Crafts Magazine – Issue 297: 50 years of Crafts

Spotlighting today’s most exciting makers, ideas and innovations

As we celebrate five decades in print, our Autumn/Winter 2023 edition shows that craft is as powerful as ever

About the issue

Our 50th anniversary issue is a reminder of the extraordinary power of craft. The artist on our cover, Dima Srouji, gives us a glimpse of her delicate glass vessels and tells us how she’s unearthing ways to preserve the making traditions of Palestine, while El Anatsui – creator of Tate Modern’s latest epic Turbine Hall installation – explains the hidden power of used objects.

No longer a young rebel, ceramic art superstar Grayson Perry reveals that he’s now happily part of the establishment, while potter-influencer Florian Gadsby pulls back the curtain on his real-life studio.

On a visit to Mexico, a new generation of craftspeople tell us how they’re rejecting established ideas about art and identity, while our golden anniversary has us enthralled by makers working with the eternally alluring metal. Venice Biennale curator Lesley Lokko makes us think twice about our words, while Noritaka Tatehana – Lady Gaga’s erstwhile shoe-maker – brings Japan’s ancient techniques up to date.

Elsewhere, a childhood museum re-emerges as a riotous place to play, we muse on the robots turning their hand to craft and we revisit some of the figures featured in the magazine over the past 50 years. Finally, we throw a spotlight on industry, and the makers finding a rich seam of creativity between the handmade and mass produced.

Langauge: English