Pam on sat 17 mar 01
Dear Lee, and all,
Your letter brought to mind a book that I read several years ago by
Susan Sontag, "The Volcano Lover: A Romance." I only basically
recalled that it dealt with and revolved around an art collector and
the pending eruption of Vesuvius. There is reference to a vase that
was a coveted acquistion, I think. I cannot find the book, so I did
a quick search and happened upon an interesting essay that seems
to relate. Here is an excerpt:
"...art trends and fashions ebb and flow as regularly as the tide. This
week's -ism is next week's passe-ism.
There is a continue striving and jostling about within the contemporary art
scene to "outdo" each other.
It is entirely appropriate that different styles and epoch in the history of
art are called "movements."
Why then has it become so imperative - a truly modern myth - that art works
be static?
.....The answer lies in economics. Natural objects which can be easily
gathered have less economic value to our
society then those items which must be purchased. Not a new phenomena, in
fact the collector in Sontag's
book (which is set during the late 18th century) is regarded somewhat as an
eccentric because he collects rocks
and plants with the same enthusiasm as Etruscan vases and 15th century oil
paintings. And, whereas the art
works can be resold for healthy profits, the best that can be hoped for the
natural materials is to be able to
donate them to a museum once a significant number of them have been
assembled. Essentially, if society
can't put a dollar value on it, it lacks merit."
from "The Natural Value of Art"
by Virginia MacDonnell
http://www.eco-art.com/ecoart/articles/gini.htm
====
Excerpt from Lee Love's post:
> Hamada said that collectors are artists in their own right.
He
> knew this first hand from his friendship with Yanagi. If you think about
it,
> without the collection and appreciation of Yanagi, "The Unknown Potter"
would
> have been forgotten.
(SNIPPED)
> So, we need non-craftsmen collectors, critics and appreciates of
craft
> work. They can help us know when we are doing it right and can also
share
> with us their discoveries that will inspire our own work. The Unknown
> Craftsman, Hamada and Yanagi need each other.
>
> --
>
> Lee Love
> Mashiko JAPAN Ikiru@kami.com
Lee Love on sat 17 mar 01
I wrote this for another list in response to the non-potters on the list. I
thought folks here might enjoy it:
Hamada said that collectors are artists in their own right. He
knew this first hand from his friendship with Yanagi. If you think about it,
without the collection and appreciation of Yanagi, "The Unknown Potter" would
have been forgotten.
The anonymous potter making everyday objects had production and
craftskill, but he didn't always know what beauty was in his work. Maybe
only one pot that he made out of one hundred or one thousand could be called
truly beautiful. But this is often the kind of beauty that is highest,
unconscious beauty. The Unknown Craftsman relied upon appreciates like
Yanagi ( and tea masters, zen adepts and feudal lords) to find the gems in
their everyday commercial production.
It is only in recent times that the artist/potter has evolved.
Hamada said, in the modern artist/potter, the critic/collector/aprreciator and
the maker have become one.
Of course, to get back to unconscious beauty is a struggle for the
educated man. But it can be done if one knows the way exists and creates a
way of working that supports this approach and attitude. Zen principles,
as known by all the first generation Mingei inspired artists/craftsmen, are
directly involved in preparing the educated mind to become whole and direct.
A modern artist cannot ignore his or her education, but they can transcend it.
So, we need non-craftsmen collectors, critics and appreciates of craft
work. They can help us know when we are doing it right and can also share
with us their discoveries that will inspire our own work. The Unknown
Craftsman, Hamada and Yanagi need each other.
--
Lee Love
Mashiko JAPAN Ikiru@kami.com
Interested in Folkcraft? Signup:
Subscribe: mingei-subscribe@egroups.com
Or: http://www.egroups.com/group/mingei
Help ET phone Earth: http://setiathome.ssl.berkeley.edu/
Lee Love on sat 17 mar 01
----- Original Message -----
From: "Lee Love"
: unconscious beauty. The Unknown Craftsman relied upon appreciates like
: Yanagi ( and tea masters, zen adepts and feudal lords) to find
Sorry, this should read: "The Unknown Craftman relied upon appreciators
like"
--
Lee Love
Mashiko JAPAN Ikiru@kami.com
Interested in Folkcraft? Signup:
Subscribe: mingei-subscribe@egroups.com
Or: http://www.egroups.com/group/mingei
Help ET phone Earth: http://setiathome.ssl.berkeley.edu/
Lee Love on tue 20 mar 01
----- Original Message -----
From: "Lee Love"
: A quote to respond to a quote: It is from: A Continuous Harmony, 1970.
He
: is one of my favorite poet/writers.
Oops! Forgot his name: Wendell Berry.
Lee Love on tue 20 mar 01
----- Original Message -----
From: "Pam"
: assembled. Essentially, if society
: can't put a dollar value on it, it lacks merit."
: from "The Natural Value of Art"
: by Virginia MacDonnell
A quote to respond to a quote: It is from: A Continuous Harmony, 1970. He
is one of my favorite poet/writers.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Characteristic of the linear vision is the idea that anything is
justifiable only insofar as it is immediately and obviously good for something
else. The linear vision tends o look upon everything as a cause, and to
require that it proceed directly and immediately and obviously to its effect.
What is it good for? we ask. And only if it proves immediately to be good
for something are we ready to raise the question of value: How much is it
worth? But we mean how much money, for if it can only be good for something
else then obviously it can only be worth something else.
The cyclic vision, on the other hand, sees our life ultimately not as a
cross-country journey or a voyage of discovery, but as a circular dance which
certain basic and necessary patterns are repeated endlessly.
The cyclic vision, at once more realistic and more generous, recognizes in
the creation the essential principles of return; what is here will leave to
come again; if there is to be having there must also be giving up. And it
sees death as an integral and indispensable part of life.
We are kept in touch with these cycles, not by technology or politics or
any other strictly human devices, but by our necessary biological relation to
the world. It is only in the processes of the natural world, and in analogous
and related processes of human culture, that the new may grow usefully old,
and the old be made new .... We can only wait here, where we are in the world,
obedient to its processes, patient in its taking away, faithful to its
returns. And as much as we may know, and all that we deserve of earthly
paradise will come to us."
--
Lee Love
Mashiko JAPAN Ikiru@kami.com
Interested in Folkcraft? Signup:
Subscribe: mingei-subscribe@egroups.com
Or: http://www.egroups.com/group/mingei
Help ET phone Earth: http://setiathome.ssl.berkeley.edu/
| |
|
