Heidegger, art, technology and luthiery

Abstract

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.