Philippine E-Journals

CLOTH WEAVING CLOTH, CLAY SHAPING CLAY: TOWARD A RELIGION OF BEAUTY (OR FOLKCRAFTS AS A WAY OF DWELLING POETICALLY)

Leni Dlr. Garcia

 

Abstract:

Prompted by Heidegger’s search for great art in the modern times, this paper looks into crafts as answering the philosopher’s frustrated call. Using Soetsu Yanagi’s idea of a “religion of beauty,” which turns to the ordinary as beautiful, it suggests that crafts—carefully made by hand while considering its affinity with nature and the human body that uses it—is a way of being, the way Heidegger described the way of “dwelling poetically.”