Abstract

In this paper, I examine the relationship between criticism on modernization and the system of modern art in the Mingei Movement, clarifying Yanagi's thought on the ideal art and his strategy which he used to make the Mingei Movement successful. I argue, first, that Yanagi understood the relation between things and human beings not on the basis of dualistic relation as the subject and the object, but on the basis of harmonious one that human nature was reflected in the things which were used by the human beings. Therefore, he developed the Mingei Movement, criticizing the way of thinking of modern people who gave too much importance to reason and logical knowledge, and the system of modern art which was isolated from daily life. His Mingei Movement, however, was performed in a modern way exceedingly, so it made use of advantage of the modern art structure sufficiently. Accordingly, I will conclude that even the Mingei Movement in itself is a kind of modern art movement that succeeded in drawing the public attention by using the system of modern art well