Right on the money and on both points. In Asia calligraphy is rightly appreciated as an art form as is pottery making. The soul and spirit of the work created by the hand of the master is of surpassing importance.
The difference between appreciation and admiration is profound. The Japanese greatly appreciate American jazz. Their jazz performers are highly skilled technically and their performances well nigh perfect replicas of the American jazz they emulate. To my ear, their recordings are, without exception, bloodless and unlistenable.
A Rene Herse bicycle has more in common with Robert Johnson and Bill Holiday than it has with a raku pot.
Martin Needleman Annapolis, MD
OROBOYZ@aol.com wrote:
> - The origination of style is generally European. The Japanese do marvelous
> interpretation of those styles but the source is undeniable.
>
> - The Japanese execution is often close to perfect, the "sign of the hand" is
> often polished and burnished away...Euro master's did not go this far,
> leaving individualistic traces of the work... This is interesting to me as I
> think in native Japanese forms, such as Raku pottery and calligraphy, the
> "sign of the hand" is retained and appreciated.