“Traditional Art Crafts (Dentō Kōgei)” in Japan: From Reproductions to Original Works

Abstract

This article is a study of the concept of “traditional art crafts” (dentō kōgei) in Japan. This category was established through an exhibition series, first held in 1954, and was infected by a strain of Japanese nationalism after the Second World War. “Nihon Dentō Kōgei Ten” (the Japanese Traditional Handicrafts [Art Crafts] Exhibition) was, in part, an attempt to form a new genre, which was intended to be the equal of “art craft” (kōgei bijutsu), a field that had been defined in the 1920s based on concepts from Western European art. In its early period, “Nihon Dentō Kōgei Ten” permitted the display of reproductions, or copies. This indicates that, for the sake of the survival of handcraft, it was thought necessary to establish a new standard that differed from art craft, which emphasized creativity and individuality. This ambition culminated in dentō kōgei, which entailed exploring new forms of expression unique to Japan, and recognizing value in native handcraft.