Tama Art University Professor Emeritus Mayumi Tsuruoka Interview: "Patterns That Make Life Shine" (Numero TOKYO)
Professor Emeritus Mayumi Tsuruoka discusses how patterns and ornamentation are fundamental human acts expressing prayers for regeneration and connection to the cosmos.Summary
Mayumi Tsuruoka, Professor Emeritus at Tama Art University specializing in art anthropology, defines ornamentation as the fundamental activity of "Art-Man" expressing gratitude to the universe and prayers for regeneration. Patterns (文様) represent all things in the universe and serve as protective talismans against evil. Although the efficiency-focused 20th century dismissed decoration, art deco showed that ornamentation restores the joy of living. Tsuruoka notes that the Celtic spiral pattern she studies is identical to the Japanese *mitsudomoe* (three-comma) pattern, both symbolizing the sacred sign of the "cycle of life." Ornamentation is not just for special occasions but a technique to make daily life comfortable and ward off impurities. She concludes that in the age of AI, humans, aware of their mortality, will continue to entrust their prayers for renewal to aesthetic beauty, and finding commonalities in global historical decorations can be a new key to connecting people across divides.
(Source：Yahoo!ニュース)