dramaanddesire


			CATALOGUE \| EXHIBITION-RELATED PROGRAMS \| MEMBERS EVENTS \| GROUP VISITS \| IMAGES \| PRESS ROOM

	Drama and Desire: Japanese Paintings from the Floating World 1690–1850 February 15– May 4, 2008 Hambrecht & Osher Galleries Collection of Suggestive Pictures (detail), about late Tenmei (1781–1789) or early Kansei (1789–1801) era, by Katsukawa Shuncho (active about 1781–1801). Handscroll; ink, color, gold, and mica on silk. William Sturgis Bigelow Collection. All exhibition images courtesy of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.		Living only for the moment, turning our full attention to the pleasures of the moon, the snow, the cherry blossoms and the maple leaves; singing songs, drinking wine, diverting ourselves in just floating, floating: caring not a whit for the pauperism staring us in the face, refusing to be disheartened, like a gourd floating along with the river current: this is what we call the floating world . . . —Tales of the Floating World (Ukiyo Monogatari), approx. 1661, by Asai Ryoi They lived for the moment: beautiful geisha, flamboyant actors, seductive courtesans. Meet the denizens of the "Floating World"—the theater and pleasure quarters of Japan's Edo period. Paintings by masters of the era—Hokusai, Hiroshige, and others—captured the lives of the Floating World in vivid detail. Now, for the first time in more than 100 years, view 80 of these rare exquisite paintings from the unrivaled collection of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. Mingle with beauties in an intimate world of sumptuous colors and stylish surroundings. Check out the gallery for selected images of works on view. Click here for the press release. Click here for a chance to win tickets! Click here to listen to an informative podcast produced by the exhibition's organizing institute, the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. Learn about "Floating World" paintings, their sometimes provocative subject matter, and the interesting history behind the Museum of Fine Arts' collection of ukiyo-e paintings. All dates and times are subject to change; please call (415) 581-3500 for the latest updates.
	Exhibition Catalogue		Catalogue Drama and Desire: Japanese Paintings from the Floating World 1690-1850, published by MFA Publications and edited by MFA curator Anne Nishimura Morse, features essays and contributions by leading scholars of Japanese art. The fully illustrated catalog is available at the Asian Art Museum store ($55 hardcover; $37.50 softcover). 415-581-3600 or shop@asianart.org.
	Public Tours		exhibition-related programs tours Public and Private Tours Starting Friday, February 15 through Sunday, May 4, FREE public tours of Drama & Desire are available Tuesday–Sunday* at 10:30 am and 1:30 pm. Private tours of the exhibition for groups of ten or more are also available for a fee. Click here for details and to download the reservation form. *No public tours on Target Tuesdays (the first Tuesday of every month). Tour schedules are subject to change. Beginning May 2008, Target Tuesdays will be replaced with Target Sundays, with FREE admission offered on the first Sunday of the month, courtesy of Target. Regular admission fees will apply the first Tuesday of the month beginning in May.
	Nakamura Kanzo IV		Asiaalive Kabuki Costuming & Make-up Friday—Sunday, February 15—17; Friday, February 22; Saturday, February 23 12:00 noon–4:00 pm FREE with museum admission Nakamura Kanzo IV discusses Kabuki costuming and performs make-up demonstrations. After finding inspiration in this topic, make your own Kabuki-inspired artwork to take home. Japanese Painting Techniques Sunday—Saturday, March 9—15 12:00 noon–4:00 pm FREE with museum admission Contemporary Japanese artist Fumiyo Yoshikawa demonstrates traditional Japanese painting methods like those employed in some of the paintings on view in Drama and Desire. Create a miniature version of a gold leaf–covered Japanese screen. AsiaAlive is a free, interactive, drop-in program for all ages, featuring live artist demonstrations, hands on activities, and videos and books on rotating themes.
	Barbara Robertson, photo by Michael Brosilow Collection of Suggestive Pictures (detail), about late Tenmei (1781–1789) or early Kansei (1789–1801) era, by Katsukawa Shuncho (active about 1781–1801). Handscroll; ink, color, gold, and mica on silk. William Sturgis Bigelow Collection.		LectureS & booksigning Ukiyo-e Paintings of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston and collector William Sturgis Bigelow (1850–1926) Saturday, February 16 1:00 pm FREE with museum admission Anne Nishimura Morse, William and Helen Pounds Curator of Japanese Art at the Museum of Fine Arts Boston, shares insider knowledge about the MFA's internationally renowned collection of Japanese paintings of the floating world of actors, courtesans, geisha, and common people known as Ukiyo-e. The majority of the works in Drama and Desire were donated to the MFA by the Boston physician, William Sturgis Bigelow (1850–1926), a Harvard-educated doctor who was one of the first Americans to live in Japan. Kabuki Meets Shakespeare Thursday, February 21 7:00 pm FREE with museum admission ($5 after 5 pm on Thursday evenings) Awarded The Order of the Sacred Treasure from the Emperor of Japan and the Certificate of Commendation by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Japan for his promotion of Japanese culture throughout the world, Nakamura Kanzo IV (Kabuki stage name of Shozo Sato) has received international recognition for creating a new form of Kabuki in which the plots of well-known Western classics have been adapted to introduce a new genre in the conventions of Kabuki. He has conceived, designed, and directed award-winning productions of Kabuki Lady MacBeth, Iago’s Plot , Achilles: A Kabuki Play, Kabuki Othello, Kabuki Faust, and Kabuki Macbeth. These works have captivated and thrilled audiences throughout Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Japan, and the United States. At the Asian Art Museum, Nakamura Kanzo IV introduces the art of Kabuki theatre and discusses his adapations of Western classics. Actors Barbara Robertson and Michael Goldberg enact a scene from the acclaimed production Kabuki Lady Macbeth Sexuality and Japanese Art A Panel Discussion in Conjunction with Drama and Desire: Japanese Paintings from the Floating World 1690–1850 Sunday, February 24 1:00 pm—4:00 pm Samsung Hall $5 members, $17 general (includes museum admission) Tickets on sale beginning January 24 at www.asianart.org or Admission Desk Due to the sexually explicit imagery and discussion, admission to this panel is limited to adults, ages 18 and over. Don't miss this discussion about Japanese erotica, or “spring pictures” (shunga), examples of which will be on view in the exhibition. Other topics include Kabuki crossdressing and female impersonation, the myth of geisha sexuality and costuming, and contemporary Japanese sexuality. Speakers include Timon Screech, Shozo Sato (Nakamura Kanzo IV), and Midori. Community Speakers Program: Drama and Desire Sunday, February 24 2:30 pm FREE with museum admission Join museum docents for a slide lecture on this special exhibition.
	Storytelling Family Art Encounter		family eventS Storytelling Every Sunday, 1:00 pm First Saturday of the month, 11:45 am FREE with museum admission (kids 12 and under always admitted free) The Asian Art Museum Storytellers bring the galleries to life with the myths and folktales of Asia. Click here for more info. Family Art Encounter: March 1 - Kabuki Masks & Kanzashi Saturday, March 1 1:00—4:00 pm FREE with museum admission (kids 12 and under always admitted free) Kabuki theatre is a popular dance drama from Japan in which elaborate costumes and heavy make-up are an important part, often requiring hours of preparation for a single performance. Make a mask like the ones worn by Kabuki actors in Drama and Desire. Looking closely at the paintings on view in the special exhibition, do you see the colorful ornaments called kanzashi hanging from women’s hair? Join artist Corinne Takara in making wearable kanzashi out of candy wrappers, paper bags and other recycled materials. Do you look like one of the women in the paintings? Family Art Encounter: April 5 - The Spirit of Flowers & Plants 1:00—2:00 pm, 2:00—3:00 pm, 3:00—4:00 pm FREE with museum admission (kids 12 and under always admitted free) Pre-registration required; call (415) 581-3666 or email familyprograms@asianart.org Have you ever seen a bouquet of flowers that looked like a sculpture or an architectural masterpiece? Most likely, you were looking at ikebana, the Japanese art of flower arranging. Learn this classic Japanese art form and create colorful floral sculptures using flowers and everyday materials. Trained in the Ikenobo School, Hideko Metaxas demonstrates this timeless art and shares her knowledge of flower arranging.
	Shakkyo, the Lion Dance (detail), around 1787-1788, by Katsukawa Shunsho (1726-1792). Hanging scroll: ink, color, and gold on silk. William Sturgis Bigelow Collection. Tea Gathering and Tasting Kimono Fashion Show		SPECIAL EVENts Educator Event: Conversation with the Curator: *Drama and Desire* Saturday, March 8 9:30 am—Noon $5 fee; pre-registration required and is limited to educators only call (415) 581-3697 or email schools@asianart.org for a registration information Enter the ephemeral setting of the “floating world” (ukiyo) of Japan’s Edo period. Ukiyo refers to the dream-like realm created within the theatres, teahouses, and entertainment districts of the capital city, Edo (modern day Tokyo). Captured vividly in “pictures of the floating world” (ukiyo-e), this urban subculture romanticized the lives of musicians, kabuki actors, geishas, and their patrons. Dr. Yoko Woodson, the museum’s curator of Japanese art, will discuss this remarkable set of paintings and the society that inspired ukiyo-e. This event includes a docent-led tour of the special exhibition and light refreshments. Workshop: The Heart of the Tea Gathering—Sharing a Bowl of Thick Tea Saturday, March 8 10:15 am—12:00 noon $20 members, $32 general (includes museum admission) Space limited. Tickets on sale beginning February 8 at www.asianart.org or Admission Desk Teachers from the Urasenke Foundation lead this workshop on koicha (thick tea), the heart of a full tea gathering. Participants examine utensils that are specific to koicha and learn the process of sharing koicha by drinking from the same bowl passed hand to hand. The Way of Tea Gathering & Tasting Hosted by Urasenke Foundation Saturday, March 8 1:00 pm and 2:30 pm(SOLD OUT)seatings Tearoom, Japanese Galleries $8 members, $20 general (includes museum admission) Space limited. Tickets on sale beginning February 8 at www.asianart.org or Admission Desk Watch and learn about the Japanese “way of tea” as you are served a tea sweet and a bowl of whisked green tea. Sponsored by Ito-En. Trunk Show and Sale: Unique Contemporary Fashions by Yasuko Friday & Saturday, March 14 & 15 10:00 am–5:00 pm FREE (museum admission not required) In conjunction with Drama and Desire, the Asian Art Museum store will present a trunk show and sale by celebrated designer Yasuko featuring her signature one-of-a-kind designs. Vintage Japanese kimonos are reborn in wearable contemporary styles by echoing the form and grace of the traditional designs. There will also be an exciting collection of vintage kimonos, obis, and haori (jackets), including many unique collectors pieces, which will be shown for the first time at the Asian Art Museum. The designer will be present both days. Yasuko’s previous appearances at the Asian Art Museum store have been among our most popular events. All sales benefit the educational programs and exhibitions of the Asian Art Museum. Film Screening: Hannari - Geisha Modern Thursday, March 27 7:00 pm FREE with museum admission (only $5 after 5:00 pm on Thursdays) Hannari: Geisha Modern is a documentary film (HDV, 95 minutes), unique in its approach and unprecedented in its access to the exclusive geishas of Kyoto. It shows the Geisha as dedicated artists and proud purveyors of Japanese tradition in their full glory. Producer and director Miyuki Sohara will introduce the video. Click here for more information on the film. Co-presented by the Japan Society of Northern California. Ukiyo-e and Edo Period Culture: A Kimono Fashion Show featuring Tomita Nobuaki Saturday, April 5 1:30 pm $5 Members and children under 12, $13 Seniors, $12 college students and youth aged 12–17, $17 general Space limited. Tickets on sale beginning March 5 at www.asianart.org or Admission Desk Japanese kimono stylist and textile designer Tomita Nobuaki presents his second kimono fashion show at the Asian Art Museum, this time inspired by the ukiyo-e images of the floating world in the special exhibition Drama and Desire. Tomita, known for his high-profile work costuming Japanese movie stars and actors in period dramas, has worked with weavers and artisans in Kyoto to create kimono and obi textiles evoking the paintings featured in the exhibition, as well as other aspects of Edo period culture (1615–1868), such as lion dancing. The performance includes his unveiling of new designs created in collaboration with San Francisco artist Gary Bukovnik as well as a performance by lion dancers from the city of Himi in Toyama prefecture, Japan. In Japanese with English translation.
	Photo courtesy of Jack Huynh / Orange Photography		Members events Members' Preview Drama and Desire: Japanese Paintings from the Floating World 1690–1850 Thursday, February 14 10:00 am—9:00 pm Members can get a sneek peek at Drama and Desire before it opens to the public.
			Group visits Groups of 10 or more enjoy discounted admission to the museum, and can reserve private tours with our knowledgeable docents for a fee. Click here for more information.
			Organized by the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. This exhibition is made possible by Fidelity Investments through the Fidelity Foundation. Additional support is provided by the Bernard Osher Foundation, the Henri and Tomoye Takahashi Charitable Foundation, the Blakemore Foundation, and United Airlines. Media sponsors: The Mercury News and mercurynews.com.