The RSL Centre of Oriental Literature continues its series of lecures devoted to the culture of the peoples of Asia and Africa. This time Natalia Diomkina, orientalist and expert in Japanese studies, graduate of the Institute of Asia and Africa States of Moscow State University and author of the @Japaniste_hedoniste Telegram channel, spoke to the connoisseurs of Japanese aesthetics on the two extremely popular direcions of art of the Land of the rising sun. The kawaii art which is modern and still not accomplished as a separate trend and shibumi with its old and refined beauty are going to be both revealed for you in full, with their unique grace and controversies. How was developing the concept of "kawaii" and which were the sources of the term itself? What is the ideological base of the "shibumi" notion and why is it sometines hard to destinguish between sabi, wabi or dzekhin if compared to the shibui ideas? What do "kawaii" and "okashi" have in common? And is it an offense if somebody calls you to be kawai in the end? Maybe it is safer to have a shibui fame? Find the answers which are all in our streams!

You are welcome to view the "Kawaii" lecture over here.

The "Shibumi" talk can be accessed on the link.

All our videos are accessible on the official YouTube channel of the Russian State Library.