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The term mingei (folk art) was coined by Yanagi Soetsu (1889-1961) in 1926 to refer to common crafts that had been brushed aside and overlooked by the industrial revolution. Yanagi's book "The Unknown Craftsman" has since become a classic.
In the wake of the great tide of industrialism in the early part of the last century, something of the human touch and spirit was lost in everyday articles of use. It was with a sense of urgency that Yanagi and his lifelong companions, the potters Bernard Leach, Hamada Shoji, Tomimoto Kenkichi (who later left the Mingei group) and Kawai Kanjiro sought to counteract the desire for cheap, mass-produced products by pointing to the works of ordinary craftsmen that spoke to the spiritual and practical needs of life. The mingei movement is responsible for keeping alive many traditions.
MASHIKO. Name of a town outside of Tokyo that is famous as a folk-craft village. It is also the home of Hamada Shoji.
PHOTOS: Top to Bottom, Shimaoka Tatsuzo, Hamada Shoji, Shimaoka Tatsuzo, Kawai Kanjiro, Tomimoto Kenkichi.
SHODAI. Another style that can be grouped with Mingei is Shodai-yaki. Shodai employs iron-rich clay, over which a dark brown iron glaze is applied, and then over it rice-straw ash-glaze is either ladled or dramatically dripped on. To learn more about Shodai-yaki and view 16 photos, please click here.
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