Mingei
Art for the Masses
Published: 10/28/2020
By: Brennen Waldron
Folk art, according to Soetsu Yanagi, has two main features; it is made for daily use, and its appearance is common and ordinary. Think of those indispensable objects you use every day in your home. Your favorite handmade coffee mug, a comfy wool sweater, a scuffed-up coffee table that you've always kept, these objects are pieces of art, according to Soetsu Yanagi.
Traditionally, objects like these are seen as utilitarian, not art. The Japanese language didn't even have a word that quite captured Yanagi's idea of folk art, so he coined a new word for it: "mingei," meaning art for the people ("min" masses, gei "craft"). Objects that are found in the marketplace, made by the hands of a humble worker, priced to be available to all people may not be seen as art, but according to mingei, it is all art. Yanagi looked at folk art as something that stands in contrast to the aristocratic fine arts; art reserved for the few. He saw the highly skilled artists and craftsmen as people who thought too highly of their work and therefore priced it to be owned by the community's richest. "The aim of folk crafts should neither be individualistic artistic expression nor the satisfaction gained from owning something produced in small numbers and therefore rare" (p 16.). Though a highly skilled artist makes beautiful and rightfully rare work, he saw it meeting less of a challenge to be afforded to the many.
At its core, folk art fulfills the practical purpose for which it is made. A sweater is warm, fits well, and can be worn winter after winter—no need for it to be or look like anything more than a comfy sweater. In contrast, a sweater that is garish in appearance, thin, and wears down too quickly merely is not an acceptable piece of clothing to be worn outside in the winter. Though the tacky sweater may look more appealing on a store shelf, it truly only fulfills an aristocratic tendency to own something of worth but falls extremely short in being something of value.
Another example is a coffee mug from CG Ceramics, a Cincinnati based ceramicist. This is a cup I use every day; it is quite sturdy, simple in its appearance, and does exactly what it needs to do. In contrast, a coffee mug made to look more than what it is, such as silly artwork and exaggerated features, is not an ideal mug. Though it may appeal to someone on a store shelf, these mugs usually fall apart far too quickly.
Learning more about mingei, you find out more and more about the honesty and humility found in a simple object—a mug, a tote bag, a pencil holder... etc. Running my woodshop, OHUSA, I have tried to find a balance of simple, honest, and common woodworking. I am using wholesome material, concentrating on simple nonornamental designs, and keeping my work in an appropriate price range. As a designer and builder of furniture, there is always a tendency to think "higher" than what I am building. Mingei helps me ground myself and my work.
Context
Thoughts
– What are examples of folk art in your home?
– Have you experienced the pitfalls of garish, dishonest objects?
– What does mingei look like in your line of work?
