Craft in an age of creativity

Disengagement as a new mode of craftsmanship among traditional potters in Japan

Bibliographic Data

ID2254619
AuthorsShilla Lee (0000-0002-9837-2034, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, corresponding author)
Year2024
Volume31
Issue3
Pages682-698
Publication date2024-11-27
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueJournal of the Royal Anthropological Institute (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1359-0987 • E-ISSN: 1467-9655
PublisherWiley (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1111/1467-9655.14235
OpenAlexW4404771891
LanguageEN
References cited55

Embedded within Japan's demographic and economic stagnation, traditional craftsmanship unexpectedly aligns with the discourse of creativity. This study delves into the intricacies of this convergence through ethnographic details, shedding light on how endeavours to preserve local crafts intertwine with the burgeoning discourse of creativity within public policy frameworks, thereby shaping a nuanced understanding of craftsmanship. The study draws on fieldwork conducted in 2018-19 in Tamba Sasayama, Japan, focusing on the participation of Tamba potters in a regional revitalization initiative promoting the slogan of rural creativity. Initially, promotional activities were perceived as distractions hindering their ability to maintain the pace of their work, such as monitoring the changing state of the clay through various stages of the craft (i.e. throwing, drying, and firing), an aspect they considered fundamental to craftsmanship. However, the growing acknowledgement of public support accompanying their engagement prompted a reassessment, transforming distraction into a skill emblematic of flexible 'disengagement'. The analysis of disengagement as a new virtue of craftsmanship reveals the pragmatic approach the potters uphold and the creative trajectory of traditional craftsmanship amidst the demographic crisis

Aesthetics · Art · Craft · Creativity · Disengagement theory · Mode (computer interface · Sociology · Visual arts · Computer Science · Crafts, Textile, and Design · Cultural Industries and Urban Development · Fashion and Cultural Textiles · History · Psychology · Social Psychology · Gerontology