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Message
from our president
What
is the tradition to create? >>> Change from conservative
to progressive
: Toru Haga (President
of Kyoto University of Art and Design)
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The
phrase "The tradition to create" (Traditional creatric) is diverted from the phrase "evolution
to create" (Evolution creatrice) of French philosopher,
Bergson. Eight years ago, while discussing the idea
for the first autumn event with late Mr. Hiroshi Teshigawara
and late Mr. Kuniharu Akiyama at Japan Art Foundation
that is associated with our university, it was this
phrase that we said with one voice. With Japan Art Foundation,
Kyoto University of Art and Design emphasizes the firm
succession, the maintenance, the eager reproduction and
careful research of Japanese culture, especially art.
And we evaluate for this and support the efforts.
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We
believe there are an ultimate root (identity) of the residents
in Japan and the fountainhead of the contribution to the world
in this rich and beautiful tradition of Japanese art. But
now, this traditional art is at the point of being replaced
by the words "computerization" and "internationalization"
if we are off our guard a little. In such time, the firm maintenance
of tradition must be respected.
However, some will overflow little by little from the tradition
like the water filled the bottle begin to overflow calmly
soon. It seems that the drops fully prepared and flown out
soon, which means the hidden power of continuation, is the
true character of "the tradition to create" and
true progressive. This doesn't mean that we should use tradition
for creation. Such utilitarianism is silly. By adding the
stimulus from outside or capriciousness to the study of the
tradition, new deployment may start. In other words, something
is created out of such tradition. And we expect and respect that.
When we look back upon Japanese tradition, we can say that
all artists, such as Rikyu, Oribe, Koetsu, Sotatsu, Zeami,
Basho, Hokusai and Mokichi Saito, expressed this "tradition
to create" progressively. I guess that Tradition creatrice
itself has been the best tradition of Japanese culture. This
is why our university uses this phrase as the basic idea of
research and education.
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