Japanese Folk Crafts Movement (Mingei) in Modern Japan

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Questions and Answers

What was the main focus of the second part of this module?

The development of Western arts in Japan

The modernization of Japan during the Meiji Restoration

The Japanese Folk Crafts movement, known as Mingei (correct)

The decline of Japanese arts and crafts in the West

What was the result of the top-down effort to modernize Japan during the Meiji Restoration?

The elevation of craft above painting and sculpture

The decline of Western models in Japan

The adoption of a new system of government and legal frameworks (correct)

The adoption of traditional Japanese arts and crafts

What was the initial public preference in the art market during the Meiji Restoration?

Individual craftspeople educated in fine arts universities

Japanese Folk Crafts movement

Western models and fine arts (correct)

Traditional Japanese arts and crafts

Why did interest in Japanese arts and crafts decline in the West?

Due to Western artists and craftspeople successfully incorporating Japanese techniques and aesthetics into their own work Signup and view all the answers

What characterized the approach of craft during the Meiji Restoration?

A solitary artist working in a studio, striving for original and creative expression Signup and view all the answers

What is the abbreviation of minshuteki kogei?

Mingei Signup and view all the answers

When was the Mingei movement officially founded?

1926 Signup and view all the answers

What was the main factor that led to the wide consumption of folk crafts by the urban middle classes in Japan?

The rediscovery of folk crafts by artist-potters in the 1920s Signup and view all the answers

Who founded the Japan Folk Craft Museum in Meguro, Tokyo?

Yanagi Soetsu Signup and view all the answers

What prompted the reconstruction of Tokyo into a modern city?

The devastating Kanto earthquake in the 1920s Signup and view all the answers

What was the name of the title given to people who hold skills and knowledge that are seen as historically and culturally relevant in Japan?

Living National Treasure Signup and view all the answers

What type of glaze was used in the production of the flower jar with a floral design shown in Slide 16?

Shinsha Signup and view all the answers

Who pioneered the development of folklore studies in Japan?

Kunio Yanagita Signup and view all the answers

Who was inspired by Morris and Ruskin's ideas but rejected any Western influence?

Yanagi Soetsu Signup and view all the answers

What was the focus of the tea ceremony, known as wabicha?

Conducting tea ceremonies in tea rooms according to strict guidelines Signup and view all the answers

What was the result of the archaeological excavations in Japan during the Taisho era?

The rediscovery of the Six Ancient Kilns of Japan Signup and view all the answers

What was the name of the process used in the production of the greyish part of the piece shown in Slide 17?

Salt glaze Signup and view all the answers

What was the reason for the wide consumption of folk crafts by the urban middle classes in Japan?

Their increased disposable income Signup and view all the answers

What was the focus of the Momoyama revival movement?

The exploration of ancient ceramic techniques and the creation of new works inspired by historical styles Signup and view all the answers

What was the main goal of the Mingei movement?

To support rural craftspeople Signup and view all the answers

What was the name of the artist-craftsman who rediscovered the Shino glaze technique?

Arakawa Toyozo Signup and view all the answers

Where was the Folk Museum founded by Yanagi Soetsu in 1924?

Seoul Signup and view all the answers

What was the characteristic of medieval aesthetics in Japan?

Emphasis on simplicity, imperfection, and roughness Signup and view all the answers

What was the result of the expansion of an educated middle-class in Japan during the Taisho era?

A growth of a consumer society and a nostalgia for Japan's soon-to-be-lost traditions Signup and view all the answers

What was the name of the famous tea school founded by Sen no Rikyu?

Urasenke Signup and view all the answers

What was the trend in Japan during the 1920s, following the devastating Kanto earthquake?

Urbanization Signup and view all the answers

What technique was used to create the complex patterns on the Edo Sarasa fabrics?

Stencil dyeing Signup and view all the answers

What is the core concept of Pure Land Buddhism that influenced Yanagi's aesthetic philosophy?

Tariki, or other-power Signup and view all the answers

What did Yanagi believe was the beauty of folk crafts?

The lack of self-consciousness or ego by common craftspeople Signup and view all the answers

What did Yanagi reject in his aesthetic philosophy?

Modernist ideas of art tied to individualism Signup and view all the answers

What is a characteristic of the Mingei movement, according to some scholars?

A sense of nostalgia and Japanese cultural nationalism Signup and view all the answers

What is the multifaceted nature of the Mingei movement rooted in?

Tradition and the search for a Japanese sense of cultural identity separate from the West Signup and view all the answers

Who is the creator of the gourd-shaped jar that reinterprets the Edo Sarasa pattern?

Kenkichi Tomimoto Signup and view all the answers

What was the main irony of the Mingei movement?

It was a top-down movement led by urban intellectuals and university-educated artist-craftspeople Signup and view all the answers

What was Bernard Leach responsible for reviving in medieval British pottery?

The use of hare and other animal patterns Signup and view all the answers

What was the primary characteristic of Mingei movement, according to the text?

Fusion of techniques and influences from different cultures Signup and view all the answers

Why did Yanagi Soetsu criticize the works of Hamada and other artist-potters?

They were individual or artistic crafts Signup and view all the answers

According to Yanagi, what is the most important condition for an object to be considered folk craft?

It should be simple, with no excessive decoration Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary difference between folk crafts and individual or artistic crafts, according to Yanagi?

The intention of the craftsman Signup and view all the answers

What is the main aspect of Mingei that represents an authentic mode of living and making?

The process behind their production Signup and view all the answers

Who introduced the British technique of slipware to Japan?

Hamada Signup and view all the answers

What was the primary reason why Yanagi Soetsu distinguished folk crafts from aristocratic, industrial, and artistic crafts?

Because they lacked traditional, democratic, and local character Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

The Mingei Movement in Japan

The Mingei movement, also known as the Japanese Folk Crafts movement, emerged in the 1920s and 1930s in Japan.
It was initiated by artists, craftspeople, and intellectuals during the Taisho era, with a focus on promoting traditional Japanese crafts and aesthetics.

Context: Modernization and Westernization in Japan

During the Meiji Restoration, Japan underwent rapid modernization and Westernization, leading to the adoption of Western models in government, law, military practices, and arts.
Initially, public preferences and the art market favored Western models, elevating painting and sculpture above craft.
Craft eventually gained acceptance, but was associated with individual artists or craftspeople educated in fine arts universities, mirroring the image of the solitary artist working in a studio.

Decline of Western Interest and Rediscovery of Japanese Arts and Crafts

In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, interest in Japanese arts and crafts declined in the West.
Western artists and craftspeople successfully incorporated Japanese techniques and aesthetics into their own work.
The 1920s saw a rediscovery of Japanese styles by artist-potters, leading to their widespread consumption by the growing educated middle classes of urban Japan.

Founding of the Mingei Movement

The Mingei movement was officially founded in 1926 at Mount Koya, a famous site of Buddhist pilgrimage in Wakayama Prefecture, by philosopher and art critic Yanagi Soetsu, and artist-craftsmen Shoji Hamada and Kawai Kanjiro.
Yanagi Soetsu was initially interested in Western art and modernism, but later became interested in folk crafts after receiving a pottery jar from Korea.

Organization and Promotion of Mingei

The Mingei movement had three main branches: the Takumi shop, the Japanese folk crafts movement, and two monthly magazines, Kogei and Gekkan Mingei.
These branches promoted the work of craftspeople, created knowledge and sales networks, and allowed them to continue their traditional craftwork following pre-modern traditions.

Key Figures and Craft Artists

Yanagi Soetsu, Shoji Hamada, and Kawai Kanjiro were key figures in the Mingei movement.
Hamada and Kawai were later recognized as Living National Treasures in Japan, illustrating the official endorsement of the Mingei movement.
Other notable craft artists involved in the movement included Kanjiro Kawai, Shoji Hamada, and Arakawa Toyozo.

Characteristics and Aesthetic Philosophy of Mingei

The Mingei movement emphasized simplicity, imperfection, and roughness, reflecting the concept of wabi-sabi.
It also hybridized ideas from the British Crafts movement with the aesthetics of the medieval tea ceremony and Buddhist principles, particularly the concept of tariki or other-power.
Yanagi believed that the beauty of folk crafts lay in the lack of self-consciousness or ego by common craftspeople, representing the power of nature and inherited traditions.

Criticism and Contradictions of the Mingei Movement

The movement was criticized for its top-down nature, led by urban intellectuals and university-educated artist-craftspeople, which stifled innovation and the natural change of traditional forms.
The movement's emphasis on traditional techniques and styles also presented a dilemma for craftspeople, who had to navigate the changing demands of a market economy while striving to uphold traditional forms.
Yanagi's rigid standards and aesthetic philosophy were also seen as contradictory to the movement's core principles of democracy and folk craftsmanship.

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Description

Explore the development of crafts in modern Japan, focusing on the influential Mingei movement, its context, key figures, influences, and principles. Learn about the democratic crafts movement initiated by artists, craftspeople, and intellectuals during the Taisho era.