affectation; strained artistry; desire to show off skill
Refers to a forced or self-conscious display of skill, often in art or craftsmanship, where the creator's effort to impress is too obvious. Can carry a negative nuance of lacking naturalness.
His work feels affected, so I can't simply enjoy it.
匠気を捨てて、もっと自然な表現を目指すべきだ。
You should abandon the desire to show off and aim for a more natural expression.
Compound of 匠 (artisan, skill) and 気 (spirit, air). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but it likely emerged in literary or artistic criticism to describe works that feel overly deliberate.