Art Knives? Or Not?

SharpByCoop said:
Art knife:
standard.jpg
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STeven: I see your point. But, I do think this knife smacks of American 'Art' and it's opulence: Broadway, Vegas, Hollywood, Miami, Bling-bling, excessive and WAYYY out of reach for 99.6% of the buying collectors. Your Paris Hilton metaphor is close, but that doesn't exclude it from being conceived and executed as art.Already this thread is filled with notions about what isn't art. But that's all a subjective opinion.

Isn't it apt that this knife is named 'Yin-Yang'? More Yang than Yin.... ;)

Coop
 
SharpByCoop said:
STeven: I see your point. But, I do think this knife smacks of American 'Art' and it's opulence: Broadway, Vegas, Hollywood, Miami, Bling-bling, excessive and WAYYY out of reach for 99.6% of the buying collectors. Your Paris Hilton metaphor is close, but that doesn't exclude it from being conceived and executed as art.Already this thread is filled with notions about what isn't art. But that's all a subjective opinion.

Isn't it apt that this knife is named 'Yin-Yang'? More Yang than Yin.... ;)

Coop
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Coop...I understand that it is opinion.

Years ago, when I was but a wee sprout TWAT(Tattoo wannabee actually tattooing, as opposed to TWIT-Tatoo Wannabee in Training), I got tattooed by SuZanne Fauser, MFA, who's business card said "Go forth, and live as art".

I have not forgotten that....I DO try to live as art, sometimes it is really bad art.:D

There is a lot of bad art out there. Notice that the knife wasSPECIFICALLY not dismissed as art.....it IS certainly art....but....it MAY not be good art, and to me, it is very bad art.

There is total crap art in Las Vegas....and there is some very fine stuff as well. I am fairly partial to Bellagio and the Venetian, for many different reasons. There are about $50,000,000 of Picasso paintings at Picasso, and some of them are very, very fine, as an example. If you don't like Picasso, than it would be a wasted experience. The Guggenheim at the Venetian is not bad either.

Best Regards,

STeven Garsson
 
The best definition of art I've heard, "the intentional use of some medium to communicate emotions or ideas between minds via the five senses, either in isolation or in some combination."

Oddly enough, there is no requirement of beauty in art. Keep in mind, some of the most artsy-fartsy art is the ugliest. But, who am I to judge. :D

Attempting to define "art" is somewhat similar to grouping a bunch of knife knuts together to properly define "sole authorship" for a knife dictionary. :D
 
I wish the phrase art knife would fade away entirely. Many people (inside and outside the knife world) believe an art knife is neither real knife nor real art. Don Hanson and his beautiful award-winning knife deserve better than to be saddled with such a dubious distinction!
 
Come to think of it, I can't recall ever hearing the terms, Art Rifle, Art Shotgun, or Art Handgun.:) ss.
 
I personally don't consider any of the above knife as being complete art knives. They have decorative handles, but IMO the blades lack the proper embellishments to be an art knife. Of course art is subjective, but it makes a statement, not just because they are decorative.
None of those knives say anything, (to me) except, I'm pretty.
YMMV.
 
HTMD said:
I wish the phrase art knife would fade away entirely. Many people (inside and outside the knife world) believe an art knife is neither real knife nor real art. Don Hanson and his beautiful award-winning knife deserve better than to be saddled with such a dubious distinction!
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I'm with you Buddy. :thumbup: If there's no parameters as to definition, throw out the term.

Walking Man said:
I personally don't consider any of the above knife as being complete art knives. They have decorative handles, but IMO the blades lack the proper embellishments to be an art knife. Of course art is subjective, but it makes a statement, not just because they are decorative.
None of those knives say anything, (to me) except, I'm pretty.
YMMV.
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Well please follow that up with a photo of what you consider an "ART Knife".
 
Something like this:
2766_1_n.jpg

Or this:
66.jpg

Most knives that I've seen by Montejano, I would consider true art pieces.
I understand that my definition of art knife is much narrower than most peoples.
 
I believe that custom knifemakers like Jurgen Steinau and Wolfgang Loerchner
are true artists, practicing their art by creating ART KNIVES.......

David (DDD)

From the collection of Dr. David Cohen
as displayed in my book "The Great Collections":
picture.JPG


From the collection of Dave Ellis
as displayed in my book "The Great Collections":
picture.JPG
 
We definitely have many interpretations as to what are or what qualifies as an "Art Knife".

Does the AKI (Art Knife International) define "Art Knife", or have guidelines as to what makers can or can not present at the AKI Show?

Is the AKI Show genuinely just for "Art Knives"? I have seen many AKI knives that I would not consider "Art Knives".
 
Kevin Jones said:
We definitely have many interpretations as to what are or what qualifies as an "Art Knife".

Does the AKI (Art Knife International) define "Art Knife", or have guidelines as to what makers can or can not present at the AKI Show?

Is the AKI Show genuinely just for "Art Knives"? I have seen many AKI knives that I would not consider "Art Knives".
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1. Art Knife INVITATIONAL, no guidlines other than how the knives are sold, and min/max(2?/5?) not exactly sure of qty.

2. The AKI is not "just" for Art Knives, as Loveless doesn't make a lot of "Art Knives".....most of the makers do, however.

Best Regards,

STeven Garsson
 
Kohai999 said:
1. Art Knife INVITATIONAL, no guidelines other than how the knives are sold, and min/max(2?/5?) not exactly sure of qty.

2. The AKI is not "just" for Art Knives, as Loveless doesn't make a lot of "Art Knives".....most of the makers do, however.

Best Regards,

STeven Garsson
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Starting to look like "Art Knife" is just a term thrown around to describe any number of knives. :confused:

Are their any "Art Knife" organizations or associations?
 
Some really good responses here. I like Buddy's 'toss out the phrase' rule, too.

STeven, maybe you knew this, but that Kious knife we were discussing resides in Las Vegas. Right at home. ;)

Coop
 
All handmade knives are art knives,... or none of them are.

Knifemaking is an art,... not a science.

What's good art and bad art is just a matter of opinion.

Even the makers who promote their knives as strictly no nonsense high performance pieces,... are making art knives. :)
 
Tai Goo said:
All handmade knives are art knives,... or none of them are.

Knifemaking is an art,... not a science.

What's good art and bad art is just a matter of opinion.

Even the makers who promote their knives as strictly no nonsense high performance pieces,... are making art knives. :)
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That describes my thoughts pretty well on the subject of Art knives.

I can see it (art) in pretty much any knife, from the basic to the highly decorated.
 
Art is art, independent of whether it's a knife or a urinal.
 
Not that all knives have to be used to cut with,... but why can't cutting and performance also be considered "part of the art"?
 
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