Japanese Modernisation and Mingei Theory : Cultural Nationalism and Oriental Orientalism

Conceptualised in 1920s Japan by Yanagi Sôetsu, the Mingei movement has spread world wide since the 1950s, creating phenomena as diverse as Mingei museums, Mingei connoisseurs and collectors, Mingei shops and Mingei restaurants. The theory, at its core and its adaptation by Bernard Leach, has long been an influential 'Oriental' aesthetic for studio craft artists in the West. But why did Mingei become so particularly influential to a western audience? And could the 'Orientalness' perceived in Mingei theory be nothing more than a myth? This richly illustrated work offers controversial new evidence through its cross-cultural examination of a wide range of materials in Japanese, English, Korean and Chinese, bringing about startling new conclusions concerning Japanese modernization and cultural authenticity. This new interpretation of the Mingei movement will appeal to scholars of Japanese art history as well as those with interests in cultural identity in non-Western cultures. "Conceptualised in 1920s Japan by Yanagi Soetsu, the Mingei movement has spread world-wide since the 1950s, creating phenomena as diverse as mingei museums, mingei connoisseurs and collectors, mingei shops and mingei restaurants. The theory, at its core and in the form of its adaptation by Bernard Leach, has long been an influential 'Oriental' aesthetic for studio craft artists in the West. But why did mingei become so particularly influential to a Western audience? And could the 'Orientalness' perceived in Mingei theory be nothing more than myth?" "Tracing the chronological development of Mingei theory from its beginnings in the 1910s to the end of the twentieth century, Kikuchi deconstructs the Oriental 'myth' of mingei by highlighting and analysing the complicit relationship between Japanese cultural nationalism and modern Western Orientalism. She replaces the myth with an alternative perspective that focuses on the hybrid nature of the movement, from the formation of the theory on the basis of 'hybrid' modern ideas to its establishment in national, colonial and international discourses." "This illustrated work offers controversial new evidence through its cross-cultural examination of a wide range of materials in Japanese, English, Korean and Chinese, bringing about new conclusions concerning Japanese modernisation and cultural authenticity. This new interpretation of the Mingei movement will appeal to scholars of Japanese art history as well as those with interests in cultural identity in non-Western cultures."--BOOK JACKET "This illustrated work offers controversial new evidence through its cross-cultural examination of a wide range of materials in Japanese, English, Korean and Chinese, bringing about new conclusions concerning Japanese modernisation and cultural authenticity. This new interpretation of the Mingei movement will appeal to scholars of Japanese art history as well as those with interests in cultural identity in non-Western cultures."--Résumé de l'éditeur Book Cover......Page 1 Title......Page 4 Contents......Page 5 List of figures......Page 8 Acknowledgements......Page 12 Author's note......Page 14 Introduction......Page 16 Orientalism: the foundation of Mingei theory......Page 20 Appropriation of Orientalism......Page 62 'Oriental Orientalism'......Page 142 Reverse Orientalism: the development of Mingei theory into national and international Modernism......Page 216