Conclusion to Introduction to Commercial Art (1930)

Abstract

The Development and Future of Commercial Art In conclusion, commercial art has emerged from the disintegration of art and the aestheticization of commerce. I have previously discussed the style and aesthetics of commercial art. Now, what about its development? Since commercial art is art with a purpose, it pertains to pragmatically useful activities – but is that all? The reason commercial art constitutes a new and definitive art is that it has fully united the actual form of commerce – which is not commercialism, as in its true form commerce is simply distribution to many people – with the newly conceived form of production-art: commercial art becomes productive and simultaneously resists power when it merges commerce and production-art and moves them toward spiritual elevation.1 An art that is truly useful to society is thereby created, and the power of art manifests itself to society for the first time. This may appear difficult to understand, but can easily be elucidated with further explanation. Beauty borrows the form of produced objects so that it can reach the masses. In other words, posters, display windows, products, stage design, and printed matter – all these things created for a purpose are imbued with beauty that people can perceive through their senses. Display windows are beautiful, cars are beautiful, plates and containers are beautiful; they are endowed with a beauty resplendent to people (which is nevertheless also productive). Le Corbusier’s words on industrial aesthetics and architecture can be applied to all produced objects: “An architect satisfies our senses and activates a feeling of form. Similarly, he creates an echo in our hearts, shows us the order that should exist in this world, appealing to both our feelings and understanding. Indeed, through him, we sense beauty for the first time.”2 In other words, we are able to extract a sense of Conclusion to Introduction to Commercial Art (1930) Hamada Masuji