This was a lecture/discussion and exhibit at Shoreline Community College just north of Seattle. Several items from our collection were on display: small furniture, lots of pottery, textiles, folk toys, etc. The discussion was meant to expose Yanagi Soetsu's "mingei biron" (Mingei Theory) to the local public. While many mingei discussions revolve around the objects themselves in an anthropological sense; the basis of mingei actually is centered on Yanagi's theories, many of which are rooted in Buddhist philosophy. It is this theory that brings to the light the possibility of bringing mingei out of the realm of the "Unknown Craftsman" of yesterday into that of the contemporary studio-artist. During the preview and intermission, soothing Okinawan folk music by played on shamisen by Mako. With an authentic Kumejima kimono displayed behind her, all we needed was an island breeze to make us feel like we were in Okinawa. See http://mingei-folkcraft.blogspot.com for more information on this event.
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