Heidegger, art, technology and luthiery

Abstract

English: Luthiery – the building of stringed instruments – is historically a discipline that has to a large extent evaded philosophical inquiry. This article seeks to explore the artistic and technological attributes of luthiery – with reference to guitar builders, in particular – using the thought of Martin Heidegger. His return to ancient Greek philosophy in determining the modes of technology and its initial close association with art will be interrogated and ultimately used to show that in luthiery, as practised by solitary luthiers as opposed to mass-produced factory instruments, both art and technology constitute a mode of revealing in the ancient Greek sense. This mode of revealing will be scrutinised as intrinsically inherent in luthiery by way of the roles of the materials used, the artist, the creation as well as the difference between works of art and equipment. Interviews conducted with leading South African guitar builders will provide substantiating material in this regard.

Afrikaans: Die bou van snaarinstrumente is histories ’n dissipline wat tot op hede enige gevestigde filosofiese, tegniese en artistieke raamwerk ontwyk het. Hierdie artikel onderneem om hierdie raamwerke en ghitaarbou in die besonder te ondersoek, met verwysing na die denke van Martin Heidegger. Sy terugkeer na antieke Griekse filosofie aangaande verskillende modusse van tegniek en hul aanvanklike noue verwantskap met kuns sal ondersoek word. In ghitaarbou, in handgemaakte teenoor massageproduseerde, fabriekvervaardigde vorm, sien ons die vereniging van horisonne van kuns en tegnologie deurdat beide ’n modus van ontbloting verteenwoordig. Hierdie modus van ontbloting sal ondersoek word deur die rol van die materiaal, die kunstenaar, die skepping sowel as die verskil tussen kunswerke en gereedskap te ondersoek. Onderhoude met prominente Suid-Afrikaanse ghitaarbouers sal as ondersteunende materiaal gebruik word.