Prof. Papatya Bucak Publishes Craft Essay at Fiction Writers Review

Prof. Papatya Bucak has published a craft essay, "Redefining Ornament: An Argument for the (Seemingly) Inessential," at Fiction Writers Review.

The opening to Bucak's essay, "Redefining Ornament: An Argument for the (Seemingly) Inessential":

In art and design, the word “ornament” is typically used to connote something that has been added to an object merely to decorate that object. The goal of ornament is style or beauty. It has no essential function, nor any real meaning.

Ornament, according to art-world definitions, does not fundamentally change the object it has been attached to. Like a gargoyle added to a wall, the wall will still stand without it. Now technically a gargoyle is a rain spout—it has a purpose—but obviously a rainspout doesn’t need to look like a gargoyle. So, what’s the purpose of the design? Is it just ornament?

I believe if an ornament didn’t alter a person’s experience of the object it was attached to, then we wouldn’t bother to have it. The truth is I love gargoyles and I don’t care that much about walls. I believe gargoyles do change walls and not just by saving them from getting wet. I doubt I’m alone in this.

But what does this mean for creative writing?

Read more of Bucak's essay at Fiction Writers Review.