Having done one quilt exhibit and two weaving exhibits -- and heaven help us
ethnic pieces at that -- I am more saddened than angered by those who make
such a impassioned distinction between art (which belongs in a museum) and
craft (which belongs in Aunt Edna's bedroom).   I am slowly working my way
through an excellent book, The Invention of Art, which argues that
separation of art and craft is an extremely recent European invention.  As
with so many other concepts we Euro-Americans tend to think our world view
is not only the Right One, but often the Only One.   But perhaps the Wall
Street Journal's critic would have been happier if the quilt exhibits (and
other such wonderful artistic creations) were identified as being based in
Post Modern Feminist Theory with the appropriate accompanying art historical
jargon.

janice

Janice Klein
Director, Mitchell Museum of the American Indian, Kendall College
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