You do not need the knowledge to enjoy art. However, when you look at a work of art with knowledge, you may discover something new that you were not aware of before.
Japanese art is so profound that the more we look at it, the more we discover new things about it, just as it once had a great influence on European art history. Until the modernization in the late 19th century, when the concept of “art” was introduced from the West, Japanese people did not consider them art.
They were things that people enjoyed in their daily lives, things that powerful people used to show their authority, things that were the object of religious beliefs, or things that expressed the philosophical ideas of their creators.
Whatever the purpose for which they were created, we can find people’s life in them. It seems that they express a sincere wish to live a better life.
Art Find Tokyo（藝求堂）is not just a website to introduce beautiful art. What we want to tell is the philosophy of the Japanese people of that time, what they thought, and how they tried to live their lives.
That is why Art Find Tokyo is not only about the artworks, but also about the background and history behind their creation. We also want to create opportunities for people around the world to hold and appreciate these works of art in their hands. We believe that looking at artworks with broad knowledge is also a way to communicate with the people of the time.
When we look at art, it asks us.
“So, how do you live your life?”
Ando Tomoro (Chief Editor of Art Find Tokyo)