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Art History

Japanese Art, Design and Visual Culture

Course Times & Enrolment

This course is currently unavailable.

Course Summary

This course will examine the many facets of art and design in Japan, looking at the interplay between tradition and modernity and considering how the country's history and particular circumstances have shaped its approach to visual culture.

Course Details

Pre-requisites for enrolment

No prior knowledge is required, but consulting at least one of the course texts is recommended.

Content of Course

1. Introduction to Japan and its culture - religions, the traditional Japanese house, language and calligraphy.

2. The Impressionists to Zen - Japan’s influence on the West.

3. Dressing for success - kimonos to current fashion.

4. Contemporary textiles and paper.

5. Folk art, crafts and the Ainu people.

6. Graphics and packaging.

7. Pop culture, consumer culture.

8. From kabuki to manga – graphic novels, film and animation.

9. Calm and disorder - architecture and town planning.

10. High art - sculpture, painting, printmaking, photography.

Teaching method(s)

There will be an illustrated lecture each week, followed by a discussion. This will be supplemented by the showing of Japanese objects (eg kimonos, paper, prints) and by occasional DVDs and exercises such as one about understanding Japanese pictograms.

Learning outcomes

By the end of this course, students should be able to:

  • Demonstrate a broad understanding of current issues in Japanese design, art and visual culture;

  • Apply Japanese design concepts to specific examples of modern design and assess their significance and be able to relate historical visual practices to current ones;

  • Understand the impact of Japan on Western culture and vice versa.

Sources

Core Readings

  • Ashihara, Y., 1989. The Hidden Order: Tokyo Through the 20th Century. Tokyo: Kodansha

  • Dalby, L., 2001. “The Natural History of the Kimono” in Kimono. London: Vintage, pp 17-63. 

  • Evans, S., 1991. Contemporary Japanese Design. London: Tiger Books

  • Lloyd, F, ed., 2002. Consuming Bodies: Sex and Contemporary Japanese Art. London: Reaktion Books 

  • Munroe, A., 1994. Japanese Art After 1945: Scream Against the Sky. New York: Harry Abrams

  • Museum of Contemporary Art,1991. Zones of Love: Contemporary Art from Japan. Sydney: Art Data

  • Oka, H., 2008. How to Wrap Five Eggs: Traditional Japanese Packaging.  Boston: Weatherhill 

  • Richie, D., 1982. The Japanese Movie. Tokyo: Kodansha

  • Schilling, M.,1997. The Encyclopedia of Japanese Pop Culture. Boston: Weatherhill

  • Schodt, F.,1997. “A Thousand Years of Manga” in Manga! Manga! The World of Japanese Comics. Tokyo: Kodansha

  • Sparke, P., 1987. Japanese Design. London: Michael Joseph 

  • Wichmann, S., 1999. Japonisme. London: Thames and Hudson

  • Woodward, K., “Concepts of Identity and Difference”, in Woodward, K, ed. 1997. Identity and Difference: culture, media and identities. Milton Keynes: Sage, pp 7-61. 

  • Yanagi, S., 1990. The Unknown Craftsman: a Japanese Insight into Beauty. Tokyo: Kodansha (revised edition)

 

Web Sources

Japanese embassy, London, arts links: http://web-japan.org/links/culture/index.html

Universes in Universe, art information:  http://www.universes-in-universe.de//asia/jpn/english.htm

Trends in Japan, current topics: http://web-japan.org/trends/index.html

Videos about Japan, various topics: http://web-japan.org/jvt/index.html

Creative Japan, various cultural topics: http://www.uk.emb-japan.go.jp/en/creativejapan/index.html

Daiwa Anglo-Japanese Foundation, events in UK, mainly London: http://www.dajf.org.uk/

The Japan Society of New York: http://www.japansociety.org/art_topic

Issey Miyake website: http://www.isseymiyake.com/en/

Class Handouts

Handouts will be provided.

Queries

If you have questions regarding the course or enrolment, please contact COL Reception at Paterson's Land by email or by phone 0131 650 4400.

Student support

If you have a disability, learning difficulty or health condition which may affect your studies, please let us know by ticking the 'specific support needs' box on your course application form. This will allow us to make appropriate adjustments in advance and in accordance with your rights under the Equality Act 2010. For more information please visit the Student Support section of our website.