「美の壺」は2006年にETVで始まりました。第一回は「古伊万里・染付」。当時随分思い切ったと思います。まず番組のサブタイトルが名詞だけで、「情熱の」とか「大発見」とか修飾語もない。その素っ気なさで25分、器の、しかも古伊万里の話だけ。料理も載っかっていない、真っ白な器を映した番組です。それが美の壺の「とんがり方」だった。そのとんがりはスタイルでも表現されました。案内は谷啓さんの和室の独り芝居。「鑑賞マニュアル」という情報社会チックな言葉の正反対のアナログの権化のような出演者をだしに、「モノ尽くし」の蘊蓄をキーワードで提示する。・・・ひねくれていますねえ。極めつけがジャズ。BGMをブルーノート・レーベルのジャズに絞った。
そのインパクトで、いわゆる「クリエイティブな」人たちの間で話題になった番組でした。今でも取材をすると、歓待してくれるのがクリエーターの方々です、「谷さんの頃から観ています」。もちろん多くの美術ファン、骨董ファン、デザインに関心がある方々も「ある種の熱気を持って」ご覧頂いていました。以上がデビューの衝撃。
番組テーマは古民家、魯山人、五重塔、懐石料理など伝統的な和の工芸文化から始まって、拡がりを見せます。ステンドグラス、オルゴール、舶来品、クラシックホテル・・・「和モダン」の時代です。身の回りの雑器に目を向ければ、舶来のものに当たる。唐物から始まってこの国を活性化してきた外来文化が、沢山の美を生んでいた。
キーワードは「憧れ」と「懐かしさ」でしょうか。輸入文化を現代のようにフラットに受け入れず、憧れつつ受け入れ、美を発見し、やがて風化し懐かしい日本文化として振り返る。和の美意識に馴染むようにカスタマイズされた万年筆、職人が見よう見まねで技を駆使した日本のタイル。そう、和モダンのモノには物語があふれていた。和洋折衷、和魂洋才、職人仕事・・・語彙を駆使して、美の壺もそれらを愛で、絵筆やかんなのひと削り、職人の手元に近代のドラマを読み込んだのです。
そして今。言及するまでなく、情報主導の時代。美の壺が観られ続けている秘密は、どこにあるのか。分かっているのは、「モダン一辺倒は嫌だ」ということ。リーマンショックの砂漠を見た後、番組はいつも私たちの心に「和」と「モダン」のふたつが必要だとささやき続けているような気がします。
“Bi no Tsubo” (The Mark of Beauty) commenced in 2006 on NHK’s Educational TV (ETV). The first episode was entitled “Early Imari Blue Underglaze Ware” (“Koimari Sometsuke”). The Japanese sub-title of the programs only contains nouns. Such a short title introduced a 25 minute discussion of porcelein of Imari ware. The program showed only pure white porcelein, without any food on it. This was the edginess of Bi no Tsubo. This edginess was also expressed in the style of presentation. It was filmed in a Japanese style living room and Mr. Kei Tani is the only storyteller there. (*Kei Tani is a Japanese actor and comedian. He was the first presentor of “Bi No Tsubo”). He was like an embodiment of the analog world, the very opposite of “appreciation manual”, an information society chic word. Through this storyteller, the episode presents “comprehensive” store of knowledge . . . Rebellious don’t you think? What makes “Bi no Tsubo” quite unique is the use Blue Note label jazz.
“Bi No Tsubo” was received by many people with the surprise. The “edgy” style of “Bi No Tsubo” has been well recognized among “creative” people since the program started.Even today many creators have told me with the appreciation, saying “I have watched the program since the days of Tani-san”. Of course the program has been viewed with a certain enthusiasm by many art fans, antique fans, and those engaged in design.
For the first period, the program chose to present traditional Japanese craft culture, such as old private residences (“Kominka”), Rosanjin, five storied pagoda (“Gojyu no tou”), and Kaiseki cuisine (Japanese traditional cuisine). Then, the theme was broaden to “Japanese Modernism”, where Japanese people transformed imported culture into their own based on Japanese sense of beauty, like stained glass, music boxes, imported articles, and classic hotels. We can easily find traces of foreign culture around us which, starting those from China, has activated our sense of beauty.
Keywords for “Japanese Modernism”, in my view, are “fascination” and “nostalgia”. Imported culture was not received in a flat manner, like now. Instead, it was received through multiple stages, including fascination; discovery of its beauty; being faded, and finally, being transformed as Japanese culture, which we look back with nostalgia. As we see, “Japanese Modernism” tells a variety of stories behind what we see. For example, fountain pens were customized in Japanese modern way based on Japanese aesthetic sense. Another example was Japanese tile that craftsman imitated in its production while adding mixture of Japanese traditional and modern essence, such as ”Japanese blue” and “Jagged design”. Their beauty even transcends original “western” items.
And we stand here today in the information age. Why “Bi no Tsubo” continues to attract viewers, while there are many other choices? I believe that we are seeking something beyond “modern”. After experiencing the desert of the Lehman shock, the program, I believe, has always been whispering to us that we need both “Japanese” and “Modern” to our hearts.