the distinction between “crafts” and “fine art” is probably driven by misogyny and the devaluation of women’s labor
art forms that have traditionally been practiced by women like embroidery are devalued and called just “crafts” while art forms that women historically were mostly barred from (painting, sculpture) are “fine art”
It’s also driven by racism in Western art appreciation courses in my experience. African art tends to be viewed as crafts rather than fine art, especially when it’s art that can have functional uses in households.
There was this whole movement in American Art History called the arts and crafts movement and it was where a whole bunch of men decided to start working with wood and glass and pottery and metal. They deigned embroidery as womens work and generally refused to like, allow them to join in on their fun.
