Ever since our world has had an increasing focus on robots as well as overproduction, it has become difficult to have things completely “handmade”, making these products rare and therefore more exclusive, in other words luxurious.
It could be said that production of goods using techniques passed down through generations creates authenticity and imperfection and that such techniques cannot be replaced by machines with technology prioritising speed and precision. Thus leads to the question as to the “human touch” and what has made it become a luxury today ?
Craftsmanship has, in the past years, been the intersection of both luxury design and fine arts. Every trace of labor makes the object so much more authentic, showing the relationship between the creator and the product, for instance high-end brands such as Goyard who have prioritized their family manufacture over mass production, making their products luxury.
Handmade products carry meaning since they demand patience, skill and presence due to the time that is spent on each of them. This contrasts with digital consumption, since each of their luxury products, handmade, allows a return to the slower pace of life. It is also true that handmade manufacture leads to a more mindful consumption since once we know something was made with time and care we naturally look at it differently. The object becomes more meaningful, and we treat it with more respect, we preserve it and repair it. Consequently hand craftsmanship has a form of sustainability aspect to it making us question what we own and how we value it.
In the art world we can differentiate two types of collectors, the ones driven by status, versus the ones drawn to storytelling, sustainability and individuality. The second type appreciates more what is handmade, and the luxury behind its creation, the uniqueness of each object, the rareness of it. Indeed, such a collector will attribute more value to knowing the artist’s background, the techniques used and time spent on each piece. Ultimately, what they value is the care taken behind the craftsmanship of the piece.
Therefore we can conclude that the handmade object is a form of storytelling. A project becomes an artwork because of the aesthetic judgment applied to it and the creator’s touch, thusmaking a handmade item more precious and valuable by the time and skill invested in such handcrafted objects. Handmade works resonate as experiences not just as possessions.
Nevertheless, this conversation is not just black and white since AI assisted art is now entering luxury spaces with contemporary art because what makes the final work luxurious is also how the artist intervenes in the machine’s output. It can be said that the artwork is high end if there is a part handmade in the process whether it be the final product or the idea behind it and the way it is presented.
