100 Years of Mingei Movement in Japan

From October 2021 to February 2022, the Museum of Modern Art in Tokyo hosted an interesting exhibition on Mingei Movement, founded by the religious philosopher Muneyoshi Yanagi | Sōetsu (1889-1961). This Movement meets important references in Ruskin’s thinking and its development was very important in the early XX century. After 60 years after the death of Sōetsu this exhibition has been an important occasion to reflect again on the values of this Movement and its influence on the arts and the next generation of artists in Japan. But why is Mingei, the Folk Crafts Movement that originated in the early 20th century, the focus of so much attention nowadays? What’s the role of this Movement today? This article aims to introduce this Movement in the Occidental context and to open a dialogue on the value of the traditional arts and the local culture.