Tibor Uhrín
Craft can be positioned somewhere between art and design; however, it is neither isolated nor stagnating. There is no precise border between art, craft and design. On the contrary, due to technical progress, these borders are vanishing, or at least becoming less clear cut. New technologies and flexible production systems currently allow us to create designs and make small series of products or even one piece in a similar fashion to that produced by a craftsman. The majority of people consider craft to be an innocent hobby or weekend outdoor sales event where traditional or folk goods are presented. This perception of craft freezes it in the sense of traditional (folk) production methods in a way so it cannot develop nor take any of the progressive elements from the current period. The stagnation of craft in our country is caused to a certain degree by over evaluating the tradition. There is contemporary craft, a very exiting field with its own internal development parallel or overlapping design and free art and receiving inspiration from the past as well as the present. Contemporary craft products are mainly interior objects (furniture, table setting), clothes and jewels. The Rings on Water competition was created with this in mind, and it proved the potential of designers influenced by craft. We frequently meet with adverse opinions and an under evaluation of the significance of craft, even with artists and designers. Craft is often perceived to be at a lower level in comparison to design or art. The craft process, perceived as increased sensitivity for the technology and material is, however, still very important for the designer’s imagination. Design and craft can compliment each other well in every field. Contemporary world craft is nowadays alive and progressive – adventurous, reacting to new technologies and materials, and possessing an entrepreneurial spirit in commercial practice. Craft, especially the contemporary form, is simply another level of visual creativity, closely related to or even overlapping with free art or design but with its own identity. The mediocre or lack of quality in craft does not remove value from what is exemplary and contemporary.