July 18th & 25th
A two-session discussion class on what we are really doing when we call one object art and another craft.
What you’ll do
A quilt in a museum is art. The same quilt on a bed is craft. A wooden bowl by a famous sculptor is art. The same bowl turned by a woodworker is craft. In this class, you’ll trace where that distinction comes from, test whether it holds up, and look at what the hierarchy has excluded. Across two sessions, you’ll explore how the art/craft divide shapes museums, pricing, status, and who gets called an artist in the first place.
What you’ll learn
Where the art/craft distinction comes from
How that distinction shapes value, status, and recognition
Who has been excluded or diminished by the hierarchy
How to think more critically about the categories themselves
Great for: Makers who have felt the hierarchy from the wrong side, and anyone who has ever paused in front of an object and wondered which category it belongs to. No background in philosophy needed.
Instructor: Phil Mack holds a PhD in philosophy and has over ten years of experience teaching at UW–Madison, Marquette University, and UW–Milwaukee. He makes big ideas accessible through conversation, not academic jargon, and is building a public philosophy practice in the Madison area.
Schedule
This is one class held over two dates. Registration includes both sessions.
Session 1: Saturday, July 18, 1:00–3:00 PM
Session 2: Saturday, July 25, 1:00–3:00 PM
Cost: $78
What to bring: Yourself, and an object or image of an object that you are not sure how to classify.
July 18th & 25th
A two-session discussion class on what we are really doing when we call one object art and another craft.
What you’ll do
A quilt in a museum is art. The same quilt on a bed is craft. A wooden bowl by a famous sculptor is art. The same bowl turned by a woodworker is craft. In this class, you’ll trace where that distinction comes from, test whether it holds up, and look at what the hierarchy has excluded. Across two sessions, you’ll explore how the art/craft divide shapes museums, pricing, status, and who gets called an artist in the first place.
What you’ll learn
Where the art/craft distinction comes from
How that distinction shapes value, status, and recognition
Who has been excluded or diminished by the hierarchy
How to think more critically about the categories themselves
Great for: Makers who have felt the hierarchy from the wrong side, and anyone who has ever paused in front of an object and wondered which category it belongs to. No background in philosophy needed.
Instructor: Phil Mack holds a PhD in philosophy and has over ten years of experience teaching at UW–Madison, Marquette University, and UW–Milwaukee. He makes big ideas accessible through conversation, not academic jargon, and is building a public philosophy practice in the Madison area.
Schedule
This is one class held over two dates. Registration includes both sessions.
Session 1: Saturday, July 18, 1:00–3:00 PM
Session 2: Saturday, July 25, 1:00–3:00 PM
Cost: $78
What to bring: Yourself, and an object or image of an object that you are not sure how to classify.
Cancellation policy:
If your plans change, please cancel more than 24 hours before class begins to receive credit toward another class at Depot Hill Creative. Cancellations made 24 hours or less before class are non-refundable and not eligible for class credit.
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