ArtMetal

For the past week or so I've been doing research for a Public Art Sculpture Proposal. While looking at existing sculptures around the country I came across an artist that seems to have done quite a few public sculptures including one right here in Nebraska. I'm not going to name the artist, but after seeing the process first hand of how he/she actually has the work fabricated by another party based off of their drawing/painting posed a question in my mind. What separates an artist/sculptor that designs and creates their own work from an artist/sculptor that designs their own work, but has some one else actually make it? Would that not make that person more of a designer than an artist? Much like an architect? From the information on this persons website and the numerous galleries and exhibitions he/she is definitely considered a sculptor. There is no doubt in my mind as to this person's artistic ability in drawing and painting thus earning the title of Artist for those abilities, but if the sculpture is being built by another party based on his/her drawing/painting wouldn't they in fact deserve the title of sculptor? If then he/she does deserve the title sculpture why would I want to labor over trying to make everything perfect by my own two hands when I could just contract out? With that strategy I could work on 10 large scale sculptures at once. Now it almost sounds like manufacturing. I certainly don't think I would put this person in the same category as some sculptor who sits in front of a giant piece of marble and chips away at it for a year with a hammer and chisel.

This is the rub, If we were both to put sculptures of good design and equal quality side by side, this person would probably have the advantage based on final product, experience(20-30 yrs), and shear number of successful installations. However, take the same two designs and give us each a shop where we would have to create the sculpture ourselves and I would probably edge out, because they wouldn't have much experience actually creating the final piece if they could create anything at all. I have absolutely nothing against this person and their work is really great. In fact I applaud anyone that can make a living doing what they love. I am simply questioning the labels that we all use to describe ourselves. It is society/us that makes or allows the two types of artists to be considered the same.

The Art vs Craft argument has been going on for years, I would love to hear everyone's take on this slant of an age old discussion.

Jake