Cross-cultural interpretations of Yanagi Soetsu’s philosophy

The aim of the research is to shed light on cross-cultural interpretations of mingei, a philosophy developed in the 1920s by the Japanese collector and art historian Yanagi Soetsu. This concept recognises aesthetic value in utilitarian objects and their unique harmony. The mingei movement emphasises anonymous, handmade production of functional objects in large quantities. The study comments on fragments from the exhibition catalog “MINGEI: The Beauty of Everyday Things” and provides examples of incorporating mingei objects into the cross-cultural process. The scientific novelty of the research lies in identifying conflicting viewpoints among researchers of the mingei movement regarding the relationship between mingei undo (the folk crafts movement) and the British Arts and Crafts movement. As a result, the research materials allowed the author to examine Yanagi Soetsu’s activities in the context of the cross-cultural interaction and the mutual influence of Japanese and European folk-art movements in the late 19th and the early 20th centuries.