Comments on: Ikebana to Art

By: tuscanycat

tuscanycat — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 20:32:14 +0000

I like the design competition to paint on gravel idea namastenancy. A few years ago, we had an exhibit called “Spaces Within” and one of the artists, Michael Lin, painted some floor decoration that covered most of north court. He can probably do the same thing with the gravel roof.

By: namastenancy

namastenancy — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 06:26:13 +0000

I remember discussing the roof top issue with somebody at the Asian who pointed out that there might (or would be) weight bearing problems with putting a garden up there. But I agree with SF Mike that it’s ugly. I have an idea – why not hold a competition for a design that could be painted onto the gravel? Or paint a huge Japanese or Chinese character that means art onto the roof? Or sprinkle the roof with a layer of sand and rake it like a Zen Garden. OR stensil the Asian’s logo onto the roof.
I see that I’ve come a long way from the idea of Ikebana in the Museum but it’s all in the service of beauty.

By: tuscanycat

tuscanycat — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 03:26:00 +0000

A rock garden sounds like a good idea. It’s low cost and low maintenance. I say propose it to our director and see what he thinks.

By: sfmike

sfmike — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 01:38:18 +0000

Sounds like a non-tacky version of Bouquets to Art. What I really long to see is a Japanese rock garden on top of the first-story roof which you could look at when going up the escalator. Now it’s just a view of an ugly gravel roof and the ugly Hastings University buildings.

By: tuscanycat

tuscanycat — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 23:24:26 +0000

Yes, it’s going to drive the conservators nuts but I’d love to see a nature and art pairing sometime. I like your idea too.

By: xensen

xensen — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 23:17:27 +0000

A great specialist on this subject is curator emerita Terese Tse Bartholomew. There is a lovely and informative deck of knowledge cards on botanical motifs in Chinese art that she was involved in preparing. I think it is still available through the museum store.

By: cristina

cristina — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 22:55:55 +0000

The big challenge with any show featuring cut flowers or live plants is preventing the pest problems that tend to follow. However, what about doing a thematic exhibition on flowers and nature in Asian Art? It could include works such as this beautiful 17th century album of flowers of the twelve months by Yun Bing, or for an orchid fix, this screen depicting orchids and rocks by Gim Eung-won.

By: tuscanycat

tuscanycat — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 22:54:11 +0000

I draw the line at whale meat too namastenancy, but mochi with red bean inside is just too good to pass up.

By: tuscanycat

tuscanycat — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 22:51:45 +0000

Sounds like a good pairing to me, orchids and Southeast Asian art. The museum should take this flower + art pairing thing to another level.

By: namastenancy

namastenancy — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 22:02:06 +0000

I see that xensen has beaten me to the punch. I think it’s a great idea – pairing two different examples of Japanese art with the art that it was designed to go with. But then, there are few things Japanese that I don’t like although I draw the line at whale meat and mochi.