The New Artisans
The future was supposed to look very different. Older readers will recall a TV programme called ‘Tomorrow’s World’ which, if the ever-effusive presenters were to be believed, would mean mankind’s destiny was to whiz about on jetpacks, only stopping to eat three course meals in pill form. Our environment would be hard and metallic and everything, including your robotic pets, would be disposable.
Although considerably wide of the mark, there’s a degree of truth in their predictions. We live in a culture that believes ‘faster is better’ and its effects can be detrimental. All of us expect instant cures, immediate results, overnight deliveries, timesaving devices and faster internet connections. It could be argued that we’re so intent on saving time, we no longer stop to appreciate the intrinsic value of things. To quote that great eighties philosopher Ferris Bueller, ‘Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.”
Recently, however, social commentators have noticed a grassroots change on the horizon, exemplified by the rise of interest in arts and crafts goods and a backlash against fast and convenience food. The message is that people are now looking for hand-made quality, whether it be in a loaf of artisan bread or beautifully finished furniture, rather than mass-produced quantity. We have become more appreciative of the time and effort that goes into creating what we consume.
It started with the ‘slow food’ movement, a term coined by an Carlo Petrini, an Italian journalist who documented the horror felt by many when McDonalds opened a branch next to the Spanish Steps in Rome. He and his friends drew up a manifesto railing against the pace of modern life: “Our defence should start at the table with Slow Food. Let us rediscover the flavours and savours of regional cooking and banish the degrading effects of fast food.”
Soon, Slow Food branches emerged all over Italy. They organised tutored tastings, restaurant meals and visits to artisan food producers. The Slow Food philosophy also supports a new model of agriculture, which is less intensive and healthier, based on respect for the surrounding ecosystem. The Slow Food movement, spread to other countries and today has a worldwide membership of around 85,000 in 132 countries.
The principles of the Slow Food movement fit neatly with the philosophy underpinning the resurgence of interest in arts and crafts. Both preach a wholesome and simplistic lifestyle that appreciates good craftsmanship, quality and regional products and an appreciation of individualistic talent.
For proof, look no further than the crowds flocking to Covent Garden’s Apple Market. From Tuesday to Sunday, the rows of colourful stalls are filled with some of the best hand-made British arts and crafts, from jewellery to clothing and accessories to toys, over 80 stallholders are registered at this historic Market. And, in many cases, you get the almost unique opportunity to meet the actual craftsman.
What you’ll find are passionate sellers who use resources in a way that respects the environment — smaller-scale, local touch, artisan-made — the opposite of mass production. People who make their goods as well as possible, rather than as fast as possible.
An exhaustive list of who sells what is irrelevant here, as different stallholders work different days and, crucially, part of the appeal of this unique retail experience is the delight in discovering something unexpected.
One thing is certain – in Covent Garden’s very own Aladdin’s Cave, there’s a hand-made treasure waiting for you.
The Apple Market is open from 10.30am -6.00pm, Tuesday – Sunday, and is dedicated to Antiques on Mondays.
