Library

Garden of Stories

A public library in New York, USA.

You are invited to peruse the more conceptual articles published in Garland. Ask questions and consider answers.

Craft, at its best, provides material evidence of the limits of human capability, often showing that we can accomplish much more than we might have thought. It is, in this respect, deeply optimistic. It serves as a constant reminder of what humans can achieve when we put our mind to something and follow through.

Glenn Adamson, Fewer Better Things, 2018

The thinker-maker in Iranian contemporary craft - Narges Marandi, Atefe Mirsane, Farhang Parsikia and Zahra Mottaghi reflect on the changing meaning of "craft" in Iran.
Craft for health and well-being - The physical and psychological benefits of craft are increasingly being recognized. From the stress-relieving characteristics of everyday making to the medical applications of material skills, Rosy Greenless and Joseph Lo report on how can we expand and promote the positive impact of craft on the well-being of societies.
The Future at Hand: Reports on the role of crafts in our world today - Rosy Greenlees and Joseph Lo report on a series of seminars hosted by the World Crafts Council - International and the British Council reflecting the challenges and opportunities for craft in the twenty-first century.
The role of craft in crisis - From handmade scrubs in the UK to earthquake-resistant buildings in Nepal, Rosy Greenlees and Joseph Lo report on the role of craft in crisis response and recovery, and its longer-term contribution to the rehabilitation of disaster-stricken communities.
Craft and the circular economy  - Although green practices are already embedded in some craft practices the sector has its own environmental impact to address. Rosy Greenlees and Joseph Lo report on a seminar that asks how can adopting the principles of the circular economy enable craft to play an active role in mitigating worsening global climatic changes?
Craft Culture in Early Modern Japan: Learning by doing - D Wood reviews Christine Guth’s Craft Culture in Early Modern Japan and finds fascinating detail about the elaborate world of makers.
Glenn Adamson ✿ Material Intelligence and the scientific turn - Glenn Adamson speaks about a craft publication project that focuses on four materials a year and seeks to engage a scientific readership.
Let a hundred craft histories bloom - Kevin Murray finds Glenn Adamson's new book about the USA to be a valuable addition to the global library of national craft histories.
Daniel Thomas ✿ Recent Past: Writing Australian Art - Stephanie Radok reviews a collection of writings by the doyen of Australian art history, Daniel Thomas.
The rise of “craftship”: The Organization of Craft Work: Identities, Meanings, and Materiality - A new anthology follows up Richard Sennett's The Craftsman by tracking the revival of craft values in contemporary work.
Review of A Cultural Economic Analysis of Craft - A new book on craft is an excellent resource for those working in cultural policy across the wider world.
Sahaj ✿ The Vernacular Furniture of Gujarat book - An important new book from our friends in CEPT Ahmedabad about vernacular furniture
Glenn Adamson ✿ The need for material intelligence - Glenn Adamson's new book Fewer, Better Things calls for a "material intelligence" to restore our faith in the "real world".
Can craft and design coexist in southeast Asia? - In 2016, the Craft Reveals conference in Thailand brought together key minds and hands to consider the future of craft. Sali Sasaki argues that the blinding effects of economic development in Southeast Asia should not take over the lucidity that is necessary to achieve a balanced coexistence between craft and design.

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