Cette thèse porte sur la question de l’identité de l’architecture contemporaine au Japon à travers l’esthétique traditionnelle, profondément ancrée dans l’ensemble de la culture ancienne de ce pays : un véritable cheminement passant à la fois par l’intellectuel, le spirituel et l’artistique. L’objet de cette recherche est donc d’analyser l’interrelation existante entre tradition et modernité ; d’établir une « filiation », une possible évolution et de comprendre aussi la transformation de l’architecture contemporaine et ses problématiques à travers les différents concepts, qui fondent l’ensemble de l’esthétique au Japon, entre temporalité et spatialité. Il est question d’apporter un éclairage sur les expressions de la tradition : une « nouvelle tradition », une japonéité, où la tradition devient la matrice de la modernité. La tradition est à comprendre alors comme un véritable catalyseur. L’objectif de cette thèse est de montrer que l’architecture japonaise a su résoudre la difficile adéquation de relier la tradition nationale et la modernité internationale. La tradition semble être aussi l’une des matrices du futur. En d’autres termes, il s’agit de comprendre les traditions culturelles japonaises comme de véritables leviers conceptuels pour la nouvelle génération d’architectes japonais. La tradition est un héritage du passé qu’il faut préserver pour garder une identité, et qui permet de donner un chemin et une perspective pour l’avenir. De la qualité du rapport avec la tradition dépend non seulement l’harmonie et la beauté du cadre de vie, mais aussi la richesse du message architectural à transmettre aux générations futures. / This thesis focuses on the question of the identity of contemporary Japanese architecture through Japanese traditions and aesthetics, deeply rooted from the cultural background of Japan : a real passage through both intellectual, spiritual and artistic fields. The purpose of this research is to analyze the interrelation existing between tradition and modernity ; to establish a filiation, or a lineage, a possible evolution, to understand the transformation of Japanese architecture through different concepts between space and time. It comes to shed light on the expression of tradition in Japanese architecture : a “new tradition”, a notion of japan-ness where tradition becomes the matrix of modernity. In other words, tradition could be understand as a true catalyst. The goal of this thesis is to show that Japanese architecture has resolved the difficult balance between National tradition and International modernity. The tradition seems to be also one of the matrix of the future. The tradition is not only architectural, but it includes spirituality, aesthetics, art, and the manner how culture is linking to space and time. In other words, it is important to understand the cultural Japanese tradition background as a true conceptual levers for the new generation of Japanese architects. The tradition is a legacy of the past which should be preserved to maintain an identity, which could give a path, and vision for future. The quality of the relationship with the tradition depends not only of the harmony and beauty of our living, but also from the wealthy architectural message transmitted to future generations.

Nature aesthetics is examined as an approach to environmental ethics. The characteristics of proper nature appreciation show that every landscape can be appreciated impartially in light of the dynamic processes of nature. However, it is often claimed that natural beauty decreases if humans interfere into nature. This claim leads to the separation of human culture and nature, and limits the number of landscapes which can be protected in terms of aesthetic value. As a solution to this separation, a non-dualistic Japanese aesthetics is examined as a basis for the achievement of the coexistence of culture and nature. Ecological interrelationships between human culture and nature are possible by means of an aesthetic consciousness in terms of non-hierarchical attitudes.

Aware, as generally conceived in Japanese aesthetics, refers to the felt content within a particular work of art that drives the aesthetic value of that work. In this thesis presents a theory of art that places aware as central to the aesthetic experience in the Japanese as derived from Shinto and Buddhist ontology, as well as the aesthetic theories of Motoori Norinaga. This theory is then contrasted with the aesthetic theory of Susanne K. Langer as presented in Philosophy in a New Key, Feeling and Form, and Problems of Art, to provide a full explication of what it means to have an aesthetic experience or create art in the Japanese context.

Traditional theories of gender performativity, grounded in the tradition of Judith Butler, fail to capture the experience of encountering a gendered subject. By reducing gender to a series of discursive acts and ignoring the aesthetic dimension of gender, these theories neglect the possibility for alternative gender performances divorced from the materiality of the body, except through acknowledging the ficticious nature of gender as a consequence of citational acts. In contrast, this dissertation presents a theory of gender as aware, or the “aboutness” that emerges through the repeated citational acts that make present gender in our lived experience. Gender, therefore, does not possess any ontological essence except insofar as it is articulated by citational practices, without which it cannot exist. To this end, this dissertation argues for an expansion of our discourse on gender through appealing to Japanese aesthetic and poetic concepts of aware and mono no aware to demonstrate the aesthetic nature of gender. In so doing this dissertation will present gender as fundamentally aesthetic through appeal to no, kabuki, and the Takarazuka Revue, all sites which divorced gender form biological sex for the purpose of an aesthetic praxis.

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This document contains a synopsis of Toshi Ichiyanagi’s compositional style, a discussion of his musical philosophy, and an analysis of Trio Webster. Ichiyanagi is a renowned Japanese composer who studied in New York under John Cage’s mentorship. He is also the first composer to introduce Cage’s concept of chance operation to Japanese society. Trio Webster realizes the true exchange of Western and Eastern cultures, and it is accomplished because of Ichiyanagi’s unique experience and philosophy as an international composer. The concept of Japanese classical music and Japanese aesthetics are observed in Trio Webster which is the basis for the depth of the work. Eastern concepts, especially Japanese, can be ambiguous and may be difficult for Westerners to fully appreciate. This study shows the cosmos beyond the practical analysis of Trio Webster and is meant to serve as a guide for those who will perform the works of Ichiyanagi, especially Trio Webster, in the future. This study was facilitated through research and interviews with Ichiyanagi and members of the Webster Trio. Ichiyanagi’s interview is included as an appendix to this document.

Il existe deux approches, culturelle et cinématographique, dans les recherches sur Ozu. En réponse au conflit entre les deux, nous proposons de retourner plus profondément aux idées essentielles du bouddhisme Zen qui affectent la culture et l’esthétique traditionnelles japonaises, pour obtenir un nouveau regard sur la richesse et la profondeur de son cinéma. Le style du « ni s’attacher ni quitter » d’Ozu vient de la pensée bouddhiste « La couleur même est la vacuité. » « Couleur » signifie « phénomène », le bouddhisme affirme que dans l’univers de vacuité, tout phénomène est changeant et temporaire, à savoir impermanent. Dans notre recherche, nous analyserons comment Ozu nous permet d’apercevoir et de comprendre la réalité de l’impermanence de l’univers et de la vie, à travers l’arrangement d’éléments du vide et du plein, et nous inspire à chérir la compagnie des émotions humaines dans la vie impermanente. Nous constaterons que c’est juste l’interpénétration entre le vide et le plein, entre l’absence et la présence, qui fait naître dans le cinéma d’Ozu une tension qui nous touche. Et son cinéma est pour ainsi dire une manifestation de « la couleur de la vacuité ». / There are two approaches, cultural and cinematographic, in the study of Yasujiro Ozu’s films. In response to the conflict between the two, and to view the richness and depth of Ozu’s works from a new perspective, I propose to return to Zen Buddhism ideas, which are deeply rooted in Japanese culture and aethetics. Ozu’s style of “neither attaching nor quitting" comes from the Buddhist idea that "Color is Emptiness”. "Color" means "phenomenon"; Buddhism asserts that in the universe of Emptiness, all phenomena are changeable and temporary, namely, impermanent. In my research, I will analyze how Ozu, by arranging elements of emptiness and fullness, reveals to us that impermanence is the reality of universe and life, and inspires us to cherish our companies in the impermanent life. We will find that it is the interpenetration of emptiness and fullness, of absence and presence, which give rise to the tension in Ozu’s films. And these films are the manifestation of “the Color of Emptiness”.