Skip to content

Books
Authors
Subjects
Series
Museums & Partners
Contact
About Us
Offers

Books

Authors

On The Site

Advanced Search

Home
art
crafts & hobbies
Mingei

Mingei

Art Without Heroes

Edited by Roisin Inglesby

Contributions by Roisin Inglesby, Yuko Kikuchi, Dasom Sung, Anna Jackson, Aaron Angell, Sam Thorne, Adam Sutherland, Okazaki Manami, Yoshizawa Tomo and Naomi Pollock

Imprint: Yale University Press

168 Pages, 215.00 x 269.00 mm, 121 color illus.

Hardcover

Hardcover
9780300274288
Published: 26 March 2024

£35.00

Download Cover

Description
Authors
Praise

An exploration of the evolution of the Japanese Mingei (folk art) movement within the context of today’s concerns

Originating in Japan in the 1920s, the Mingei movement was based on the principle that beauty is inherent in handmade, everyday objects created by anonymous craftspeople. Spearheaded by the philosopher Yanagi Sōetsu, and potters Hamada Shōji and Bernard Leach, the movement sought to elevate the status of folk craft in a rapidly modernising society.

This richly-illustrated book covers a wide range of objects associated with Mingei, from ceramics and furniture to textiles and toys, alongside a series of profiles of leading designers and makers working in Japan today. Contributors from a variety of backgrounds explore Mingei’s origins, interpretations and contemporary implications, shedding new light on the ways in which the principles of the movement remain relevant to today’s personal, social and environmental concerns.

Exhibition Schedule:

William Morris Gallery, London
(March 23, 2024–September 22, 2024)

Roisin Inglesby is curator at the William Morris Gallery. Yuko Kikuchi is head of academic programmes at the V&A. Dasom Sung is assistant curator of Korean Arts, and Anna Jackson is keeper of the Asia Department, both at the V&A. Okazaki Manami is an independent writer and curator. Sam Thorne is director general and CEO of Japan House, London. Naomi Pollock is an American architect who writes about design in Japan. Aaron Angell is a ceramic artist and director of Troy Town Pottery, London. Adam Sutherland is director of Grizedale Arts. Yoshizawa Tomo is a writer and cultural translator

“The book presents an original and valuable contribution to the understanding of mingei, speaking for the relevance of its ideas in the face of today’s societal challenges.”—Liliana Morais, Crafts

“[Mingei] brings out the debt that modernist design owes to vernacular craft in Japan.”—Tanya Harrod, Apollo

Related Books

The Three Perfections

Women Artists in Denmark 1880-1910

Caspar David Friedrich

Ancient Thrace and the Classical World

The National Gallery

Made in Germany?

2024 National Gallery Artist in Residence: Katrina Palmer

Inspection Copies

Course and Order Information

Inspection copies are books under consideration as required or recommended reading for an upcoming course. Print book inspection copies are only available for certain textbooks. Please choose the eBook inspection copy option if you need your inspection copy quickly (particularly if you are based outside the UK - print books can be subject to shipping and customs delays and, in some cases you may need to pay an import fee to receive your book).

Requested Title

Book Title

ISBN

Email *

Address *

Address Line 1

Address Line 2

City

State / Province / Region

Postal Code

Country

Telephone Number *

Adoption Information

Bookshop stocking your course texts

Current textbook (title and author) *

Number of copies being requested *

Course Details

Course number and title *

Course level *

Undergraduate
Postgraduate
Secondary School
Other

Course level: Other *

Please enter your Course level

Course frequency *

Start date *

Number of students *

How did you hear about this book? *

Yale UP website
Yale UP catalogue
Yale UP email newsletter
Yale UP conference stand
Google
Amazon
Social Media
I read a review
I saw it on the shelf at a bookshop
It was recommended to me
Other

Why did you request an inspection copy of this book? *

The online description
The content aligns with my syllabus
I read a sample online
The title
The cover
Someone recommended it to me
I read a review
The endorsements
I know the author / editor
I am already familiar with this title
Other

Comment

Additional information

Sign up to the Yale newsletter for book news, offers, free extracts and more

Tel: +44(0)20 7079 4900
Email: [email protected]

Column
Column

© 2025 Yale University Press London. All Rights Reserved.

Powered by Supadu

We are using cookies to give you the best experience on our website.

You can find out more about which cookies we are using or switch them off in .

Powered by GDPR Cookie Compliance

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful.

Strictly Necessary Cookies

Strictly Necessary Cookie should be enabled at all times so that we can save your preferences for cookie settings.

Enable or Disable Cookies

If you disable this cookie, we will not be able to save your preferences. This means that every time you visit this website you will need to enable or disable cookies again.