world and both found old and new ideas caused conflict. Individual women often had

to mimic or embrace the more individualistic approach that craft artists took to their
work and Māori had to be cognisant of their craft heritage and traditional methods

when working with new ideas and non-traditional materials.

Symbolically, the conflicts that afflicted the craft world were played out through the

CCNZ. In the 1980s the tertiary trained graduates of the new craft design courses

were the heirs to a craft movement that had been creatively rewarding and financially
lucrative for the preceding generation of craftspeople. The CCNZ had been

established by people who had accumulated financial and cultural capital. But there
were signs that the CCNZ was unsure about where the future of craft would be

located in the new environment. Initially, the CCNZ embarked on a policy that
appeared to support the founders’ economic position through advice on technical

matters and the marketing of craft. However, the CCNZ also believed it had a role in

enhancing the cultural status of craftspeople. To achieve this it began to arbitrate
different levels of craft which were directed at elevating craft art to a ‘higher realm’.

However, as the American craft writer, Bruce Metcalf, observed:
By nature craft looks backwards, which [in 1993] is no longer
supposed to be a virtue. But all its ancient usages provide a
sourcebook from which craft can clarify its essential distinction
from fine art. Once that is done, craft can develop its own
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conceptual approach.

He also advised craftspeople to avoid trying to enter the art world: ‘Assimilation into
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art is deadly to craft and should be avoided.’ But by the time he wrote this it was too
late. Craftspeople had to decide if they wanted to become part of this new dominant
group – as craft artists ‒ or remain simple craftspeople and possibly slide back into

the ‘trades’. If they chose the former they had to accept the rules of the art world. If

they chose the latter they looked to the past and a doubtful future.

Constructing Craft