What's So Funny?

Brigitte Martin of crafthaus asks...What's so funny?

Humor in Craft

People of all ages and cultures respondto humor enthusiastically and craft artwork definitely can be very funny !

Often, the work exudes a sense of the absurd due to exaggerated size or by being executed in unusual materials. Craft artwork can be highly ironic, political, sarcastic, or just plain amusing, and it comes in a variety of media, such as metals, wood, fibers, ceramics, glass, mixed media etc.

Brigitte Martin has joined up with Schiffer Publishing to develop a book about the role humor plays in contemporary craft, and we welcome your submissions in image, text, audio, and video !

We are lookingfor the following contributions:
- images of humorous artwork,
- texts/essays by the contributing artists, commenting about humorous aspects in their artwork,
- audio art
- video art (the book will contain a CD of audio/video art depending on qualifying submissions)
- essays by writers about the role of humor and fun in craft.

Can you show us humor in all its shades expressed through craft artwork and text ? Who decides what's funny and what isn't ? What topics are off-limits ? Is irony funny ? Sarcasm ? Are politics funny ? Religion ? This book aims to provide the viewer with entertainment, commentary, and of course, many fine craft pieces by makers from all over the world. Humor has no borders. Or does it ? It might be interesting to learn how a piece will be hilarious in China, but only garner mild astonishment in Sweden and vice versa.

This call is open to craft artists working in all craft media. crafthaus membership is not required. International entries are particularly welcome and encouraged ! The book is scheduled to be on the market in 2012.

This is a rolling call: THE SOONER YOU SEND IN YOUR ENTRY the greater your chance to be considered ! Final deadline: March 1, 2011.

Artists:

To submit your work for initial consideration, please email:
humorincraft@yahoo.com

- low res image(s),

- information regarding media, measurements,

- brief blurb about your work and your views on the topic of "humor in craft"

- Audio/Video artists: Please email an excerpt of your piece or direct me to a website where your work can be heard/seen.

Once selected, you will receive detailed information about the image requirements for printing, as well as other pertinent information and a deadline for final submission.

Image requirements for eventual inclusion in book:

Be prepared to submit your photos at 300 dpi and sized 15 x 10 inches !
Format: tiff or jpg

AdobeRGB1998 preferred but not necessary
Pixel count for a 9 x 7 image is: 3500 x 2800 pixels

Writers:

Please submit a brief outline on your proposed essay topic, as well
as some information about you to:
email: humorincraft@yahoo.com

Photos from crafthaus