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They are functional objects that make life easier and are essential. But whose formal design or shape is of little importance or even obsolete to us. They surround us, they get used. Yet they draw no attraction to themselves. They do not aim to win a design price, they display no pride or come with flashy effects. And yet they can be gorgeous. It’s a matter of perspective. This is a heartfelt call to deepen our relationship with the objects that surround us. The art of empty space seen in the Nanga school of monochrome painting and the abstract, free-flowing art of calligraphy have already begun to exert considerable influence on the West. Bloom added that “this feels even more perfect now, in 2020,” alluding to the poignancy these lyrics take on as the COVID-19 crisis forces us indoors. There's nothing wrong with valuing the crafts of the commoner and taking pride in national or even regional goods and arts. In fact, I even encourage such pride and appreciation of common goods and handicrafts. It is common knowledge that the mechanisation and commercialisation of industry have resulted in the unending manufacture of poorly made goods. This decline in quality is the result of the excesses of the profit motive, organisational distortions, technical limitations, and much more. Furthermore, the working conditions in factories are oppressive, and workers find their work to be meaningless. Add to this the fact that there are no restrictions on mechanisation, which leads to rampant production of an even lower quality. Overproduction has also produced a greater number of unemployed. No one takes responsibility for this lamentable situation.”
Really calm, meditative read. Whilst reading It has got me looking at object/art in a more appreciative perspective, sitting for a second and enjoying it in silence, which is really refreshing. Mention must also be made of the Japanese concept of the “Void,” which can be understood as existing as a pluripotent hypostasis from whence all creation issues. Yanagi defines this using Buddhist terminology, with the Void ( Mu) containing limitless existence ( Yu) and all things being empty of any intrinsic existence of their own ( Ku). The latter itself is strikingly similar to Ibn Arabi’s concept of Wahdat Al-Wujud (Oneness of Existence), where the only reality that really exists is God. Literally, sabi commonly means "loneliness" but as a Buddhist term it originally referred to the cessation of attachment. Soetsu Yanagi was a philosopher, art historian, poet and aesthete lived in Japan between 1889 and 1961. He is also the founding father of the mingei movement in Japan in the late 1920s and 1930s. Mingei literary means “crafts of the people”. Yanagi finds beauty in the ordinary objects of everyday use. An object or art will be considered mingei if it meets these criteria: James A Reilly, A Small Town in Syria: Ottoman Hama in the Eighteenth and Nineteenth Centuries [ ⮐]One's assessment of an object must be free and unhampered, with nothing between you and the object. You must look directly at it. To decide that a particular piece must be valuable because it has a particular [artist's signature] seal is weak and demeaning. Your assessment only gains meaning when you look at the object directly, free and unfettered.” For the Japanese, beauty and utility are not considered separate, and the creation of art is itself a moral act, with Beauty being the objective. Yanagi uses the terms “Kingdom of Heaven” and “Kingdom of Beauty” interchangeably, quite possibly as metonyms for each other, with a world of Beauty being inherently a world of value and discrimination. As such, current mechanical and automated modes of production are immoral in his eyes, creating objects of short lifespan, with an excess either of aesthetic or utility not balanced by the other. Yanagi also provides some concrete examples of what he means by Mingei, from Okinawan Bashofu cloth and Washi paper to traditional indigo Katsuri patterns. He draws out certain unifying principles to determine which art forms should and should not be considered Mingei. For Yanagi, that meant the handmade artefacts and craft traditions that were disappearing as Japan industrialised. What it means for us in the 21st century is up to us to decide, according to our own tastes and preferences. Save up for quality kitchenware, well made furniture and timeless fashions. Choose fewer and better made things. Find objects you like and keep them forever. Write with a good pen on quality stationery. After all, “quality is how the heart and soul of a civilization should be measured”, says Yanagi. “How can bad paper and high civilization possibly be bedmates?” Today, the perception of beauty often relies on an object being made by someone famous or having a high price tag. But an object should not be beautiful because it embodies perfection or is particularly artful. It should be designed for its purpose rather than to look really good. It should be natural and simple. Sturdy and safe – it should stand the test of reality.
Disreputable and heinous acts are often carried out in the name of the nation. Nations do not always abide by the truth; instead truth is manipulated and distorted.”
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When machines are in control, the beauty they produce is cold and shallow. It is the human hand that creates subtlety and warmth. Yanagi’s approach to the arts might also be undertaken within the Islamic context, with a focus on its various arts and crafts on similar aesthetic and practical lines having the potential to yield profound insights.
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