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VIRTUAL EXHIBITION
"CONTEMPORARY JAPANESE CRAFTS"
Hall 2
 Quiet
Refinement. The Natural Expression of
the Materials
In direct contrast to the use of ostentatious colors, the
expression of quiet refinement, which uses simplicity to create a
feeling of serenity, is another major characteristic of Japanese art.
The concrete expression of many Japanese crafts is marked by a direct
emphasis on the properties of the materials themselves and a quiet
austerity. Examples include pottery vibrant with the feel of the clay,
woodcrafts fresh with the feel of the natural wood, metal tea kettles
muted with patina, and lacquerware with the soft touch of the lacquered
surface. In each of these cases, the aesthetic result is the opposite of
power or brilliance. The fundamental elements are calm, austere,
intermediate colors, soft, matte surface textures, and calm, organic,
linear composition.
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