Reuse, Recycle, Repurpose: The Afterlives of Japanese Material Culture
The terms reuse, recycle, and repurpose—although ever-present exhortations in the face of the contemporary global ecological crisis—are not merely modern concepts and concerns. These material reclamations and techniques were deployed in times of scarcity and in moments of artistic inspiration; they occurred at the juncture of transcultural exchange and as a result of sociopolitical and religious impetus among other reasons. Guest edited by Halle O’Neal, volume 52 of Ars Orientalis focuses on these ideas in Japanese material culture and the meaning of the transformations. The articles examine not only critical moments in the life cycle of particular objects, but they also provide insight into their evolving function and importance throughout history.
