Essay Example on Minimalism is an art movement began in 1960s

Minimalism is an art movement began in 1960s and first introduced as an American visual art often combined with an abstract expressionism However the minimalism of Japan is popularly practiced as a way of living in simplicity Most of Japanese attribute minimalism to the philosophy instructed as a religious tradition practiced in association with Buddhism The power of Buddhism has influence the way how Japanese live their lives of constant simplicity as a way of life That is nothing really useless until its non existent at all Everything has its use and fit Japanese graphic design is no exception it is an underlying cultural driver that makes it so distinct Japanese graphic design without any unnecessary embellishment it s always simple but at the same time it s exquisite and elegant as well It expresses the care respect and efficiency in everyday life Shinto and Buddhism are the main religions of Japan In 6th century Shinto and Buddhism brought to the country from China and Korea These religions coexist in perfect harmony even complimenting each other The fact that Japan is an island has also contributed to the way in which visual ideas have developed there They need to manage it well because the limited space the Shinto and Buddhist love of nature are harnessed 

A peculiarly Japanese breed of Buddhism which is known as Zen Buddhism arose in the 14th century Zen Buddhism plays an important part in Zen Buddhists contemplation and study about nature and stress of life and design is no exception There is a painting called Under the wave off Kanagawa also known as The Great Wave created by Hokusai it is the most famous ukiyo e that stirred Japonism movement in Europe The world not fascinated the decorative side of Japanese design but simple and minimal side European artists were surprised when they found Ukiyo e in the late 19th century Altogether the aesthetics of Japanese culture influenced modern art and design significantly Hokusai used simplified and played with perspective and composition reduced number of elements to elevate the beauty of nature into artistic simplification Many Japanese designs are not explicitly Zen but they still embody the essence of Zen aesthetics The essence even keeps inspiring the people around the world Figure 5 Enso Zen Circle There are seven principles of Zen Buddhism aesthetics that design will apply them in their design Firstly Kanso means simplicity or elimination of clutter 

Things are expressed in a plain simple natural manner Second Fukinsei means asymmetry or irregularity Same with the principle of enso Zen Circle which is an incomplete circle was drew by brush stroke to symbolise the part of existence is imperfection The goal of fukinsei is to convey the symmetry of the natural world through clearly asymmetrical and incomplete renderings The effect is that the viewer supplies the missing symmetry and participates in the creative act Another principle of Zen aesthetics is Shizen means natural or without pretense Besides the principle of yugen means Use of subtlety and allusion to hint at deeper Leaving something to the imagination excite the curiosity of the viewers and can them think Fifth datsuzoku means break from routine This principle describes the feeling of surprise and a bit of amazement when one realizes they can have freedom from the conventional Seijaku is another principle of Zen means stillness and tranquility The last principle of Zen aesthetics is Shibui means simple subtle unobtrusive beauty is the ultimate goal for any design Zen Buddhism 2014 Japanese respect their culture and religious which is Buddhism Therefore they usually would pair with traditional Japanese philosophy and aesthetics with their design That s one of the most important values for the Japanese Simplicity Another very important value for the Japanese is intricacy 

This can be perceived to be in conflict with simplicity but in this specific case both attributes work in perfect harmony Japan s intricacy must be understood as the profound conceptualisation and attention to detail in Japanese design and everyday life and it s done it in order to keep things as simple as possible Values like these respect moderation positivity simplicity and intricacy come from the practice of both of these faiths and are imbued with everyday life in Japan Garafola 2017 Figure 6 7 8 World Table Tennis Championships 2015 poster Uenishi Yuri For example in Japan traditions are respected the same way modernity is celebrated The most amazing Japanese artworks are usually a combination of modern Japanese elements and some of their rooted traditional attributes There are a series of poster to promote World Table Tennis Championships 2015 Uenishi Yuri used the principle of fukinsei which the asymmetrical balance The posters showed all the images at the side or asymmetric He focused on the ultra fast moment of table tennis to create striking compositions using only the essential items of table tennis 

The intention was to convey the tension of the moment and stoic nature of the sport in a dramatic way The designer use the white space to let audience more focus on the motion of ping pong This design can elevate the popularity of table tennis as a sport and appealing to a wider audience He used the straightforward and clean way to convey their intricacy message Zen Buddhism s emphasis on simplicity and the importance of the natural world generated a distinctive aesthetic This means clutter is an absolute no The overall feel of a Japanese design is clean straightforward and structured Any element without a clear purpose is considered clutter something that should be discarded It all boils down to the essentials the elements that are truly needed in the design In addition everywhere you go in Japan there is a sense of calm peace and quiet Even in the busy streets of Tokyo the locals respect each other s personal space This calmness is also very obvious in Japanese design and art This is where minimalism stems from