When you are trying to understand or evaluate an object you need to examine its connections — where materials come together or change direction. Note how the object connects to the ground or supporting surfaces. Material selection tells you little about the skill and intention of the maker — who rarely controls or determines a material’s characteristics. Makers use materials that are available, and selecting a material usually reveals more about the resources being marshaled toward a particular effort than the object’s true nature. You can make a material smooth or rough, or give it a matte or glossy surface. At best the treatment expresses or enhances some quality already inherent in the material. Selecting a material is not an unimportant matter, but it is a bit like shopping. Often a lack of intention, skill or imagination is masked by using an expensive material. It is easy to distract one’s critical gaze by bedazzling an object with lavish materials like gold or rare stones — replacing meaning with status.
A connection, however, has to be considered, fashioned and is usually the scene of the object’s eventual failure. Where things come together real decisions must be made. This is where the object and maker are truly revealed. What tools, processes and technologies were used to assemble the object? How strong or durable is the object? How long will the object last under nature’s onslaught — will it age with dignity? Is it an object meant to last forever, or is its purpose more ephemeral and fleeting? Will it require constant maintenance or when broken resist repair? Can the object be disassembled after its useful life? Is the object meant to be used like a tool or simply experienced? Does using the object add to its beauty or diminish it? How much time, insight and care was employed when fashioning the object? Are the materials understood and acknowledged by the maker? I have always believed that a skilled, thoughtful maker can transform any material into something meaningful, noble and beautiful with their wits and skill.