Japan Folk Art Discover Japan’s “Folk Art” of Daily Life at this Exhibition

Sosetu Yanagi (1889-1961), a philosopher and aesthete, focused on the beauty of the implements of everyday life, called these simple articles made by unknown craftsmen “mingei,” often translated as “folk art.'' A century has passed since the Mingei movement began with the aim of preserving craftsmanship tailored to the natural environment and lifestyles of each region. These arts are the focus of the exhibition “Mingei: Beauty is in Everyday Life” at the Setagaya Art Museum from 24 April to 30 June.

Mingei was advocated by philosopher Soetsu Yanagi and others in 1926. It has developed as a movement of livelihood culture, resonating with the social context of each era for about 100 years by being taken up as a theme many times and attracting attention. Particularly in recent years, within the context of the growing demand for an awareness of ethical consumption and a review of daily life, the viewpoint of mingei that values beauty in daily life and respects materials and craftspeople has been recognized again as something familiar to our lives.

This exhibition will explore mingei by three different chapters that are 1) The 1941 “Life Exhibition”: A Lifestyle Proposal by Soetsu Yanagi, 2) Mingei in Daily Life: Beautiful Design and 3) Expanding Mingei: Past, Present, and Future, consisting of over 150 objects collected by Yanagi and his colleagues. It may provide an opportunity to learn about the origins of mingei and the standards of beauty it presents, and to ultimately gain hints on how to enrich our own lives. The show will also introduce the development of mingei movement after Yanagi’s death, as we visit mingei production areas that continue to this day and introduce the craftspeople who work there and the handwork that has been passed down through the generations.

Moreover, a future mingei style that can be integrated into modern life will be suggested within topic: Mixed MINGEI Style by MOGI, in order to give a broader view of the future of mingei that should be continued through communication between craftspeople, users of their works, and those who connect them.

MINGEI: The Beauty of Everyday Things

Dates : April to Sun., June 30, 2024
Closed: Monday (except for April 29 and May 6) and May 7
Hours: 10:00AM-6:00PM (last entry: 30 minutes before closing time)
Place: Setagaya Art Museum, 1st and 2nd floor exhibition galleries, Tokyo