Tuesday, November 12, 2002

Box Frame As I mentioned the other day, some Japanese Potters do not sign their work, but do sign the box. The box is considered part of the over all value of the ceramic work. These potters were following the Mingei philosophy, which includes the appreciation for items made by unknown craftspersons. (Who probably didn't sign their work.) How are we to understand the importance of this box? Should we consider these boxes similar to having a collectable's original box? Perhaps they are closer to that Out Of the Box Experience (OOBE) pitched to us by Marketing Types? Indeed, I have heard from people being present as a collection of Japanese pottery is being taken out for viewing -that the experience of unboxing the pieces is to be fully appreciated. This is not like one's appreciation for the speed of a kid opening their presents, but more of the appreciation during the Japanese Tea Ceremony. These boxes are instruments in setting up one's aesthetic appreciation for the pottery inside. As pieces of fine craft/art in their own right, they lead one to similar considerations of the items within. As holders of textual content, the artist's name, they make a formal statement about the aesthetic import of the work they contain. In this way we may see they a more like a picture frame or a pedestal in that they designate an object as one that is to be experienced asthetically. However, unlike a pedestal or picture frame, which typically marks its object in a static 'other wordly' display, the box is also an instrument used in an event. An instrument that can be used within time, during an action of opening or closing. It also suggests a closeness to the art work which would include a tactile experience. (The Japanese Pottery Information Center has an excellent article, and funny Picasso anecdote, on the boxes used for pottery.) 11:12:20 PM