“The art world of our country knows only two terms of evaluation: completed and incomplete.”
- January 14, 1925 – November 25, 1970
- Born in Japan
- Novelist, playwright, critic, political activist
Japanese
「我が国の芸術界は完成と未完成の二つしか評語を知らない。」
English
“The art world of our country knows only two terms of evaluation: completed and incomplete.”
Explanation
In this quote, Mishima criticizes the narrow framework used to evaluate art in his country. He points out that the art world only recognizes two extremes: something is either completed, considered finished and perfected, or it is incomplete, seen as unfinished or lacking. This binary system of evaluation, according to Mishima, oversimplifies the complexity and nuance of art, reducing the richness of artistic expression to absolute categories.
Mishima’s observation may reflect a deeper critique of the cultural conservatism and rigidity in the way art is perceived and judged. He suggests that such a system fails to appreciate the gradual process of creation and the evolution of artistic ideas, where art may not always neatly fit into the binary of completion or incompletion. The idea of incompletion itself may be seen as invaluable, reflecting an unfinished journey or potential, which may be just as significant as the final, \\polished product.
In a modern context, Mishima’s critique can be seen as a comment on the modern art world, where artworks are often judged based on whether they meet conventional standards or are perceived as completed, with little room for the complexity or unfinished nature of certain works. His words challenge the assumption that all art must fit into a tidy category, advocating for a more flexible and open-minded approach to artistic evaluation, one that recognizes the value of both completed and in-progress works.
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