Mingei
Encyclopedia
, the Japan
ese folk art
movement, was developed in the late 1920s and 1930s in Japan. Its founding father was Yanagi Sōetsu
(1889–1961).
out of a curiosity for Korean crafts. The trip led to the establishment of the Korean Folk Crafts Museum in 1924, and the coining of the term mingei by Yanagi, potters Hamada Shōji (1894–1978) and Kawai Kanjirō
(1890–1966). In 1926, the Folk Art
Movement was formally declared by Yanagi Sōetsu. Yanagi rescued lowly pots used by commoners in the Edo
and Meiji period
that were disappearing in rapidly urbanizing Japan. In 1936, the Japanese Folk Crafts Museum was established.
Yanagi's book The Unknown Craftsman has become an influential work since its first release in English in 1972. Yanagi's book examines the Japanese way of viewing and appreciating art and beauty in everyday crafts, including ceramics
, lacquer
, textiles, and woodwork.
in Japan, Yanagi Sōetsu extended his application of the “criterion of beauty” to the crafts of the Okinawans and the Ainu
in the Japanese peripheries, and to those of the colonies including Korea
, Taiwan
and Manchuria
. These scholars argue that mingei theory, far from being an Oriental theory, is a “hybridization” and “appropriation” of Occidental
ideas such as that of William Morris
(1834–1896) which Bernard Leach
(1887–1979) introduced when he lived and worked in Japan from 1909 - 1920. Whereas Leach helped Japanese artists to rediscover their Oriental cultural origins in Occidental eyes, Japan applied Orientalism to its own art and projected the same Orientalism to the art of other Far Eastern countries such as Korea. Yuko Kikuchi terms this phenomenon “Oriental Orientalism”.
Yanagi’s “Korea and its Art” was severely criticized by Korean intellectuals as a “colonialist view of history” in 1974. Yanagi defined “beauty of sadness” as the “innate, original beauty created by the Korean race” . Yanagi believed that the long history of foreign invasions of Korea was reflected in Korean art, and especially in its pottery
, in the “sad and lonely” lines. Such a theory has been criticized by Korean scholars as the “aesthetic of colonialism
”.
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese folk art
Folk art
Folk art encompasses art produced from an indigenous culture or by peasants or other laboring tradespeople. In contrast to fine art, folk art is primarily utilitarian and decorative rather than purely aesthetic....
movement, was developed in the late 1920s and 1930s in Japan. Its founding father was Yanagi Sōetsu
Yanagi Soetsu
, also known as Yanagi Muneyoshi, was a Japanese philosopher and founder of the mingei movement in Japan in the late 1920s and 1930s.-Life:In 1916, Yanagi made his first trip to Korea out of curiosity about Korean crafts...
(1889–1961).
Origins
In 1916, Yanagi made his first trip to KoreaKorea
Korea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...
out of a curiosity for Korean crafts. The trip led to the establishment of the Korean Folk Crafts Museum in 1924, and the coining of the term mingei by Yanagi, potters Hamada Shōji (1894–1978) and Kawai Kanjirō
Kawai Kanjiro
was a Japanese potter and a key figure in mingei and studio pottery movements, which included his friends Bernard Leach, Shōji Hamada and Kenkichi Tomimoto....
(1890–1966). In 1926, the Folk Art
Folk art
Folk art encompasses art produced from an indigenous culture or by peasants or other laboring tradespeople. In contrast to fine art, folk art is primarily utilitarian and decorative rather than purely aesthetic....
Movement was formally declared by Yanagi Sōetsu. Yanagi rescued lowly pots used by commoners in the Edo
Edo
, also romanized as Yedo or Yeddo, is the former name of the Japanese capital Tokyo, and was the seat of power for the Tokugawa shogunate which ruled Japan from 1603 to 1868...
and Meiji period
Meiji period
The , also known as the Meiji era, is a Japanese era which extended from September 1868 through July 1912. This period represents the first half of the Empire of Japan.- Meiji Restoration and the emperor :...
that were disappearing in rapidly urbanizing Japan. In 1936, the Japanese Folk Crafts Museum was established.
Mingei Theory
The philosophical pillar of mingei is “hand-crafted art of ordinary people” . Yanagi Sōetsu discovered beauty in everyday ordinary and utilitarian objects created by nameless and unknown craftsmen. According to Yanagi, utilitarian objects made by the common people are “beyond beauty and ugliness”. Below are a few criteria of mingei art and crafts:- made by anonymous crafts people
- produced by hand in quantity
- inexpensive
- used by the masses
- functional in daily life
- representative of the regions in which they were produced.
Yanagi's book The Unknown Craftsman has become an influential work since its first release in English in 1972. Yanagi's book examines the Japanese way of viewing and appreciating art and beauty in everyday crafts, including ceramics
Ceramics (art)
In art history, ceramics and ceramic art mean art objects such as figures, tiles, and tableware made from clay and other raw materials by the process of pottery. Some ceramic products are regarded as fine art, while others are regarded as decorative, industrial or applied art objects, or as...
, lacquer
Lacquer
In a general sense, lacquer is a somewhat imprecise term for a clear or coloured varnish that dries by solvent evaporation and often a curing process as well that produces a hard, durable finish, in any sheen level from ultra matte to high gloss and that can be further polished as required...
, textiles, and woodwork.
Criticisms of Mingei Theory and Orientalism
In recent decades, scholars such as Yuko Kikuchi and Brian Moeran have claimed they have uncovered power relations and ultra-nationalism that lie at the core of the formation of mingei theory. In 1927, Yanagi put forward the “criterion of beauty in Japan” in The Way of Crafts . During the years of rising militarismMilitarism
Militarism is defined as: the belief or desire of a government or people that a country should maintain a strong military capability and be prepared to use it aggressively to defend or promote national interests....
in Japan, Yanagi Sōetsu extended his application of the “criterion of beauty” to the crafts of the Okinawans and the Ainu
Ainu people
The , also called Aynu, Aino , and in historical texts Ezo , are indigenous people or groups in Japan and Russia. Historically they spoke the Ainu language and related varieties and lived in Hokkaidō, the Kuril Islands, and much of Sakhalin...
in the Japanese peripheries, and to those of the colonies including Korea
Korea
Korea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...
, Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
and Manchuria
Manchuria
Manchuria is a historical name given to a large geographic region in northeast Asia. Depending on the definition of its extent, Manchuria usually falls entirely within the People's Republic of China, or is sometimes divided between China and Russia. The region is commonly referred to as Northeast...
. These scholars argue that mingei theory, far from being an Oriental theory, is a “hybridization” and “appropriation” of Occidental
Occidental
Occidental may refer to:* Occidental, California, a town in Sonoma County, California* Occidental Mindoro, a province of the Philippines located in the MIMAROPA region in Luzon...
ideas such as that of William Morris
William Morris
William Morris 24 March 18343 October 1896 was an English textile designer, artist, writer, and socialist associated with the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood and the English Arts and Crafts Movement...
(1834–1896) which Bernard Leach
Bernard Leach
Bernard Howell Leach, CBE, CH , was a British studio potter and art teacher. He is regarded as the "Father of British studio pottery"-Biography:...
(1887–1979) introduced when he lived and worked in Japan from 1909 - 1920. Whereas Leach helped Japanese artists to rediscover their Oriental cultural origins in Occidental eyes, Japan applied Orientalism to its own art and projected the same Orientalism to the art of other Far Eastern countries such as Korea. Yuko Kikuchi terms this phenomenon “Oriental Orientalism”.
Yanagi’s “Korea and its Art” was severely criticized by Korean intellectuals as a “colonialist view of history” in 1974. Yanagi defined “beauty of sadness” as the “innate, original beauty created by the Korean race” . Yanagi believed that the long history of foreign invasions of Korea was reflected in Korean art, and especially in its pottery
Pottery
Pottery is the material from which the potteryware is made, of which major types include earthenware, stoneware and porcelain. The place where such wares are made is also called a pottery . Pottery also refers to the art or craft of the potter or the manufacture of pottery...
, in the “sad and lonely” lines. Such a theory has been criticized by Korean scholars as the “aesthetic of colonialism
Colonialism
Colonialism is the establishment, maintenance, acquisition and expansion of colonies in one territory by people from another territory. It is a process whereby the metropole claims sovereignty over the colony and the social structure, government, and economics of the colony are changed by...
”.