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Welcome to the first non-interview episode where I discuss the differences between art and design and analyze a decorative arts object, a Kosen from 1930s Japan. Examining decorative objects like the Kosen reveals the values of the Japanese Art Deco period. According to the Japan Society’s exhibition “Deco Japan: Shaping Culture, 1920-1945,” an important aspect of the Art Deco period in Japan was the rise of the “modern girl” and her role in cosmopolitan urban culture. The “modern girl” embodied the intersection of Japanese style with Western culture. For instance, while wearing a kimono, she might adopt a Western hairstyle and accessories. Deco culture emphasizes consumerism and taste-making, so a closer look at objects decorating domestic spaces is fascinating.
Welcome to the first non-interview episode where I discuss the differences between art and design and analyze a decorative arts object, a Kosen from 1930s Japan. Examining decorative objects like the Kosen reveals the values of the Japanese Art Deco period. According to the Japan Society’s exhibition “Deco Japan: Shaping Culture, 1920-1945,” an important aspect of the Art Deco period in Japan was the rise of the “modern girl” and her role in cosmopolitan urban culture. The “modern girl” embodied the intersection of Japanese style with Western culture. For instance, while wearing a kimono, she might adopt a Western hairstyle and accessories. Deco culture emphasizes consumerism and taste-making, so a closer look at objects decorating domestic spaces is fascinating.