The Case for Keeping Things
25th February 2020
The philosophy of Repair Shop has its roots in the English Arts and Crafts movement, which arose in the 19th century as a reaction against mass production in the decorative arts. The artists and writers of the Arts and Crafts movement believed that mass production had severed the intellectual act of designing from the actual (and deeply meaningful) physical process of producing the good itself, and that this separation was socially alienating and a threat to aesthetic taste. As a countermeasure to this, movement figureheads like William Morris encouraged the mastery of craft skills, the formation of a guild-like society of designer-craftsmen, and the rejection of industrial machinery in favor of the hands-on creation and repair of objects. In his oft-quoted words: “without dignified, creative human occupation, people become disconnected from life.” The Arts and Crafts movement emphasized the role of nature, vernacular British traditions, the importance of craftsmanship, and simplicity of form, all of which combined to create a warm and rustic aesthetic.
Sometimes the old ways are best.
On the other hand, check out James Lilleks, The Gallery of Regrettable Food, for how this can go bad.