“Is Sashiko Art?”. I had a Live Streaming only in Japanese to share my understanding about Sashiko as Art or Non-Art. There are many reasons why I do not consider Sashiko as Art. It is almost meaningless to discuss to “conclude” if Sashiko is Art or not because the “definition” and “expectations” in English toward Art is different from the one from Japanese (at least, what I have). Therefore, it is okay to leave it “undecided”. For me, Sashiko is NOT Art. If you want to convince me to change, write to me in Japanese (Communication in English will not bring us to a mutual understanding due to different pre-set in this matter). At the same time, I humbly accept the admiration toward Sashiko as the Art. Yes, Sashiko “can be” Art. I just want them (non-Japanese) to think why some Japanese do not consider Sashiko as the Art, before using the word “Art” as an excuse to do whatever they want.
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In my stay in Pittsburgh, I learned that the “Art” can carry a lot of “messages”. Our Sashiko/Boro pieces carry many stories, and I share them. However, they aren’t messages to impact someone or something. When I make Sashiko for the purpose of influencing the world, then it may be a form of Art using Sashiko. This is something I can do now. In our society, outcome and results are the primary of success. This affects the way of Sashiko as well. Many worry if their result is good… or Sashiko even became a name for a pattern (which is wrong). I will make a piece as an antithesis for today’s “result oriented” society. Sashiko isn’t about making beautiful stitches. The beautiful stitches are “mere result”, not the essence.
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「刺し子はアートか？」という一歩踏み込んだ刺し子配信、お付き合い頂きありがとうございました。楽しかったです。この命題に正解も間違いもなく、各々が想いを抱いて刺し子を楽しんで頂いたら良いなと思っています。ただ、考えるきっかけになればと思うんです。想像力を働かせる機会になれば。刺し子は芸術に”なりえます”が、同時に、刺し子は芸術ではないと思う人もいるという現実。全てを残すのが、欲張りかもしれませんが、僕の一番の願いです。
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2021-08-20 13:43:14
In spanish, sashiko is translated like “remiendo” (mend). The verb is “remendar” (to mend). And mend you is “remendarte”. Well, art in spanish is “arte”. So, in such poetic or laberintic way, in spanish is art.
Thanks for the reminder that process is important– I think not only in sashiko but other part of life. This makes me feel hope about life rather than feeling bad/guilty about results. I always look forward to your posts.
❤️i
For an English speaking follower of JodoShinshu this strikes me as a deep teaching. It’s hard for my Western programed brain to wrap itself around this. The challenge is part of the journey though. Thank you for sharing this story.
I listened in on your Japanese live, stitching along with you and having my thoughts about ‘is Sashiko art?’ I looked at the examples you showed. What do I know about art? The common denominator in art seems to be that it is trying to convey some message or feeling. Sashiko does not do this. I guess an artist could use Sashiko as a medium for making art, but that’s not the ordinary outcome of it. To me, Sashiko is not art. You could frame it and look at it with satisfaction if you wanted, but I don’t see much difference between that and framing a puzzle that you put together and glued to a background. Just because something looks pretty or charming or very difficult to do doesn’t make it art. My 2c.
thank you
あんなに楽しみにしていたのに、そんな日に限って子供はぐずりますね〜😂😢あとで見させて頂きます！私は、感動したり見入ってしまう刺し子に出会うとアートだなぁと思ってしまいます。結果としての芸術ですね。特に古作ですね。かっこいいなー！どうやってこのデザインが浮かぶんだ〜と。
淳さんのお考えに興味深々です！
I quite agree with you. As a museum aficionado I sometimes am in museums dedicated to craft and specialized items, such as the Japanese Sword Museum in Tokyo. There, the incredible skill and craftsmanship of the examples elevates those items to an art form. When someone has mastered a craft in such a way, westerners will consider their work an art form. That is the only way I can see to explain what might be a distinction in vernacular and perception. For the reason you state and your particular desire to make distinctions to inform, I would concur that Sashiko is not art. I don’t know whether you would consider it a craft or a discipline, or some combination. However, there may be some incredible pieces that are so masterful they elevate the work to what westerners would consider a piece of art. Thanks for providing another illumination.
The results of sashiko can be art, no?
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