Is handicraft an art?

Handicraft refers to handicrafts with unique artistic style made by manual labor. It is different from the arts and crafts of mass production of standardized daily-use handicrafts by means of large-scale industrial mechanization. Handicrafts refer to products made by hand or tools. Mechanical tools can be used, but only if the direct manual labor of craftsmen is still the main source of finished products. Handicrafts are made of natural materials and can be made in unlimited quantities. Such products are practical, aesthetic, artistic and innovative, can convey cultural connotations, are decorative, functional and traditional, and have religious or social symbolic significance and importance. The word "craft" has multiple meanings, and one of its important connotations refers to a special craft skill, especially to many categories of handicraft art.

Modern handicraft is a form and concept relative to traditional handicraft. "Modernity" refers to a concept of time: "tradition" is the "modernity" of the ancients, and "modernity" will eventually become the "tradition" of future generations. Modernity is a constantly changing concept in the process of modernization under the conditions of modern social economy, production conditions, environmental atmosphere, lifestyle and fashion culture. Therefore, modern handicraft should be said to be a modern form of traditional handicraft.

China's traditional handicrafts have a long and splendid history and occupy an important position in the whole history of China's cultural and artistic development. In the development of cultural history, art history and design history, handicraft is one of the main contents running through it. After the reform and opening up, with the prosperity and development of culture and art, design art and handicraft art, public space and living space began to be enriched, design aesthetics and artistic concepts evolved and updated, and a large number of new materials and technologies appeared, which promoted the transformation of traditional handicrafts into modern forms and was accepted by the public.

At present, the handicraft industry in China is still in a weak state, lacking systematic business communication, overall academic guidance and the environment for handicraft industry development. To develop handicrafts, in addition to the attention of the government and the concern of all walks of life, universities should also shoulder important historical responsibilities.