My wife found an interesting phrase about “Art in Japan before Meiji” in Haruki Murakami’s book. His book is fiction so it may not be as accurate as the academic essay, but the world-famous novelist explaining the concept of Art similar to what I have been trying to communicate is pretty amazing. So here it is. What do you think? ☆
(It is from the audiobook transcripted, so it may be not exact… please tell me if you find an error. I humbly adjust it.) ☆
Cited from Killing Commendatore by Haruki Murakami (2018)
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Meiji Restoration: until then the term “art” did not exist… just like up until then the name of country Japan was hardly ever used. With the appearance of Western art from abroad the concept of art was born as a way of asserting something that could be distinguished as standing in opposition to Western art. What had existed until then in various forms and styles was for the sakes of simplicity lumped together under the new name of Japanese painting… what had been everyday designs, arts, and crafts designs such as paintings on folding screens… were now set in frames.
To put it in other way, items done in a natural style as part of everyday life were now accommodated to the western system and elevated to the status of works of art. ☆
村上春樹著の「騎士団長殺し」、読了された方はいらっしゃいますでしょうか？妻が英訳版を読んでいて、「淳の言うアートに関する描写が会ったけど？」っていう流れで、オーディオブックから書き取りで引用です。（なので間違ってたらごめんなさい）。もし読了された方がいて、「明治維新以前はアートという概念は存在しなかった」という一節があるのですが、もし発見された方がいたら教えて貰えると本当に助かります。日本で読みたいけど単行本は高いし遠い……。ちなみに、僕のブログを読んで貰えればわかるかもですが、それなりにハルキストです（でした）。
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2019-01-13 19:35:32
一部、二部ありますよね
頼んだばっかりでよみおわったらいります❓
A new *thread* in talking about these relationships in art! I love Murakami’s writing, he is a fantastic writer and translator.
That’s mad. I’m just listening to that now!
👏👏👏
Very interesting mood of thinking. But the art of Japan is like that!!! The simplicity of the life. I adore your ancient style of life
@sinobu_19671885 そうそう。一部二部のです。Kindleか文庫で出ないかなぁとは思いつつ、船便に入れればそんなに重さは気にしなくていいかなぁと思いつつ。はい！ありがとうございます！読み終わったら感想もほしいです。
@bensorrellart Yes he is. I was amazed when we found his writing regarding what I had been writing on my blog.
@kimlingmorris That is crazy 😀 let me know what you thought of it, especially in the context!
@blackfreedomm Thank you. This explains a bit why I felt “strange” when people started calling Sashiko Art. I have no problem with Sashiko being Art, but since I was raised in the culture like his description, it was simply “strange.”
As Japanese isn’t a language I speak, I am listening to a translation in English. I’m struggling with it a bit because I find the reader’s voice unsuitable for Japanese text, particularly Murakami’s style of writing. To me it wheedles and I think it needs to be more gravelly. There is no sensibility to the cadences of spoken Japanese and the mismatch is throwing me. (This is why I also prefer to watch films in original and read subtitles).
Struggle aside (I will have to be less lazy and read the book instead of listening to it!) – Here in Ireland where I am based, we have an ongoing tension between art and craft, where art has a perceived intellectual superiority over craft. There is often an imbalance of concept over construction and many craft forms are suffering because of the lack of appreciation. From what I read, I feel that there is a more innate appreciation of crafts in Japan and more, that many Japaneses crafts have maintained a healthy respect from Western “experts” too.
Perhaps this is because Japanese crafted work has a style strong enough to be identifiable. I will have to visit Japan one day to see if my perceptions are fair!
Would you say that is fair?
@kimlingmorris Ah, a cup of coffee with you over this topic would be so nice (although it may requires 10 cups of coffee after all. lol). Yes. I believe I understand your point. The language carry the culture, and in order to “fully” experience the book and culture, the language is the must to have. It is something “AI translator” will not be able to fulfill.
For the respect to the craft rather than art in Japan, let me think it through before writing here. As long as I know at this point, Japanese tend to have “less interest” in (Fine) Art. Not many people visit museum and not purchase the art piece. However, we care “design” a lot. In order to define these things, we need to have the proper understanding to “Art” “Craft” and “Folk-handicraft”. I have been expressing my idea on my web, upcyclestitches.com, so please check it out, too.
Above said, ultimately speaking, we all try to be “right” by insisting the opinion. However, some culture at some point (here, Japanese culture in national isolation), “opinion” didn’t matter. They merely cared each other, (not only good feeling but also hate can be categorized as “caring”), and I assume, this society is wanting a place where no one has to proof she/he is right.
Too much leap in story?
💝💝