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The beauty of everyday things

Yanagi, Muneyoshi, 1889-19612018
Book
The daily lives of ordinary people are replete with objects, common things used in commonplace settings. These objects are our constant companions in life. As such, writes Soetsu Yanagi, they should be made with care and built to last, treated with respect and even affection. They should be natural and simple, sturdy and safe - the aesthetic result of wholeheartedly fulfilling utilitarian needs. They should, in short, be things of beauty. In an age of feeble and ugly machine-made things, these essays call for us to deepen and transform our relationship with the objects that surround us. Inspired by the work of the simple, humble craftsmen Yanagi encountered during his lifelong travels through Japan and Korea, they are an earnest defence of modest, honest, handcrafted things - from traditional teacups to jars to cloth and paper. Objects like these exemplify the enduring appeal of simplicity and function- the beauty of everyday things.
Main title:
The beauty of everyday things / Soesu Yanagi ; translated by Michael Brase.
Author:
Imprint:
[London] : Penguin Classics, 2018.©2017
Collation:
346 pages : illustrations ; 18 cm.
Series title:
Notes:
First published in Japan as Soetsu Yanagi : selected essays on Japanese folk crafts by the Japan Publishing Industry Foundation for Culture (JPIC) 2017.
ISBN:
9780241366356 (pbk)9780241366356 (paperback)
Dewey class:
745.0952
Language:
EnglishJapanese
BRN:
545882
LocationCollectionCall numberStatus/Desc
Kathleen Syme Carlton-Art and CultureARTS 745.0952 YANAOn loan - Due: 12 Jul 2026
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