thoughts on "handmade"

Way back in October Core77 posted about an opening at Kiosk (who I love), but what interested me most was some of the writing about the project, read my copy & paste job below (since the exhibition is long gone....):
What is it about things made with our own hand that makes them more fun to use? Why is a rough handmade aesthetic so appealing right now? How can making an object intentionally less "functional" bring us closer to the pure experience of using that object?

I think about this a lot, and it really resonates with me. I wish I had gone to the exhibit because maybe it would have helped me answer some of these questions! Anyone out there have any good theories about the appeal of handmade objects or how functionality (or the lack of) affects the experience of using an object? I would love to hear others' thoughts....