The art of Ancient Japan is an amazing world of colors and shapes. Artists of Japan - from ancient times to the present day Japanese art of looking into the distance title

Japan is a very interesting state, known for a wide variety of traditions and customs. Geographical position The country of the Rising Sun made it somewhat isolated from other states, thanks to which it developed without regard to European countries. The culture of Japan is extremely rich and diverse. Peculiar Japanese traditions were formed under the influence of historically important events. Gradually, Japan turned into a powerful, cohesive state with character traits and a certain mentality of the population.

Main aspects of Japanese culture

The culture of the country is manifested in many spheres of society. In Japan, its aspects are;

The process of drinking tea for the Japanese is not a simple satisfaction of the physiological needs of the body, but a real cult. The tea ceremony in Japan is accompanied by special attributes and contains a lot of traditions. Such a reverent attitude, it would seem, to the everyday process took its development from the meditation of Buddhist monks. It was they who brought so much significance to the process of tea drinking.

For Europeans, the concept of "kimono" characterizes the national clothes of Japan. However, within the country rising sun There are two meanings of this word - in the narrow and broad senses. The word "kimono" in Japan means not only National Costume but also all clothing in general. Under the kimono, as a rule, a special robe and seven belts are worn. A kimono worn in summer is called a yukata. Depending on the age of the woman, the model of attire may also differ.

In Japan, two religious movements are successfully preached at once - Shintoism and Buddhism. Shintoism appeared in ancient Japan, it is based on the worship of various creatures. Buddhism, in turn, is divided into several varieties. In Japan, there are many schools promoting one or another trend of Buddhism.

Rock gardens are of particular importance in the culture of Japan. They are not only an architectural creation that attracts the attention of tourists, but also a place of spiritual growth. Here the Japanese find enlightenment from the contemplation of stone structures located in a special order. The rock gardens include a specific plan, which only an enlightened person can unravel.

Tango no sekku is a celebration in honor of the boys. It is dedicated not just to all small male representatives, but also to the masculinity and strength of the entire Japanese people. It is customary to celebrate the holiday in spring, when nature wakes up and pleases with its beauty. On the day of tango no sekku, the boys are taken care of by their parents. The father must tell his son about all the Japanese warriors and their exploits. And his mother sets the table for him with delicious food.

Cherry blossom is considered the most beautiful natural phenomenon. Many tourists come here just to enjoy the contemplation of a flowering plant. In the spring, a large crowd of people can be observed in the parks of Japan. Many families go on picnics and watch the beauty of the Japanese cherry tree.

Bows can be attributed to the peculiar traditions of the country. They represent the rules of good manners. It is not customary for the Japanese to say goodbye, instead they bow as many times as the interlocutor did.

Samurai represent a certain class of society that has developed under the influence of traditions and customs. It has a direct connection with the culture of the country. Samurai are warriors who carry out a certain service, which can be both military, security or household. In any of these cases, samurai personify the courage, masculinity and nobility of the Japanese people.

The process of formation of the culture of ancient Japan

The culture of ancient Japan began to develop with the birth of the Japanese language and writing. The land of the rising sun borrowed the basis for this from China. Japanese writing also contains hieroglyphs, which a foreign citizen will not be able to understand. After a while in Japanese new words, sounds and phrases began to be added. So it has completely transformed, but there are still common features with China.

The religiosity of the country also originates from ancient ages. Shintoism was a consequence of the development of various mythologies. At the moment, this teaching promotes the cult of leaders and dead people. Buddhism, on the other hand, has such deep roots that the opinions of scientists and historians about the emergence of this type of religion vary greatly.

Japanese art

Almost all art forms practiced in Japan carry one main idea- calmness and relaxation. It is precisely the harmony of a person with himself that contains art, regardless of the way information is presented. Many art forms known all over the world began their development in Japan. Among them, origami can be distinguished - the ability to fold various shapes from paper.

Another popular part Japanese art became ikebana. This is a skill to form bouquets of flowers using a special technology. From here came an equally popular activity, which is called bonsai. This is the creation of a variety of compositions from dwarf trees. In Omiya, not far from Tokyo, there is a whole Bonsai park. Each dwarf tree presented here is unique and beautiful in its own way.

Paintings of Japan will deserve special significance, since each painting carries a hidden meaning. As a design, as a rule, bright colors, contrasting transitions and clear lines are used. Japan also has the art of calligraphy. This is the skill of aesthetically beautiful writing of hieroglyphs. Widespread in Japan and applied art. There is a whole museum in Tokyo dedicated to this craft. Here you can see products made of paper, glass or metal. And this is not a complete list of materials used for this purpose.

The Japanese style of interior design also deserves special attention. It includes functionality and simplicity, along with originality of execution. In addition, interior design carries a religious philosophy, like any other form of Japanese art.

Japanese architecture

Architectural structures in Japan, in one way or another, are associated with religion. Temple buildings at first, most often, were devoid of any flowers. This was due to the use of unpainted wood in construction. Later they began to use red and blue shades.

The main material for architectural buildings in Japan is considered to be wood. This is due to the fact that the stock of this resource in the country is quite large. In addition to the fact that the tree conducts heat well and absorbs moisture, it is also practical during earthquakes, which occur quite often in Japan. If a stone house is very difficult to recreate after destruction, then a wooden one is much easier.

The main feature in the architecture of Japan is the presence of even geometric shapes. Most often, these are triangles and rectangles. It is almost impossible to meet smoothness and roundness of lines in any structure. Main principle, based on which the Japanese equip their homes - the inseparable existence of the inside of the house and the outside. This applies to Japanese gardens. They should be decorated in exactly the same style as the house itself. Otherwise, it is considered bad taste and complete bad taste. The Japanese pay special attention to their gardens.

Japanese music

In terms of musical development, Japan looked to other countries, using any musical instruments. But later she modernized them under the influence of local tastes and traditions. First influenced the formation classical music In Japan, the local Dengaku folklore, mixed with foreign influences, gave birth to the music that is now familiar to Japan.

Your contribution to musical origin introduced the religious side of the issue. Thanks to Christianity, organ playing began to spread. And Buddhism promoted playing the flute.

On currently Classical music gained popularity in Japan. Many members of this cell of creativity travel outside of Japan. These include Goto Midori, Ozawa Seiji and Uchida Mitsuko. Relatively recently, halls designed for comfortable listening to classical music were opened in Japan. These include Kiyo Hall, Osaka Symphony Hall, Orchard, etc.

Household traditions of Japan

The Japanese are a well-mannered people, observing their traditions and customs. Respect for yourself and others in Japan is considered the norm. From childhood, children are taught the norms of good manners, explain to them the basic values ​​of the Japanese people, and enlighten them in every possible way. And it's all for the benefit of society. Any tourist who comes to the Land of the Rising Sun from another country is surprised at how friendly, friendly and well-mannered the Japanese are.

Unlike European countries Japan has long banned smoking in public places. This also applies to private property. Smoking near other people is allowed only if they have given their consent.

Among other things, the Japanese strictly observe all the rules of hygiene that society dictates to them. For example, in any room, including religious buildings, there are special straw rugs. You can’t walk on them in shoes, they are considered not only an interior decoration, but also a real sacrilege. Also, the Japanese decided to protect themselves from possible bacteria that they bring from the toilet on their feet. In any public place and in apartments there are special slippers for the toilet, which do not allow the transfer of harmful germs to other rooms.

Eating for the Japanese is not considered a process of life, but a real cult. Before eating, the Japanese always wipe their hands with a special towel soaked in water, which is called oshibori. Table setting does not occur randomly, but according to a special scheme. Even each device has its own place. The Japanese divide them into male and female, and this is very important for them. Spoons in Japan are used only for eating o-zoni soup, which is cooked on New Year, the rest of the first courses, the Japanese prefer to drink exclusively from special bowls. Moreover, smacking your lips during a meal is not considered bad form. It is believed that in this way the taste of the dish is better revealed.

The relevance of good form in Japan is proved by the presence of the following rules:

• It is necessary to discuss the place and time of the meeting in advance. Being late in Japan is considered impudent and beyond the bounds of decency.
• You can not interrupt the interlocutor, you need to patiently wait for the person to speak out, then begin to express his opinion.
• If you call the wrong number, you need to apologize.
• If someone came to your aid, then you definitely need to thank him.
• Some guests of the Japanese can be considered honorary. For them, they even allocate a special place at the table, which, as a rule, is the most extreme from the entrance to the room.
• When giving a gift to the Japanese, one should apologize for being humble despite what it is. Those are the rules, you shouldn't break them.
• Sitting at the dinner table, men can cross their legs, while women are strictly forbidden to do this. Legs should be tucked in and pointed in one direction.

Also, the traditions in the life of Japan include the veneration of people older in age. It doesn’t matter what a person’s profession, earnings, appearance or character traits are, if he is older, then he must be treated with respect. Old age in Japan inspires respect and pride. This means that the person has come a long way and now he deserves honors.

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Good afternoon, dear readers! I continue the selection of feature films about Japan that I recommend to watch. Films, like books, allow you to get to know the lifestyle, mentality and culture of the inhabitants of the country of the rising sun.

Japan feature films:

1. Emperor, a joint film between Japan and the United States, released in 2012, genre - military history, directed by Pitter Webber. The film shows the events that took place in Japan after the Second World War, when American troops arrived in Japan to restore order, arrest war criminals and determine the future course of Japan's development. The view of the situation is shown through the eyes of an American general who loved a Japanese girl before the war. He needed to determine the degree of guilt of Emperor Hirohito of Japan in unleashing the war.

The film is interesting from a historical point of view, as it shows the real events of that time. And Japan is presented not only as an aggressor country, but also as an affected country - cities are completely destroyed and burned, hundreds of thousands of people were burned in the explosion of atomic bombs.

2. Shinsengumi, the year the film was made 1969, made in Japan, directed by Tadashi Sawashima.

The film shows the last years of the Tokugawa shogunate. When a small detachment was formed from a group of free samurai (ronin) to protect the last shogun of the Tokugawa clan, the so-called detachment of the self-proclaimed police. This military detachment of desperate and brave samurai was led by Kondo Isami, a peasant by birth. The detachment was famous for its unsurpassed military dexterity in hand-to-hand combat and for the ideas of the victory of the shogunate over imperial power.

On the same topic, you can find a documentary that restores the events of that time and gives an objective assessment of the actions of the Shinsengumi detachment and its commander, Kondo Isami. The film is based on historical events And Feature Film practically does not change the essence of the documentary.

3.Hidden blade, made in Japan, released in 2004, directed by Yoji Yamada. The genre of the film is drama, melodrama. The film is set in the middle of the 19th century in the small principality of Unasaku on the northwest coast of Japan. During this period, great changes take place in the country, the samurai are rebuilt in a Western way and master firearms and new ways of warfare. A conflict begins between the old way of life and everything new that is rapidly capturing the life of the Japanese.

Against the background of the relationship between a man and a woman, the image of a samurai is unobtrusively shown, which consists in strict observance of the rules of honor, in dignity and honesty. After watching this film, you once again come to the conclusion that the stereotype that samurai is a militant class is wrong. In the words of the hero of the film, "for a samurai, killing a person is as hard as anyone else."

4.My rainy days, production Japan 2009, drama genre. The film shows the life of schoolgirls doing enjo-kasai. Everything changes when main character meets a young man, a history teacher. This romantic movie tells about the development of relations between them. Very sweet and touching movie.

5.Love on a special level- production Japan, film director Naoto Kumazawa, year of release 2014, melodrama genre.

It all starts in high school, Kururuki Yuni is a high school student, smart, she has high marks in all disciplines except for English. She is purposeful and smart, hides all emotions deep in herself and therefore is very lonely.

A young English teacher, Sakurai, assigns Yuni's daily classes. What made him do it? The desire to teach Kukuruki the language or the desire to take the girl out of her shell. But whatever it is, extra classes English language led to a result that no one expected. The film is cute, all the actions are leisurely with a minimum set of words and a play of feelings, beautiful actors, calm musical accompaniment. Designed for a teenage female audience. May seem a little tight.

6. I want to hug you- production Japan, film director Akihiko Shioto, year of release 2014.

sad and Touching story The relationship between the young man Masami and the girl Tsukasa is based on real events. The film takes place on the island of Hokkaido. One day, a group of young basketball players arrive at the gym, which was reserved at the same time by a group of disabled people. This event made it possible to meet the taxi driver Masami, who school bench played basketball, with Tsukasa, who became disabled as a result of a car accident.

Tsukasa doesn't like being treated like an invalid. Having survived the severe consequences of the accident and gradually returned to life, she became strong. Masami, in turn, is a kind and gentle person. Their relationship was not understood by the parents on both sides, but despite this, the young people continued to meet. Realizing that the relationship of young people sincere parents also fell in love with Tsukasa. There was a wonderful wedding of a handsome young man and a girl in a wheelchair, but life has its own way ...

The modern Japanese art scene seems to be completely globalized. Artists travel between Tokyo and New York, almost all received European or American education, they talk about their work in international art English. However, this picture is far from complete.

National shapes and trends are proving to be one of the most sought-after items Japan has to offer to the world market. artistic ideas and works.

plane operation. How superflat combines American geek culture and traditional Japanese painting

Takashi Murakami. "Tang Tan Bo"

If in the Western world for almost everyone (except perhaps the most ardent postmodern theorists) the boundary between high and popular culture is still relevant, albeit problematic, in Japan these worlds are totally mixed.

An example of this is Takashi Murakami, who successfully combines exhibitions in the world's best galleries and streaming production.

Recording of the tour of the Murakami exhibition "There will be gentle rain"

However, Murakami's relationship with popular culture - and for Japan this is primarily the culture of manga and anime fans (otaku) - is more complicated. Philosopher Hiroki Azuma criticizes the understanding of otaku as an authentic Japanese phenomenon. Otaku consider themselves directly connected with the traditions of the Edo period of the 17th-19th centuries - the era of isolationism and the rejection of modernization. Azuma argues that the otaku movement - based on manga, animation, graphic novels, computer games - could only have arisen in the context of the post-war American occupation as a result of the import of American culture. The art of Murakami and his followers reinvents otaku with pop art techniques and debunks the nationalist myth of the tradition's authenticity. It represents a "re-Americanization of Japaneseized American culture."

From an art history point of view, superflat is closest to the early Japanese painting ukiyo-e. Most famous work in this tradition - engraving " A big wave in Kanagawa" by Katsushiki Hokusai (1823-1831).

For Western modernism, the discovery of Japanese painting was a breakthrough. It made it possible to see the picture as a plane and seeks not to overcome this peculiarity of it, but to work with it.

Katsushiki Hokusai. "The Great Wave Off Kanagawa"

Pioneers of performance. What does Japanese art of the 1950s mean today

Documentation of the creative process of Akira Kanayama and Kazuo Shiragi

Superflat took shape only in the 2000s. But the artistic actions significant for world art began in Japan much earlier - and even earlier than in the West.

The performative turn in art took place at the turn of the 60s and 70s of the last century. In Japan, the performance appeared in the fifties.

For the first time, the Gutai Group has shifted its focus from the creation of self-sufficient objects to the process of their production. From here - one step to the abandonment of the art object in favor of an ephemeral event.

Although individual artists from Gutai (and there were 59 of them in twenty years) actively existed in the international context, understanding Japanese as their collective activity post-war art generally began in the West quite recently. The boom came in 2013 with several exhibitions in small galleries in New York and Los Angeles, Tokyo 1955-1970: The New Avant-Garde at MoMA, and the massive historical retrospective Gutai: Splendid Playground at the Guggenheim Museum. The Moscow import of Japanese art seems to be an almost belated continuation of this trend.

Sadamasa Motonaga. Work (Water) at the Guggenheim Museum

It is striking how modern these retrospective exhibitions look. For example, the central object of the exposition at the Guggenheim Museum is the reconstruction of Work (Water) by Sadamasa Motonaga, in which the levels of the museum rotunda are connected by polyethylene pipes with colored water. They are reminiscent of brush strokes that have been torn off the canvas and exemplify Gutai's central focus on "concreteness" (translated from Japanese name groups), the materiality of the objects with which the artist works.

Many members of Gutai received an education related to classical nihonga painting, many are biographically attached to the religious context of Zen Buddhism, to its characteristic Japanese calligraphy. All of them found a new, procedural or participatory approach to ancient traditions. Kazuo Shiraga has videotaped how he draws his anti-Rauschenberg monochromes with his feet, and even created paintings in public.

Minoru Yoshida turned flowers from Japanese prints into psychedelic objects - an example of this is the Bisexual Flower, one of the first kinetic (moving) sculptures in the world.

The curators of the exhibition at the Guggenheim Museum talk about the political significance of these works:

"The Gutai demonstrated the importance of free individual action, demolition of audience expectations, and even stupidity as ways to counter the social passivity and conformity that, over decades, allowed a militaristic government to gain a critical mass of influence, invade China, and then join World War II."

Good and wise. Why Artists Left Japan for America in the 1960s

Gutai was the exception to the rule in post-war Japan. Avant-garde groups remained marginal, the art world was strictly hierarchical. The main way to recognition was participation in competitions held by recognized associations of classical artists. Therefore, many preferred to go to the West and integrate into the English-language art system.

It was especially hard for women. Even in the progressive Gutai, the share of their presence did not reach even a fifth. What can we say about traditional institutions, for access to which it was necessary special education. By the sixties, girls had already acquired the right to it, however, learning art (if it was not about decorative, which was part of the skill set ryosai kenbo- a good wife and a wise mother) was a socially frowned upon occupation.

Yoko Ono. cut piece

The story of the emigration of five powerful Japanese female artists from Tokyo to the United States was the subject of Midori Yoshimoto's study "Into Performance: Japanese Women Artists in New York". Yayoi Kusama, Takako Saito, Mieko Shiomi and Shigeko Kubota at the start of their careers decided to leave for New York and worked there, including on the modernization of the traditions of Japanese art. Only Yoko Ono grew up in the US - but she also deliberately refused to return to Japan, having become disillusioned with Tokyo's artistic hierarchy during her short stay in 1962-1964.

Ono became the most famous of the five, not only as the wife of John Lennon, but also as the author of proto-feminist performances dedicated to the objectification of the female body. There are obvious parallels between Cut Piece It, in which the audience could cut off pieces of the artist's clothes, and "Rhythm 0" by the "grandmother of performance" Marina Abramović.

On short legs. How to pass the author's acting training Tadashi Suzuki

In the case of Ono and Gutai, the methods and themes of their work, separated from the authors, became internationally significant. There are other forms of export - when the artist's works are perceived with interest in the international arena, but the borrowing of the actual method does not occur because of its specificity. The most striking case is Tadashi Suzuki's acting training system.

The Suzuki Theater is loved even in Russia - and this is not surprising. Last time he was with us in 2016 with the performance of The Trojan Women based on the texts of Euripides, and in the 2000s he came several times with productions of Shakespeare and Chekhov. Suzuki transferred the action of the plays to the current Japanese context and offered non-obvious interpretations of the texts: he discovered anti-Semitism in Ivanov and compared it with the disdainful attitude of the Japanese towards the Chinese, transferred the action of King Lear to a Japanese lunatic asylum.

Suzuki built his system in opposition to the Russian theater school. IN late XIX century, during the so-called Meiji period, the modernizing imperial Japan experienced the rise of opposition movements. The result was a large-scale westernization of a previously extremely closed culture. Among the imported forms was the Stanislavsky system, which still remains in Japan (and in Russia) one of the main directorial methods.

Suzuki exercises

In the sixties, when Suzuki began his career, the thesis was spreading more and more that because of their bodily features, Japanese actors could not get used to roles from Western texts that filled the then repertoire. The young director managed to offer the most convincing alternative.

Suzuki's system of exercises, called leg grammar, includes dozens of ways to sit, and even more to stand and walk.

His actors usually play barefoot and seem, by lowering the center of gravity, as tightly tied to the ground as possible, heavy. Suzuki teaches them and foreign performers his technique in the village of Toga, in ancient Japanese houses filled with modern equipment. His troupe gives only about 70 performances a year, and the rest of the time he lives, almost without leaving the village and having no time for personal affairs - only work.

The Toga Center appeared in the 1970s and was designed at the request of the director by the world-famous architect Arata Isozaka. Suzuki's system might seem patriarchal and conservative, but he himself talks about Toga in modern terms of decentralization. Even in the middle of the 2000s, Suzuki understood the importance of exporting art from the capital to the regions and organizing local production points. According to the director, the theatrical map of Japan in many ways resembles the Russian one - art is concentrated in Tokyo and a few less major centers. Russian theater a company that regularly goes on tour in small towns and is based far from the capital would also not hurt.

SCOT Company Center in Toga

Flower trails. What resource did modern theater discover in noh and kabuki systems

The Suzuki method grows out of two ancient Japanese traditions - but also kabuki. It is not only that these types of theater are often characterized as the art of walking, but also in more obvious details. Suzuki often follows the rule about the performance of all roles by men, uses characteristic spatial solutions, for example, hanamichi ("the path of flowers") of the kabuki sample - a platform extending from the stage into the depths of the auditorium. He also exploits quite recognizable symbols like flowers and scrolls.

Of course, in global world there is no question of the privilege of the Japanese to use their national forms.

The theater of one of the most significant directors of our time, the American Robert Wilson, was built on borrowings from but.

He not only uses masks and make-up that remind the mass audience of Japan, but also borrows the ways of acting based on the maximum slowdown of movement and self-sufficient expressiveness of the gesture. Combining traditional and ritual forms with cutting-edge lighting scores and minimalist music (one of the most famous works Wilson - a production of Philip Glass's opera "Einstein on the Beach"), Wilson essentially produces that synthesis of origins and relevance, which a significant part of contemporary art.

Robert Wilson. "Einstein on the Beach"

From no and kabuki grew one of the pillars contemporary dance- buto, literally translated - dance of darkness. Invented in 1959 by choreographers Kazuo Ono and Tatsumi Hijikata, who also drew on a low center of gravity and concentration on the feet, butoh was about bringing reflections from traumatic war experiences into the bodily dimension.

“They showed the body sick, collapsing, even monstrous, monstrous.<…>The movements are either slow, or deliberately sharp, explosive. For this, a special technique is used, when the movement is carried out as if without involving the main muscles, due to the bone levers of the skeleton,” dance historian Irina Sirotkina inscribes butoh in the history of the liberation of the body, connects it with the departure from ballet normativity. She compares butoh with the practices of dancers and choreographers of the early 20th century - Isadora Duncan, Martha Graham, Mary Wigman, speaks of the influence on later "postmodern" dance.

A fragment of the dance of Katsura Kana, the modern successor of the butoh tradition

Today, butoh in its original form is no longer an avant-garde practice, but a historical reconstruction.

However, the movement dictionary developed by Ohno, Hijikata and their followers remains a valuable resource for contemporary choreographers. In the West, it is used by Dimitris Papaioannou, Anton Adasinsky and even in the video for “Belong To The World” by The Weekend. In Japan, the successor of the butoh tradition is, for example, Saburo Teshigawara, who will come to Russia in October. Although he himself denies parallels with the dance of darkness, critics find quite recognizable signs: a seemingly boneless body, fragility, noiseless step. True, they are already placed in the context of postmodernist choreography - with its high tempo, runs, work with postindustrial noise music.

Saburo Teshigawara. metamorphosis

Locally global. How is contemporary Japanese art similar to Western art?

The works of Teshigawara and many of his colleagues organically fit into the programs of the best Western contemporary dance festivals. If you skim through the descriptions of performances and performances that were shown at the Festival / Tokyo - the largest annual show of Japanese theater, then it will be difficult to notice fundamental differences from European trends.

One of the central themes is site-specificity - Japanese artists explore the spaces of Tokyo, ranging from clumps of capitalism in the form of skyscrapers to marginal areas of otaku concentration.

Another theme is the study of intergenerational misunderstanding, the theater as a place of live meeting and organized communication of people of different ages. Projects dedicated to her by Toshika Okada and Akira Tanayama were brought to Vienna for several years in a row to one of the key European festivals of performing arts. There was nothing new in the transfer of documentary materials and personal stories to the stage by the end of the 2000s, but the curator of the Vienna Festival presented these projects to the public as an opportunity for live, point-to-point contact with another culture.

Another main line is working through the traumatic experience. For the Japanese, it is associated not with the Gulag or the Holocaust, but with the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The theater refers to him constantly, but the most powerful statement about atomic explosions as the moment of the genesis of all modern Japanese culture still belongs to Takashi Murakami.

to the exhibition “Little Boy: The Arts of Japan’s Exploding Subculture”

“Little Boy: The Arts of Japan’s Exploding Subculture” is its name curatorial project shown in New York in 2005. "Little Boy" - "baby" in Russian - the name of one of the bombs dropped on Japan in 1945. Collecting hundreds of manga comics from leading illustrators, distinctive vintage toys, merchandise inspired by famous anime from Godzilla to Hello Kitty, Murakami has pushed the concentration of cuteness - kawaii - to the limit in the museum space. In parallel, he launched a selection of animations in which central images there were pictures of explosions, bare earth, destroyed cities.

This opposition was the first major statement about the infantilization of Japanese culture as a way to cope with post-traumatic stress disorder.

Now this conclusion seems already obvious. An academic study of kawaii by Inuhiko Yomota is built on it.

There are also later traumatic triggers. Of the most important - the events of March 11, 2011, the earthquake and tsunami that led to a major accident at the Fukushima nuclear power plant. At Festival/Tokyo-2018, a whole program of six performances was devoted to understanding the consequences of a natural and technological disaster; they also became the theme for one of the works presented at Solyanka. This example clearly shows that the arsenal of critical methods used by Western and Japanese art is not fundamentally different. Haruyuki Ishii creates an installation of three television sets that loop through high-speed edited and looped footage from television programs about the earthquake.

“The work is made up of 111 videos that the artist watched every day in the news until the moment when everything he saw was no longer perceived as fiction,” the curators explain. "New Japan" is an expressive example of how art does not resist interpretation based on national myths, but at the same time critical eye finds that the same interpretation might be relevant for art of any origin. The curators talk about contemplation as the basis of the Japanese tradition, drawing on quotations from Lao Tzu. At the same time, as if leaving out of the brackets that almost all contemporary art is focused on the “observer effect” (as the exhibition is called) - whether in the form of creating new contexts for the perception of familiar phenomena or in raising the question of the possibility of adequate perception as such.

Imagined Communities - another work by video artist Haruyuki Ishii

Game

However, one should not think that Japan of the 2010s is a concentration of progressiveness.

The habits of the good old traditionalism and love for orientalist exoticism have not yet been outlived. "The Theater of Virgins" is the title of a rather admiring article about the Japanese theater "Takarazuka" in the Russian conservative magazine "PTJ". Takarazuka appeared at the end of the 19th century as a business project to attract tourists to a remote city of the same name, which accidentally became the terminus of a private railway. Only plays in the theater unmarried girls, which, according to the owner of the railway, were supposed to lure male spectators to the city. Today, Takarazuka functions like an industry, with its own TV channel, a dense concert program, even a local amusement park. But only unmarried girls still have the right to be in the troupe - let's hope they don't check for virginity at least.

However, Takarazuka pales in comparison to the Toji Deluxe club in Kyoto, which the Japanese also call theater. They show absolutely wild, judging by description New Yorker columnist Ian Buruma, striptease show: several naked girls on stage turn the demonstration of genitals into a public ritual.

Like many artistic practices, this show is based on ancient legends (with the help of a candle and a magnifying glass, the men from the audience could take turns exploring the “secrets of the mother goddess Amaterasu”), and the author himself was reminded of the noh tradition.

We will leave the search for Western analogues for Takarazuki and Toji to the reader - it is not difficult to find them. We only note that a significant part of modern art is directed precisely at combating such practices of oppression - both Western and Japanese, ranging from superflat to butoh dance.

Japan has always been distinguished by its reverent attitude to the preservation and reproduction of its ancient traditions, and this remarkable feature makes the Land of the Rising Sun a unique place where modern innovations are harmoniously combined with centuries-old cultural traditions in the life of ordinary Japanese.

If you've been to Japan before, you've no doubt come across red and black soup bowls, trays, chopsticks, and more. lacquered objects(their rather low-quality counterparts can be found in our country). Lacquer art is one of the traditional Japanese crafts that originated in ancient times - the first products were discovered in Japan as early as the Jomon period (14,000-300 BC) - and have survived to this day. In modern times, Japanese lacquerware was actively exported and became a kind of "brand" of the country - it is no coincidence that in the Western world the word "japan" acquired a second meaning - "varnish, lacquerware, apply varnish."

Japanese lacquer is organic matter made from the sap of the urushi (漆) tree, which is extracted by scratching the tree. The resulting varnish is also called. It is believed that this word comes from two other Japanese words: uruwashii (麗しい), which means "beautiful, beautiful", and uruosu (潤す), which means "moisturize". The hieroglyph urushi itself, unlike other names of trees, which are written using the key "tree" [木] (桜 - sakura, 梅 - plum, 松 - pine, etc.), has the key "water" [氵], which emphasizes that this tree is more valued because of the water, that is, the juice contained in it. In Japanese, lacquerware is called shikki (漆器: 漆 "varnish, lacquer wood" + 器 "tool, accessories") or nurimono (塗物: 塗る "apply, paint" + 物 "thing, object").

The cured lacquer forms a protective coating that repels water and prevents the item from rotting, as well as making it less susceptible to attack by acids, alkalis, salts and alcohol. As a material for products, wood (the most common material), leather, paper, ceramics, glass, metal and even plastic are used. There are many ways to create and decorate lacquerware. Let's talk a little today about the most known species of this Japanese craft.

Ouchi lacquerware

Ouchi lacquer art originated in Yamaguchi Prefecture (山口県) through the efforts of the warlord Ouchi Hiroyo (1325-1380). In an effort to turn his possessions into a kind of capital of that time, Kyoto (京都), he actively invited various masters and artisans, resulting in a combination of the skills and ideas of Kyoto craftsmen with local traditions spawned a new unique culture.

Kishu lacquerware

Approximately in the 14th-16th centuries. Buddhist monks in the Negoroji temple (in the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe modern city of Iwade (岩出市), Wakayama Prefecture (和歌山県) began the production of utilitarian lacquerware - chopsticks, trays, bowls, as well as a religious cult - objects for prayers and mantras. Since their craftsmanship was not perfect, in some places there were spots on the finished items. special style products was named Negoro. In the 17th century, with the support of the authorities of the principality of Kishu, the monks' lacquerware became famous, and the name of this area was assigned to them.

Lacquered Wakasa Sticks

These lacquered kitchen utensils are made in Obama City (小浜市), Fukui Prefecture (福井県). More than 80% of all lacquered chopsticks in Japan are produced here. Such wands of extraordinary beauty and grace are a popular wedding gift in the Land of the Rising Sun.

Odawara lacquerware

Kanagawa Prefecture (神奈川県). This type of lacquer art dates back to the Kamakura period (1185-1333), when the strong and influential Hojo clan actively promoted the development of the craft, turning the city of Odawara (小田原市) into a center for the production of lacquer. In the Edo period (1603-1868), a large number of such products were exported to Edo (today's Tokyo) - bowls, trays and even lacquered armor.

Kagawa lacquerware

Kagawa Prefecture (香川県). In 1638, Daimyo Yorishige Matsudaira came to these places on the appointment of the shogunate. He was distinguished by his love for lacquerware and sculptures, so he began to develop these types of arts and crafts in his domain. Two centuries later, thanks to the work of master Tsukoku Tamakaji (1807-1869), Kagawa lacquerware became famous throughout the country. The use of special methods of grinding and polishing saturates the products with extraordinary brilliance.

Wajima lacquerware

Ishikawa Prefecture (石川県). The oldest surviving example of this type of art is the lacquered gate of Shigezo Temple in Wajima City (輪島市), built around 1397. During the Edo period (1603-1868), zinoko powder was invented, made from crushed baked clay, which made these lacquerware incredibly durable, which greatly influenced their demand among the population.

Aizu lacquerware

Aizu ware is one of the traditional arts of Fukushima Prefecture (福島県). The emergence of this craft dates back to 1590, when the local feudal lord Gamo Ujisato began to convene masters from his former possessions, then passing on to them the latest craft techniques of that time. As a result, Aizu became one of the largest manufacturers of lacquerware. The expansion of production led to the possibility of exporting products to China and Holland, which glorified the region in other countries.

Tsugaru lacquerware

Tsugaru is the name of the western part of Aomori Prefecture (青森県). Tsugaru lacquer art originated in the 17th and 18th centuries, when industrial development was encouraged in the cities during the Edo period. The tsugaru style emerged as a result of this rise, when the masters and artisans of the area were given the incentive and opportunity to further development their skills. When creating products, the method that was used more than 300 years ago is still used today.

We have looked at several of the main styles of Japanese lacquer art. Undoubtedly, there are many more of them, and many are supplemented with new techniques and improved.

The Japanese craft of creating lacquerware originated in ancient times and has survived to this day, being one of the most elegant, harmonious, spectacular types of arts and crafts in the world. This is one of cultural traditions without consideration of which we will be unable to fully grasp the vision of the world, the aesthetic principles and character of the Japanese people.

It can be difficult for an inexperienced person to understand all types of lacquerware at first. Therefore, it is better to go around the shops where they are sold, look at them live, chat with the seller and, if you want to buy something for yourself and your friends as a gift, choose an item to your liking.

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Japanese painting is one of the most beautiful in the world.

Japanese painting is one of the most ancient and amazing types of creativity. Like any other, it has its own long history, which can be divided into several periods according to techniques and features. Common to all periods is nature, which was given the main place in the paintings. Second most popular in fine arts Japan is home to everyday scenes from life.

Yamato

Yamato(VI-VII centuries) - the first period of Japanese art, which laid the foundation for writing. The impetus for the development of art was given by China's achievements in the fields of religion and writing. Japan rushed to rise to his level, making changes in its structure and building everything in the likeness of China. For the development of painting, a huge number of works by Chinese masters were brought to Japan, which inspired the Japanese, who boldly rushed to create similar paintings.

Painting in Takamatsuzuka Tomb

This period consists of two child periods:

• Kofun- the period of Japanese art, occupying the first half of Yamato. The name of the period is translated as "the period of barrows". In those days, indeed, mounds were given a big role, creating them everywhere.
• Asuka- the second part of the Yamato era. The period was named after the political center of the country that was active in those years. It is associated with the arrival of Buddhism in Japan, and in the future with the active development of all cultural areas.

Nara

Buddhism, which came from China, was actively spreading in Japan, which contributed to the emergence of religious themes in art. Japanese artists, carried away by this topic, painted the walls of temples, which were created by influential personalities. To date, the Horyu-ji temple has preserved wall paintings from that time.

Azuchi-Momoyama

This period is the exact opposite of its predecessor. Gloom and monochrome disappear from the works, being replaced by bright colors and the use of gold and silver in the paintings.

Cypress. Screen. Kano Eitoku.

Meiji

In the 19th century, the division of Japanese painting into traditional and European styles began, which vigorously competed with each other. During this period, tremendous political changes broke out in Japan. The influence of Europe in those years affected almost every corner of the planet, introducing its own features into each state. European style art was actively supported by the authorities, rejecting the old traditions. But soon the excitement around Western painting quickly subsided and interest in traditional art returned abruptly.

Development of Japanese painting updated: September 15, 2017 by: Valentine