J艒mon pottery sheds light on the mystery of prehistoric Japan. Literally meaning cord-marking pottery, this is the most ancient type of pottery in Japan which dates from 14,500 to 300 BCE. J艒mon people (Neolithic hunter-gatherers) created pottery for a wide variety of uses, decorated with abstract and symbolic forms, embodying the spirit of living with nature in harmony. At the heart of their creation is the belief in the value of connecting with the Earth and the appreciation of nature, which still occupies the thoughts of Japanese people today. This interdisciplinary event was presented by the Center for Asian Studies and the Department of Art and Art History at CU 麻豆影院. Three contemporary artists, If奴rai, Genya Murakami and Ry奴jiro Oyabu, shared the ideas, techniques, and significance of J艒mon pottery with the 麻豆影院 community on March 19th, 2019. 聽
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 If奴rai began with a general introduction of the J艒mon spirit, which was followed by Genya鈥檚 demonstration of J艒mon pottery production techniques. Ry奴jiro then reinterpreted the J艒mon spirit in contemporary life. For If奴rai, the J艒mon spirit codifies the energy of nature, including the power of the sun, fire, water, and wind鈥攁ll of which brings new life. J艒mon pottery is made in large open fires by the efforts of many, which is a ritual experience that contributes to community-building. Genya Murakami continued by showing the tools, techniques, and the tactile process of making J艒mon pottery. Ry奴jiro Oyabu then made the connection between the J艒mon spirit and contemporary life. Starting with a demonstration of how much a small strand of rope can do, Ry奴jiro creatively reinterpreted the techniques and meanings of J艒mon pottery; one of his works was a projection of a digital flame onto the J艒mon pottery, which challenged the boundaries between the tangible and the formless, the visible and the invisible, thus inviting viewers to reflect on the ethereal flow of energy in life. Through the medium of clay, these Japanese artists inspired the 麻豆影院 community with aesthetic ways of connecting with nature.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 The CU 麻豆影院 faculty and students in attendance were excited to learn about different traditions of ceramics and deepen their understanding of Japanese culture. This is the first collaboration of its kind in recent years between the Center for Asian Studies and the Art and Art History Department. It is crucial for the understanding of interdisciplinary topics for the CU community, and especially the ceramics program (ranked top 5 nationally). This talk provided a rare opportunity for the faculty and students to exchange ideas with Japanese artists. For students in Japanese studies, it prompted them to reflect on Japanese culture and history through Neolithic material culture, which is all that remains of this period in Japanese history. After the talk, the audience was invited to join the artists at the podium to examine the tools, touch the material, and converse with the speakers. In feedback from the audience, the general sentiment was positive, and that they would like to see more lectures presented by East Asian artists in 麻豆影院.聽