What do you think of craft when you think of craft?
Bisa Butler, “I Am Not Your Negro,” 2019 (quilted and appliquéd cotton, wool and chiffon
Lady Kwali, Pot, c. 1957, glazed stoneware
Wooden Chair from the Gurage people of Ethiopia
DISCUSS + DECOLONISE: CRAFT (November 2021)
I was invited by The Exchange (Erith) to open a conversation to discuss and decolonise a concept of my choice. And of course, I chose Craft.
Starting by reviewing the definitions of ‘Art’ and ‘Craft’ from different dictionaries, I led a sharing session to explore why crafts have been considered less than in the History of Art. We ended the 2-hour session with some clay work.
”Bisila's workshop at the Exchange's Discuss and Decolonise project was thought provoking, engaging and fun! It started with a fascinating introduction of Bisila's practice and her own definition of craft. Then Bisila invited the participant to consider different definitions and preconceptions of craft while working with clay and learning pottery techniques. This created a multi sensory experience and led to a discussion that was not just theoretical but also embodied. In addition, Bisila facilitation created a friendly environment where participants who did not know one another felt comfortable to touch on sensitive issues and to share their thoughts, feelings and opinions. In summary Bisila's workshop was excellent and we would love to work with her again!”
Mai Omer, Co-Director at The Exchange
November 13th, 2021