Nation of Artisans is a quest to spark a renaissance in British artisanship and manufacturing. Why? To heal the nation’s soul and economy, of course. Here’s a reminder.
This week, two films about Oli Jessop — a luthier from Bridport in Dorset.
“I don’t really approve of the deification of craft,
it’s just people doing people things”.
I’ve always been fascinated by luthiers — the makers and repairers of stringed instruments. The name comes from “lute,” but today the craft spans violins, guitars, cellos, banjos, and more.
Oli, a luthier from Bridport in Dorset, is a refreshing break from the mystique that often surrounds the trade. He’s a master of his craft, but he rejects the emerging obsession with analogue craftsmanship and sees technology as essential to good making.
He raises some provocative questions about what it truly is that people are talking about when they talk about craft. As it happens, this is a question I am currently pondering for a future essay on craft, slop, AI, and the future of British manufacturing. Stay tuned.
He grew up in workshops among “badgery old men.” His father was a tent maker, and that’s what first drew him to instruments: early banjos and other stringed instruments were built with hides and tensioned materials in ways that reminded him of tents.
To repair instruments, he often has to do things most people would never dream of. The key is that he doesn’t form emotional attachments to the instruments in the way his clients do — otherwise the pressure would get in the way of doing the job properly.
He’s also an excellent guitarist in his own right. In addition to the interview, we made a short film scored with his own composition.
Enjoy!
