Lee Love on sat 20 mar 10
Culture, by definition, is learned. The living are always
capable of learning. Where culture is concerned, what is of primary
importance in an individual's ability to learn about another culture
is the intention to do so. In Japanese, it is "kokorozashi." If
you say you can't learn, then you are closed to it.
In Japan, often the older generations believe that other cultures
cannot understand Japanese culture (yes, there are exceptions.) Jean
read to me last night, from a novel about Isamu Noguchi wife Shirley
Yamaguchi (The China Lover: The Life of Shirley Yamaguchi), About the
character who is supposed to be Noguchi's mentor Rosanjin Kitaoji says
to Yamaguchi, "You cannot understand Ozu (famous film maker). Only
Japanese can understand Ozu." )Yamaguchi was full Japanese, but grew
up in Manchuri.Folks who grew up in Manchuria, Korea or Taiwan often
had trouble being accepted in "old" Japan. ) Noguchi only supports
Rosanjin in this idea, because Rosanji includes him as "Japanese."
But Yamaguchi and the young American narrator disagree with the old
man. (We watched two Ozu flims last week. Jean found a DVD at the
library of a 1930s silent Ozu film.)
I found that young people in Japan were pretty cosmopolitan
and understood that culture was plastic. The problem with this, is
that they are quickly loosing interest in Japanese traditional
culture, primarily due to mass market "global" culture.
Please look at these photos a friend sent us from the
woodblock print club we used to belong to that met at the Mashiko
Community Center:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=3D3D164696&id=3D3D550727056&l=3D3Deec=
dedffc=3D
6
First photo is our woodblock teacher Itoi Sensei (who is a great
potter, but gave it up because "a family of cats", moved into his
noborigama.) He is a living, breathing Taoist mountain sage. If
you look at the second group photograph of club members, the woman
second from the right is Tamaki-san. She is a potter and wife of the
master kiln builder in Mashiko.
Tamaki-san once said to Jean, in reaction to her prints, (whose
subjects were often of old Japanese scenes, toys or dolls), "Our
children will not preserve and pass on our culture. But Jean will."
Tamaki-san had a cosmopolitan perspective on Japanese culture.
Focusing on the differences between people isn't exclusive to
Japan. Provencal people think this way everywhere. It is a sort of
genetic conservatism that may be falling by the wayside. These two
articles relate:
Changing attitudes of the Millennial Generation:
http://pewresearch.org/pubs/1501/%20millennials-new-survey-generational-per=
=3D
sonality-upbeat-open-new-ideas-technology-bound
Genetic conservatism vs. evolution:
http://www.asanet.org/press/20100223/Evolution_and_Intelligence.cfm
digested version:
http://sciencebloggers.blogspot.com/2010/03/higher-intelligence-is-associat=
=3D
ed-with.html
--
Lee, a Mashiko potter in Minneapolis
http://mashikopots.blogspot.com/
=3D93Observe the wonders as they occur around you. Don't claim them. Feel
the artistry moving through and be silent.=3D94 --Rumi
Lee Love on sat 20 mar 10
On Sat, Mar 20, 2010 at 6:43 PM, Antoinette Badenhorst
wrote:
> Mel, after 11 years living in the USA, I still have so much to learn. I c=
=3D
an understand so
>much more, living among Americans, byt people do not realize what a respon=
=3D
sibility
>it is to say you understand a culture. It is huge and not something to say=
=3D
lightly or
> asume to understand. It is wise to observe and respect cultures.
Antoinette, Don't you think it requires a conscious decision to
be open, to enable you to understand a different culture? I knew
folks in Japan, who enjoyed just being "strange foreigner's", in
Japanese _Henna Gaijin_. Even living in a culture, especially for a
short time, a year or less, it is easy to motor along without becoming
a part of the new culture.
--
Lee, a Mashiko potter in Minneapolis
http://mashikopots.blogspot.com/
=3D93Observe the wonders as they occur around you. Don't claim them. Feel
the artistry moving through and be silent.=3D94 --Rumi
mel jacobson on sat 20 mar 10
our family had a `famous` saying while living in japan.
`when we think we really understand something completely, then
we know we are totally wrong.` that famous saying never once
failed us.
the great and expensive tea bowls of japan are always deemed so
by a responsible `tea master`. we cannot name our own...they are just
cereal bowls until a tea master names them...i have been lucky enough
to have several named. not my doing, just someone told me....`we love the
`minnetonka` tea bowl, our society feels it is a favorite.` (black
shino.) now, that was a nice compliment. they are all attempts at
making something of value...they
are what they are. but, i cannot read japanese, and can barely speak it.
so...what the hell do i know?
someone else's culture is almost impossible to understand fully, i have a
great deal of trouble being a nordic raised kid from minnesota...that is
as compex as i wish to be. hell, i barely understand tony clennell, as
he is canadian. my god, think how difficult it would be to live near
david hendley...he is a texan. wophhh complex. and, he is on
the `water board`. (that is not dangerous, is it? being on a water boardi=
ng.)
does he have to tell the water board everything?
think of what marta lived through after ww2, dad a doctor, with a horse,
fixing folks in trade for food for his family...hungary 1945. how does one
explain that culture? do many of you know that marta was, at one time,
a very honored Hungarian Shakespearean actress. i have seen her pictures.
a knock out beauty. a survivor....times 10.
mel
from: minnetonka, mn
website: http://www.visi.com/~melpots/
clayart link: http://www.visi.com/~melpots/clayart.html
new book: http://www.21stcenturykilns.com
marta matray on sat 20 mar 10
now, is this a nice compliment, or what?=3D20
very very very sweet, thank you dear mel... and you probably didnt realiz=
=3D
e
it, that you just made me a little old... i was not born yet in 1945... b=
=3D
ut
other than that ..=3D20
actually the situation was still similar in the fifties...=3D20
anyways, cant wait to see you all in philly at the clayart room!=3D20
:))=3D20
marta
mel jacobson wrote:
>...
>think of what marta lived through after ww2, dad a doctor, with a horse,=
=3D
>fixing folks in trade for food for his family...hungary 1945. how does =
=3D
one
>explain that culture? do many of you know that marta was, at one time,
>a very honored Hungarian Shakespearean actress. i have seen her picture=
=3D
s.
>a knock out beauty. a survivor....times 10.
>mel
Chris Campbell on sun 21 mar 10
> Antoinette, Don't you think it requires a conscious decision to
> be open, to enable you to understand a different culture?
That is a a bit of a simplistic view.
I have lived in the USA for over 30 years now
and I still would not say I understand or could
predict 'Americans' ... an open mind has not
much to do with it.
The first half of my life was defined by another
culture. We are all shaped by our influences as we
grow up ... we learn so much in our childhoods that
is simply absorbed and taken as a given fact without
question.
This is the background noise that affects every
decision we make ... you just can't replace that in
adult years.
An open mind helps us navigate and make friends
and find a level of understanding, but it would be quite
wrong and arrogant of me to say that I understood
this culture I live in.
Chris Campbell - happily in North Carolina
Chris Campbell Pottery LLC
Designs in Colored Porcelain
www.ccpottery.com
http://neriagechris.blogspot.com/
Creative Ways With Colored Clays
PRE-NCECA WEEKEND WORKSHOP
March 26, 27 & 28, 2010
Clay Art Center
40 Beech Street
Port Chester, NY 10573
914.937.2047 x222
http://www.clayartcenter.org
POTTERS COUNCIL CONFERENCE
'Handbuilding'
May 28 - 30, 2010
Atlanta Georgia
Hosted by: Spruill Center for the Arts
Presenters:
Chris Campbell, Marko Fields, Patz Fowle,
Mitch Lyons, Sandi Pierantozzi & Kathy Triplett
http://ceramicartsdaily.org/education/
SUMMER WORKSHOP
August 15-21, 2010
Touchstone Center for Crafts
1049 Wharton Furnace Road
Farmington PA 15437
1.800.721.0177
http://www.touchstonecrafts.com
Lee Love on sun 21 mar 10
On Sun, Mar 21, 2010 at 11:37 AM, Chris Campbell
wrote:
> An open mind helps us navigate and make friends
> and find a level of understanding, but it would be quite
> wrong and arrogant of me to say that I understood
> this culture I live in.
It is impossible to have a chance to understand, if we don't
have the intention to understand. If we simply say "I was born and
bred a/n _fill in the blank_, so that culture can only be
incomprehensible to me", we are incapable of learning.
I believe the younger generations are more flexible and open.
But as I mentioned previously, I think it makes them more susceptible
to "global" culture at the cost of their local culture.
Cultural diversity is a precious asset on this planet.
--
Lee, a Mashiko potter in Minneapolis
http://mashikopots.blogspot.com/
=3D93Observe the wonders as they occur around you. Don't claim them. Feel
the artistry moving through and be silent.=3D94 --Rumi
Antoinette Badenhorst on sun 21 mar 10
O yes, for sure one needs to be open to other cultures, particularly when y=
=3D
ou live/visit=3DC2=3DA0 among them. In fact we have a responsibility to lea=
rn a=3D
bout cultures. But to clain you understand in full is to claim you can read=
=3D
into someone else's soul.=3D20
Culture is build from history, from being tried, from joys, religion, socia=
=3D
l interaction and territory.=3D20
To give you an example: in South Africa wool, cotton=3DC2=3DA0 and leather =
are =3D
symbols good taste. So when I found my first pair of socks in the USA that =
=3D
was made from synthetic materials, I was disgusted. Until the first time I =
=3D
experienced some cold, wet feet and reailzed that there might be a practica=
=3D
l and affordable side to this.=3D20
Cotton, Oh my goodness, in SA there is cheap labor and you can keep your cl=
=3D
othes ironed all the time. Here you have to hope that the tumble dryer will=
=3D
leave it okay to iron it!=3D20
Of cause those materials are of value over here as well, but =3DC2=3DA0at w=
hat =3D
cost?=3D20
This is just scratching the surface. What do us foreigners know about the A=
=3D
merican wars and the American depression? What do we know about the blendin=
=3D
g of foreigners that became the American pioneers? What do we know about mo=
=3D
onshine and outlaws?=3D20
We forreigners might know it from the media or from history books, but unle=
=3D
ss it comes into our bloodstream, we know nothing. The only way to become p=
=3D
art of it is by "soaking in it's juice" For instance: 9/11.=3DC2=3DA0 I can=
cla=3D
im that, because I lived it. Katrina: I lived it. Winter 2009: I lived it.=
=3D
=3D20
too heavy stuff................I'm out of here.........................=3D2=
0
Antoinette Badenhorst=3D20
Lincolnshire, Illinois=3D20
----- Original Message -----=3D20
From: "Lee Love" =3D20
To: Clayart@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG=3D20
Sent: Saturday, March 20, 2010 9:50:27 PM GMT -06:00 US/Canada Central=3D20
Subject: Re: japanese culture/small story=3D20
On Sat, Mar 20, 2010 at 6:43 PM, Antoinette Badenhorst=3D20
wrote:=3D20
> Mel, after 11 years living in the USA, I still have so much to learn. I c=
=3D
an understand so=3D20
>much more, living among Americans, byt people do not realize what a respon=
=3D
sibility=3D20
>it is to say you understand a culture. It is huge and not something to say=
=3D
lightly or=3D20
> asume to understand. It is wise to observe and respect cultures.=3D20
=3DC2=3DA0=3DC2=3DA0Antoinette, =3DC2=3DA0 =3DC2=3DA0Don't you think it req=
uires a consciou=3D
s decision to=3D20
be open, to enable you to understand a different culture? =3DC2=3DA0 =3DC2=
=3DA0I kn=3D
ew=3D20
folks in Japan, who enjoyed just being "strange foreigner's", =3DC2=3DA0 in=
=3D20
Japanese _Henna Gaijin_. =3DC2=3DA0 Even living in a culture, especially fo=
r a=3D
=3D20
short time, a year or less, it is easy to motor along without becoming=3D20
a part of the new culture.=3D20
--=3D20
=3DC2=3DA0Lee, a Mashiko potter in Minneapolis=3D20
http://mashikopots.blogspot.com/=3D20
=3DE2=3D80=3D9CObserve the wonders as they occur around you. Don't claim th=
em. Fe=3D
el=3D20
the artistry moving through and be silent.=3DE2=3D80=3D9D --Rumi=3D20
Antoinette Badenhorst on sun 21 mar 10
Mel, after 11 years living in the USA, I still have so much to learn. I can=
=3D
understand so much more, living among Americans, byt people do not realize=
=3D
what a responsibility it is to say you understand a culture. It is huge an=
=3D
d not something to say lightly or asume to understand. It is wise to observ=
=3D
e and respect cultures.=3D20
Antoinette Badenhorst=3D20
Lincolnshire, Illinois=3D20
----- Original Message -----=3D20
From: "mel jacobson" =3D20
To: Clayart@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG=3D20
Sent: Saturday, March 20, 2010 7:20:45 PM GMT -06:00 US/Canada Central=3D20
Subject: japanese culture/small story=3D20
our family had a `famous` saying while living in japan.=3D20
`when we think we really understand something completely, then=3D20
we know we are totally wrong.` =3DC2=3DA0that famous saying never once=3D20
failed us.=3D20
the great and expensive tea bowls of japan are always deemed so=3D20
by a responsible `tea master`. =3DC2=3DA0we cannot name our own...they are =
just=3D
=3D20
cereal bowls until a tea master names them...i have been lucky enough=3D20
to have several named. =3DC2=3DA0not my doing, just someone told me....`we =
love=3D
the=3D20
`minnetonka` tea bowl, our society feels it is a favorite.` (black=3D20
shino.) =3DC2=3DA0now, that was a nice compliment. =3DC2=3DA0they are all a=
ttempts =3D
at=3D20
making something of value...they=3D20
are what they are. =3DC2=3DA0but, i cannot read japanese, and can barely sp=
eak =3D
it.=3D20
so...what the hell do i know?=3D20
someone else's culture is almost impossible to understand fully, i have a=
=3D
=3D20
great deal of trouble being a nordic raised kid from minnesota...that is=3D=
20
as compex as i wish to be. =3DC2=3DA0hell, i barely understand tony clennel=
l, a=3D
s=3D20
he is canadian. =3DC2=3DA0 my god, think how difficult it would be to live =
near=3D
=3D20
david hendley...he is a texan. =3DC2=3DA0wophhh complex. =3DC2=3DA0and, he =
is on=3D20
the `water board`. =3DC2=3DA0(that is not dangerous, is it? =3DC2=3DA0being=
on a wa=3D
ter boarding.)=3D20
does he have to tell the water board everything?=3D20
think of what marta lived through after ww2, dad a doctor, with a horse,=3D=
20
fixing folks in trade for food for his family...hungary 1945. =3DC2=3DA0how=
doe=3D
s one=3D20
explain that culture? =3DC2=3DA0do many of you know that marta was, at one =
time=3D
,=3D20
a very honored Hungarian Shakespearean actress. =3DC2=3DA0i have seen her p=
ictu=3D
res.=3D20
a knock out beauty. =3DC2=3DA0a survivor....times 10.=3D20
mel=3D20
from: minnetonka, mn=3D20
website: http://www.visi.com/~melpots/=3D20
=3DC2=3DA0=3DC2=3DA0clayart link: =3DC2=3DA0http://www.visi.com/~melpots/cl=
ayart.html=3D
=3D20
new book: http://www.21stcenturykilns.com=3D20
Arnold Howard on mon 22 mar 10
I enjoy cultural shock, the feeling that you are in a
strange place. I experienced that for six months after I
moved to The Isle of Hawaii. The people were different, the
pace of life was slower, the sky was a bright, rich blue.
Cultural shock makes you notice everything around you that
you eventually begin to take for granted.
After moving from Hawaii back to Texas two years later, I
again went through cultural shock. As before, it lasted six
months. The freeways were so very fast, the malls were huge,
the accents were different. I enjoyed it.
Sincerely,
Arnold Howard
Paragon Industries, L.P., Mesquite, Texas USA
ahoward@paragonweb.com / www.paragonweb.com
Lee Love on mon 22 mar 10
On Mon, Mar 22, 2010 at 7:08 AM, Arnold Howard wro=
=3D
te:
> I enjoy cultural shock, the feeling that you are in a
> strange place.
When you can't read the signs because the writing system is
totally different. It is disorienting.
In 2007, when I flew from Japan to London, to visit friends in
Cornwall, my first days in london were very strange: To be in a
totally different place, but be able to read the signs and have
everyone speak English, it was a sort of "comprehension" overload.
--
Lee, a Mashiko potter in Minneapolis
http://mashikopots.blogspot.com/
=3D93Observe the wonders as they occur around you. Don't claim them. Feel
the artistry moving through and be silent.=3D94 --Rumi
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