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2004 | 2003 | March 20 Museum Opening Press Kit

Exhibitions

Exhibitions Schedule Through Fall 2007
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Later Chinese Jades: Ming Dynasty to Early Twentieth Century
November 10, 2007–August 17, 2008

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The Asian Art Museum presents 73 superb examples of later Chinese jades in a special installation to coincide with the publication of a major catalogue documenting the museum’s collection. The core of the museum’s collection of Chinese jades was donated by Avery Brundage (1887–1975), an avid and discerning collector who formed most of his collection of approximately 1200 pieces between 1935 and 1960, a time when Western study of jade was in its infancy. In 1996 the Asian Art Museum began a systematic study of the jades in the Brundage collection with experts from China to survey the collection. Armed with a new understanding of Chinese jades, the museum has published a major catalogue focusing on the period from the beginning of the Ming dynasty (1368–1644) to the early 20th century. Many of the featured objects will be showcased in this display. Organized by the Asian Art Museum.

Hiroshi Sugimoto: History of History
October 12, 2007–January 6, 2008
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One of the most internationally-acclaimed Japanese artists living today, Hiroshi Sugimoto is best known for his photographic series of empty movie theaters and drive-ins, seascapes, dioramas, and wax museums. This exhibition juxtaposes Sugimoto's exquisitely minimalist works – selected from the photographer's past and most recent series—with fossils, artworks and religious artifacts ranging from prehistoric to the 15th century from his own collection. The result is an extended exploration of time, life and spirituality as perceived in the contexts of nature and history. The exhibition, Sugimoto writes, addresses "recorded history, unrecorded history, and still another history—that which is yet to be depicted… like parts waiting to be assembled in a do-it-yourself kit." Co-organized by the Japan Society and the Freer Gallery of Art & The Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, Smithsonian Institution.

Stylized Sculpture: Contemporary Japanese Fashion from the Kyoto Costume Institute
October 12, 2007–January 6, 2008
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Stylized Sculpture features more than twenty original works of Japanese fashion dating from 1983 and 2007 by five leading designers: Rei Kawakubo, Yohji Yamamoto, Issey Miyake, Junya Watanabe, and Tao Kurihara. In preparation for this exhibition, acclaimed photographer Hiroshi Sugimoto has created a new series of black-and-white photographs that approach contemporary Japanese fashion as purely sculptural forms. A selection of the photographs will be debuted in the exhibition together with the actual garments they depict. Organized by the Asian Art Museum.

Princes, Palaces, and Passion:
The Art of India’s Mewar Kingdom
February 2–April 29, 2007
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Mewar, one of the oldest and most important “princely states” of India, produced stunning courtly paintings and vibrant folk arts. Rajasthan, the region of India in which Mewar was located, is famous for its ancient temples and forts, its landscapes varying from green valleys to craggy desert cliffs, and its people’s proud spirit. Mewar’s capital of Udaipur is known for its sumptuous lake palaces and vibrant cultural traditions. Included in the exhibition will be both superb paintings made for the princely court and village arts such as story-telling scrolls and elaborate clay sculptures of folk deities. In the making for more than eight years, this exhibition features more than seventy artworks, and is the first ever outside India to focus on the arts of Mewar. Organized by the Asian Art Museum. Accompanied by a catalogue.

Masters of Bamboo: Japanese Baskets and Sculpture from the Cotsen Collection
February 2–May 6, 2007
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Connoisseurs and collectors have long regarded Japanese bamboo baskets as art objects of great sophistication and beauty. In 2002, the Asian Art Museum acquired 832 objects from the Lloyd Cotsen Japanese Bamboo Basket Collection, recognized as one of the largest and most notable collections of its kind in the world. This exhibition will feature approximately Seventy artworks from the collection—nearly all on view publicly for the first time, and some created by masters designated in Japan as “Living National Treasures”—offering visitors a revealing look at extraordinary beauty, intricate craftsmanship, as well as the historical and cultural importance of this unique art form. Organized by the Asian Art Museum. Accompanied by a publication.

Yoshitoshi's Strange Tales:
Woodblock Prints from Edo to Meiji
May 26–September 9, 2007
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Features a hundred prints by Taiso Yoshitoshi (1839–1892) dating from the turbulent last decades of Edo Japan to the westernizing Meiji era. The exhibition is built around two series that deal with the supernatural, one from the beginning of Yoshitoshi’s career, the other from the end—stylistically so different that they could be by different artists. Sometimes considered ancestors of modern manga (Japanese comics), woodblock prints were known as ukiyo-e, pictures of the “floating world” of entertainment, especially of actors and courtesans. Yoshitoshi preferred other subjects, including events from folklore and history, often bloody. Colors are intense, gestures histrionic. In his later designs Yoshitoshi moved beyond the swirl of momentous events to portray human emotions with great psychological subtlety, which is his most important contribution to ukiyo-e. Through his work, a picture emerges of traditional Japanese society moving at a breakneck speed into the modern world. Organized by the Asian Art Museum.

Tezuka: The Marvel of Manga
June 2–September 9, 2007
Exclusive U.S. venue

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Regarded in Japan as “The God of Comics and Animation,” Osamu Tezuka is an icon in the world of manga (Japanese comics) and revered as an artistic master. This major exhibition—the first of its kind outside of Japan—features more than 200 original drawings, paintings, and more. See the art that started an international phenomenon and discover why manga is more than just your Sunday funny pages. Organized by the National Gallery of Victoria, Australia in associate with Tezuka Productions.