Thinking Activity on An Artist of the Floating World

This Blog-post is a response of thinking activity on An Artist of the Floating World by Kazuo Ishiguro. To know more about this task, CLICK HERE.

Brief note about the Author

Kazuo Ishiguro is British Novelist, born in Japan and has British nationality while he was five years old, his parents moved to Britain. He is novelist, screenwriter, musician, and short-story writer. 

Brief note the Novel: 

This novel including in Ishiguro's first two novels. The novel is set in post-World War II Japan and is narrated by Masuji Ono who is an ageing painter. Novel narrated by first person narrator Ono himself.

Significance of  Lanterns:

In the cover page of the book we can see is Lanterns. It significant as transience of beauty. Which is explore the Idea such as short-time living.According to Japanese tradition, there is a connection between human bodies and water, it is believed that the lanterns embody the lives of those who have passed, and returning them to water, allows for the bodies to return to their natural state.The same thing is here is about the artist. Art is never dying for artist,that we can see in in Mori-San's character. 

A Brief review of the film based on the novel:

The film is quite faithful to the narrative technique. The way  narrator re-called his past then sudden he presents in current situation is what exact in the novel. Camera angles are quite appreciable, during "The Bridge of Hesitation." Lanterns, children's faces, paintings were also well captured in the film.

The Uses of Art / Artist (Five perspectives: 1. Art for the sake of art - aesthetic delight, 2. Art for Earning Money / Business purpose, 3. Art for Nationalism / Imperialism - Art for the propaganda of Government Power, 4. Art for the Poor / Marxism, and 5. No need of art and artist (Masujo's father's approach):

There are Five perspectives to looking the Art. All Ancients people believe that work of Art is for Aesthetic delight. While for poor people, it is the source of earning the money. But it is problematic while this necessity convert in to Business purpose. The limitation of using Art in the life is also very necessary to keep with us. There is also possibility that artist keep the Art for politics and for Government. The should keep away or bring themselves away from Capitalism or Nationalism. And some people like Masujo's father's belief that no need of Art in life. But without any Art, life become like desert and there is no any such a aesthetics in life. Somewhere, this all perspectives are connected with each other. 

The relevance of this novel is our times:

Artist are popular among the people and mostly they known as good personality among the people. While they work for politics and Governments, people easy rely them without any questioning. This we can see in today's time also.

Recently, the voices against Vivek Agnihotri who directed, The Kashmir Files. After examine several evidence, journalist and oppositions of Right wingers strongly says that the reality of BJP is not presented in the film. Artist should have the strength to keep the reality with their work. They are only the people who present reality as it is.As Masuji Ono did, he first do painting for Art for Art Sack, then he worked for under Takeda Firm was Capitalism. Likewise, Vivek Agnihotri also made films as Art for Art Sack, but after Governing BJP he become the Artist for them as Nationalism. Thus, it become quite relevant for today's time.