Japanese Modernisation and Mingei Theory: Cultural Nationalism and Oriental Orientalism

Excellent review of expensive book on Mingei.   Folks don't always understand that "The Unknown Craftsman" was an artificial intellectual construct create by Soetsu Yanagi.   The Unknown Craftsman Pureland Buddhism was a good way to try to understand the peasant craftsman, but Zen is a better guide for the modern educated studio potter.

Japanese Modernisation and Mingei Theory: Cultural Nationalism and Oriental Orientalism

"Janet Leach has left an account of her visit to Mashiko, at a time when the master, surrounded by apprentices and assistants, was preparing for an exhibition at one of the Tokyo department stores, and she mentions in passing that the Hamada establishment annually pumped out thirty thousand pots. In the face of these developments, Yanagi had finally to admit that while “no-mindedness” remained preferable to individualism, nevertheless the artist-craftsmen could still fill the role of teaching us to appreciate the work of the unknown craftsmen. At the same time, the quality of formerly anonymous craft work was deteriorating rapidly. Once mingei became popular, potters in the old crafts villages raced to fill the demand, and visitors found themselves facing acres of what has aptly been called ethnokitsch."

Fritz Levy

Professor emeritus, Department of History, University of Washington

flevy@u.washington.edu