I have been interested in Japan for several years. At first it was a fascination with prose and poetry, culture and folklore in the broadest sense, and it was only during my studies that I began to deal with art "in a serious manner". In my MA thesis I wrote about tradition and modernity in Japanese craft, while touching on the interplay between the art of Japan and the art of the Western world. As part of my doctoral dissertation I have decided to develop these threads; however, focusing primarily on what has happened and continues to happen in Japan and how certain events and changes influence the development of Japanese design thought.
- explains the doctoral student.
The formation of the "Japanese style"
Since the end of the isolationist policy period in 1868, through the Meiji reforms, the two World Wars, the economic Bubble Period in the 1980s, to the present day, a lot has happened in Japan. These transformations – not only strictly artistic or aesthetic, but also social, economic and historical – have shaped (and continue to shape) the development of Japanese craft, and later also design.
What we today call "Japanese style" in broadly defined design is an interesting mixture – a resultant of local and foreign influences, traditional craftsmanship and modern technological thought, beauty and utilitarianism. The line between craft and design is extremely difficult to draw
– adds Aleksandra Cieśliczka.
What is applied art?
In the context of Japanese design thought, art scholars and curators are asking the following questions:
- Where does art end and a mere object begin?
- Does such a limit even exist? Can it be determined?
- Is it still a craft or is it already a product?
Of course, in principle these are questions without a clear answer.
I find applied art an interesting subject because it actually balances on the edge – it combines artistic thought with usually mundane use, the visual aspect with functionality. I perceive this kind of art as very human, close to the man, a little intuitive, but still complex. Craft, in fact, often functions somewhat outside the mainstream of art history, and in the mind of an average person it is rarely seen as an art discipline at all. However, I have noticed that in the recent years the theme of design has been returning more and more frequently, not only in academic publications or museum exhibitions, but also in more general, social discussions, which is very gratifying.
The importance of context
It is important to remember that while studying art, context is an extremely important thing. Our doctoral student talks about her research approach in the following way.
Aleksandra Cieśliczka explains:
I am trying to build a broader perspective. This enables me to trace and consider the relationships that exist between the different areas of life and applied art. As a result, I often discover non-obvious correlations. And it is worth noting that when one writes about Japanese art, it is not difficult to make certain simplifications, to further consolidate generalised, often outdated information or even stereotypes. In fact, there is a tendency today to look for the timeless, intangible essence of Japanese culture in Japanese products, which is of course an over-interpretation - often skilfully used as a marketing gimmick. Fortunately, in the course of my research and queries, I have come across many publications, articles and exhibitions that helped me break my thinking patterns, showed me a different perspective and a completely fresh perspective.
Research plans
Aleksandra Cieśliczka has planned numerous domestic and foreign queries and several trips for the next four years of her doctorate – among them to Great Britain, where one of the best centres dealing with Japanese art and culture is located – the Sainsbury Institute for the Study of Japanese Arts and Cultures, but also, of course, to Japan itself.
The winner concludes:
Unfortunately, like in the case of many other young researchers, the pandemic also rained on my parade. Therefore, while waiting for the situation to improve, I am trying to develop the material using the bibliography I have gathered, resources of online sources and databases, numerous articles or lectures posted online. I have also managed to participate in The Online Summer Programme in Japanese Cultural Studies organised by the aforementioned Sainsbury Institute, as well as attend several conferences. I have started learning Japanese on a language course and, in addition, I had an opportunity to prove myself as an art history teacher at the Secondary School of Fine Arts for six months
UL IDUB grants
The Excellence Initiative – Research University – grant competitions as part of which the University of Lodz funds research ideas of its scientists and doctoral students. By supporting them in conducting high quality research, the university implements a strategy of striving for research excellence in all fields and disciplines. The competitions also serve the purpose of internationalisation – developing and strengthening the university's cooperation with international researchers. As part of grants addressed to scientists from outside the university, experienced and young researchers join the team of the University of Lodz. This favours the fusion of experiences and increasing the university's scientific potential, supports networking and employee mobility.
The grants are financed as part of the subsidy increased by 2% for the universities that joined the IDUB competition in 2019. University of Lodz will receive additional funding for research until 2026. Internal grant competitions have been implemented since 2020.
Currently, in the 2nd edition, over PLN 3 million was used to finance young, experienced researchers and doctoral students in such grant competitions as: UL IDUB "Grants for young and experienced researchers" and "Doctoral research grants".
Source: mgr Aneta Cieśliczka, prof. Aneta Pawłowska, Faculty of Philosophy and History, University of Lodz
Edit: Mateusz Grabowski, Service Centre for Students and PhD Candidates