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Handwork being a Co-Op might sound like a feel-good label, but what does it really mean to be an Artist Cooperative that is owned, operated, and staffed by its members? The history of cooperatives is rooted in a tradition that remains truly radical even today. They are in fact, a fundamental challenge to the status quo. The philosophical underpinnings of this self-governance structure stretch back centuries grounded in ideals of mutual aid, economic justice, true democratic participation, even anarchism emphasizing nonhierarchical structures. The story of cooperatives is one of people reclaiming their agency from systems of exploitation while building a new paradigm.
“You know I was just scrolling through google searches seeing all the usual names - amazon, target - whatever - I was so happy to come across your store.”
The man on the phone was calling to make a correction on the order he had just placed with us - a mix up with the address. Why he chose to shop on Handwork’s online store for his Mother’s Day gift was framed by who he wasn’t choosing to shop with - an onslaught of multimillion dollar corporations.
On the surface we all instinctively understand what he is getting at. There’s something heartbreakingly generic about a faceless corporation. Sanitized of any distinct personality. Highly palatable - like ultra processed food. Stripped of its inherent nutrition and injected with engineered flavors designed to hit our brain just right. You can find something perfectly nice at any one of these places. But there is one truth that a big box store or website cannot escape. They have no story.
At least, not a story you really want to engage with.
