o :0 “The Impossible Avant-Garde in Japan, Does the Avant-Garde Exist in the Third World? Japan’s Example: A Borderline Case of Misunderstanding in Aesthetic intercultural Exchange” -I doxa, 2010. Istanbul: Norgunk Publishing House, pp.82-89. （再掲） o (j) ~ SHIGEMI INAGA THE FUNDAMENTALAME The Impossible Avant-Garde in Japan In relation to Jape concrete examples (wi1 Does the Avant-Garde Exist in the Third World? in the final analysis, se Japan's Example: A Borderline Case of Misunderstanding cultural misunderstand and Cubism. As we knc in Aesthetic Intercultural Exchange in early 20th century E reference to African ar African people referred it could under no eirc the contrary, this choic autochthon culture, a seen as, if not outdatec 'modernization' means, historical framework of The same dilemr case. Consider an exa decisive inspiration for AVANT -PROPOS 'inscrutable Japan,' I will limit myself to the analysis of a specific movement, in France a ~ My subject will be incommunicability while forgoing example of the tragi-comedy brought about by this (by definition genre of 'traditional' ~ the incommunicable, for how can one communicate the unmaintainable) 'dialogue.' In so doing, I will pose a concrete as nothing more than incommunicable? The latter constitutes the limit of what I will question: is the Japanese avant-garde (re)prensentable to the to the past through E communicate here, and indeed of communication itself. Western public? considered avant-gardl Ten years ago, much was said about intercultural dialogue. Here, words such as 'avant-garde, ' 'Japan,' 'the Orient,' 'the nothing other than a ty Dialogue is only possible about that which is dependent upon non-Western (or Western) world,' are granted purely operational of modernization. the logos. For a culture in which the logos is considered a and provisional value. They will be, then, subject to replacement. .. If Hence here lies th form of ethical betrayal (Confucius), dialogue is no more than dialogue between France and Japan proves problematic, it follows avant-garde orientation an expression of infidelity, perfidy, and ingratitude. Everything that one must reexamine not only the relation between Japan and automatically considel communicable is merely a rhetorical subterfuge seeking to Korea along with other Southeast Asian countries, but also that haikai' poets inspired W satisfy a diplomatic need.1 Dialogue with such a culture obscures between France and England, or England and Scotland or Ireland, obviously be overly selE rather than reveals its intended subject, at the cost of multiplying or between France and Francophone (and non-Francophone) as coming exclusively African (and non-African) countries. Our considerations of this illusions of this 'other' which eludes presentation. surrealists. Rather than . Without getting into a philosophical or sociological discussion question would then have to be increased in number. My own is between the avant-garc on this subject, and so as not to repeat yet again the myth of simply a modest point of departure towards this end. lies in questioning the v 82 THE FUNDAMENTAL AMBIGUITY OF JAPANESE AVANT-GARDE The notion of 'modernization' is therefore problematized. In relation to Japanese fashion, I would like to begin with Take the case of painting as an example. The modernization of ! Avant-Garde in Japan concrete examples (without rushing towards a synthesis which, painting in Japan after the country was opened to foreigners in l-Garde Exist in the Third World? in the final analysis, seems pointless to establish in the case of the mid-19th century consisted in learning the basic techniques )Ie: A Borderline Case of Misunderstanding cultural misunderstanding). Let's look at the case of Fauvism of Western academism: namely, modeling, chiaroscuro, and linear and Cubism. As we know, the adoption of an avant-garde stance perspective to cite only three criteria. During precisely the same tercultural Exchange in early 20th century Europe was made on the authority of its period, the agenda of Western avant-garde painting was formed reference to African and Oceanic art. Now, if the 'autochthon' through the abolition of these academic rules. It is in this context African people referred to the same sources as did Westerners, that the vogue of traditional Japanese art in Europe in the second it could under no circumstances claim to be avant-garde; on half of the 19th century should be understood. Japan's traditional the contrary, this choice of sources would merely signify, within art was free from the rules of Western academism, and it was due autochthon culture, a type of 'traditionalism' which would be to this freedom that Japan served as a model for the European seen as, if not outdated, at least antimodernist to the extent that avant-gardes. 'Japonisme' in Europe was characterized above all 'modernization' means, by definition, Westernization within the by its negation of Western academic rules. historical framework of this question. The Japanese reaction to this change of direction initiated The same dilemma is perfectly applicable to Japan's by Western painting could not help but be a contradictory one, case. Consider an example from poetry. If 'haikal' served as a indeed triply so. First of all, modernization stands in sharp decisive inspiration for the incontestably 'avant-garde' imagist contrast to the avant-garde agenda, given that the members of 'inscrutable Japan,' I will limit myself to the analysis of a specific movement, in France as in the English-speaking world, the same the Japanese avant-garde were to abandon what they had only be incommunicability while forgoing example of the tragi-comedy brought about by this (by definition genre of 'traditional' poetry in Japan was apparently viewed just learned from the Western academic tradition, all in the name for how can one communicate the unmaintainable) 'dialogue.' In so doing, I will pose a concrete as nothing more than an outmoded tradition to be consigned of 'modernization'. It would require enormous na'lvete not to take latter constitutes the limit of what I will question: is the Japanese avant-garde (re)prensentable to the to the past through efforts at modernization. What may be note of this discontinuity, indeed of this contraction, between ::I indeed of communication itself. Western public? considered avant-garde in the Western context is, in the Orient, modernization and the avant-garde in the Third World. .Jch was said about intercultural dialogue. Here, words such as 'avant-garde,' 'Japan,' 'the Orient,' 'the nothing other than a type of 'feudalism' to be rejected in favor Secondly, this abandonment of academic techniques ble about that which is dependent upon non-Western (or Western) world,' are granted purely operational of modernization. ironically intersects with Japanese tradition, which the Japanese .Jre in which the logos is considered a and provisional value. They will be, then, subject to replacement... If Hence here lies the fundamental ambiguity of claims to an avant-garde was above all supposed to denounce. Ostensibly 3.1 (Confucius), dialogue is no more than dialogue between France and Japan proves problematic, it follows avant-garde orientation in Japan. On the one hand, one cannot an obstacle to the latter's emancipation, the national tradition elity, perfidy, and ingratitude. Everything that one must reexamine not only the relation between Japan and automatically consider haikaT avant-garde simply because found itself, contrary to all expectations, in tacit complicity with rely a rhetorical subterfuge seeking to Korea along with other Southeast Asian countries, but also that haikaT poets inspired Western imagists. On the other, one would the Western avant-garde. Given this troublesome complicity, 3d. 1 Dialogue with such a culture obscures between France and England, or England and Scotland or Ireland, obviously be overly selective to see Japanese avant-garde poets reference to the West no longer afforded Japanese artists ntended subject, at the cost of multiplying or between France and Francophone (and non-Francophone) as coming exclusively from among dadaists and Japanese the possibility of resolutely opposing a Japanese tradition as Nhich eludes presentation. African (and non-African) countries. Our considerations of this surrealists. Rather than attempting to draw a line of demarcation something to be left behind. At the same time, the Japanese avant­ o a philosophical or sociological discussion question would then have to be increased in number. My own is between the avant-garde and the non-avant-garde, our interest garde in the plastic arts was left without the internal necessity for o as not to repeat yet again the myth of simply a modest point of departure towards this end. lies in questioning the very possibility of doing so. a revolt against the national artistic tradition's authority. 82 83 f Thirdly, the dream of a synthesis of the Western avant-garde A BLIND SPOT AND ITS THREE CONSEQUENCES European languages in itself leads t( and Oriental tradition proves theoretically impossible because it is The definition of the Western avant-garde is thus not term 'national' style is equivalent tc tautological. Remaining true to the avant-gardist spirit, moreover, applicable to non-Western reality. Yet whenever a constitution of substitution; but what other optio requires a revolt against tradition. In the case of Japan, then, it an avant-garde corpus for non-Western countries is attempted, it consequently outside the avant-gal is in fact this national tradition which guarantees the plastic arts' is inevitably the definition of the avant-garde forged in the context self-contradictory deSignation of a t faithfulness to the Western avant-garde. Under these conditions, of European art, which is invoked as the criterion of demarcation. and modern, any possibility of thil: an East-West synthesis could only be accomplished in spite of This tendency creates a blind spot which makes doubly impossible renewing or 'modernizing' itself is the avant-garde artists, as they must inevitably be unfaithful to its any conception of an avant-garde belonging to the non-Western communication cuts both ways.