tailieunhanh - An Aesthetics of Everyday Life – Modernism and a Japanese popular aesthetic ideal, “Iki” –

Another paper from this period (1897a) is an investigation of the dispositions which serve as the presuppositions of the presentation of complexes. What, for example, is the ground of our capacity to reproduce a melody in memory? How is it possible to account for the vast range of differences in power of imagination in relation to objects of this sort, and is it possible to intensify this power through practice? Witasek argues that imagination or phantasy involves a new and special sort of disposition, but one standing in a relation of dependence to the disposition to reproduce in memory, so. | Thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts Master of Arts Program in the Humanities University of Chicago An Aesthetics of Everyday Life - Modernism and a Japanese popular aesthetic ideal Iki - YAMAMOTO Yuji May 14 1999 Notes This thesis was originally submitted as a MA thesis on May 1999. This version contains few modifications and additions as of March 25 2002. Macrons due to a technological problem substituted by circumflex ô Ũ are used to indicate prolongation of vowels. The updated version of this thesis is available at http yuji papers . Japanese names are spelled in the order of surname given name. Some historic Japanese authors are called by their first name following the convention. Thus Futabatei Shimei is called Shimei but Kuki Shũzô is called Kuki. 0. Introduction Nineteenth century Japanese popular cultural phenomena most notably the Japanese woodblock print and painting ukiyo-e have made significant contributions to modernist artistic movements in particular the Arts and Crafts movement Art Nouveau impressionism post-impressionism and fauvism. In addition it is worth mentioning the influence of Japanese architecture on Frank Lloyd Wright who also loved ukiyo-e. These influences are primarily the result of applying Western values specifically aesthetic values to the interpretation of Japanese culture. However this interpretation has had the tendency to be one-way and there have been relatively few attempts to applying non-Western ideas to Western culture. Is this because it is futile to do so Or because it is impossible Rudyard Kipling s well-known line East is East and West is West and never the twain shall meet1 2 is quoted in various contexts. Although the subsqent lines continue that a personal encounter would not be hindered by institutional barriers one would inevitably feel that the significance of this line is greatly changed. The East and the West did meet and are meeting