Summer Vernissage, Onishi Gallery
June 22nd, 5-8pm EDT

Join Onishi Gallery and celebrate the beginning of summer with new Japanese tea bowls and flower vases from Ōhi Chōzaemon Toyasai X. Live music will be performed by Leo Kim on cello playing J.S. Bach’s Suite No.1 in G Major and C. Saint-Saëns's The Swan at 6:30pm.

Ōhi Chōzaemon Toyasai X was the head of the important lineage of Ōhi potters who specialize in tea ceramics, until he was recently succeeded by his son, Ōhi Toshio Chōzaemon XI. He is among the best known of contemporary Japanese ceramicists and received the Order of Cultural Merit from the Emperor of Japan. For a full history of this ware, click here.

Please RSVP for the Summer Vernissage, [email protected]

Modernism in Bengal—Ramkinkar Baij, DAG New York
Online lecture, June 22, 2022, 6:30pm EDT

DAG will host an online talk on Ramkinkar Baij by artist, writer, and educator Sharmistha Ray. This lecture contextualizes the pioneering artist and his legacy in Indian art.

Drawn from life, Ramkinkar Baij's (1906-1980) figures breathed a bold realism, an earthy strength and spontaneity seen in his sculptures, drawings, and paintings. A similar spontaneity of action is visible in his transparent watercolors and drawings, in particular in his series of nudes. The first truly “modern” Indian sculptor, his works are monumental, and yet possess an inner movement.

To register, click here.

Utagawa Hiroshige III (1843-1994), The Hisamatsu-za (Meiji-za) Kabuki Theater in Prosperity, 1878, woodblock print, 36.5 x 75 cm

Egenolf Gallery Japanese Prints adds new acquisitions to their website daily. Peruse items online or contact the gallery. Egenolf Gallery offers quality ukiyo-e and shin hanga with integrity since 1975. Now located in Southern California, their 18th-20th century artworks are curated for beauty, fine condition and are guaranteed original and as described. Shipping is via Fedex in unbreakable packaging to the US, Europe, Japan and Hong Kong.

An engaging example is this triptych by Hiroshige III of the Kabuki Theater Hisamatsu-za, which offers a detailed view of the bustling main street Kawa-dóri in the district Hisamatsu-cho in Tokyo. In the center we see the impressive building of the theater Hisamatsu-za, flanked on both sides by tea houses. It is very interesting to see Hiroshige III‘s detailed portraits of residents on the street. We see many combinations of old and modern clothing and fashionable western items like umbrellas and handbags. Modern vehicles, jinrikisha (rickshaw) thread their way through the crowded Kawa-dori. The scene is of the rapidly modernizing life of Tokyo during the first decade of Meiji Period (1868-1912) and is a terrific example of a Kaika-e (“picture of Japan–modernizing civilization influenced by the West”) of the period, during which time the country willingly accepted and actively imported many aspects of western civilization into their daily lives.

Read more, click here

Paul Binnie (born 1967), Shakkyo, 1998, oil on canvas, 16 x 12 1/2 in. (40.64 x 31.75 cm),
gilt frame 20 5/8 x 16 7/8 in. (52.3 x 43 cm)

Noh: More Drama, Theatrical Subjects by Paul Binnie, Scholten Japanese Art
June 16-July 15, 2022

This new live exhibition Noh: More Drama, Theatrical Subjects by Paul Binnie at Scholten Japanese Art features paintings, drawings, and prints of Japanese theatrical subjects by the artist Paul Binnie, who was born in Scotland in 1967.

In the last thirty years, Paul Binnie has become well known for his woodblock prints, as he is one of very few artists who dynamically reinvigorates this ancient art form for the modern world. He handles all aspects of production, designing, carving, and printing the woodblocks himself, a method he studied in a traditional apprenticeship in Japan. During the almost six years he spent mastering woodblock carving and printing, his immersion in the culture brought him into contact with the milieu of the Japanese theater, which became a major theme of his work during his period of residency.

Binnie’s stencil and woodblock prints of the great Kabuki actors of the 1990s are well known, as he frequented the Kabuki-za, the Tokyo home of this theatrical form, both as an audience member and behind the scenes as an assistant earphone guide commentator. Living in the Sendagaya district of Tokyo, he was likewise well-situated to regularly attend performances at the National Noh Theater which was only a few blocks away. This proximity inspired a series of nearly 80 oil paintings of Noh subjects, some of which were based on his own collection of historic Noh masks as well as portraits of several Noh performers who he met through his contacts in the Kabuki theater.

Scholten Japanese Art’s website offers an online catalogue that includes a wealth of information about the content, materials, and production process of each artwork in the exhibition.

Read more, click here.

Huang Junbi (1899-1991), Waterfall, 1944, hanging scroll, ink and color on paper, 41 3/8 x 18 1/8 in.
(105 x 46 cm), From a San Francisco Family Collection, Fine Asian Works of Art, Los Angeles, June 21, 2022, Lot 161, Estimate: $15,000-25,000

Fine Asian Works of Art
Live auction, June 21, 2022, 10am PDT

The Fine Asian Works of Art sale on June 21 will be highlighted by Waterfall from Huang Junbi (1899-1991), one of the most influential and productive artists in modern China and Taiwan. Estimated at $15,000-25,000, this hanging scroll depicts gentlemen gazing at a waterfall and includes a calligraphy inscription of a Tang dynasty poem. The sale also features an impressive selection of Qing dynasty porcelain, including a pair of Yongzheng period famille-rose 'floral' jars, estimated at $8,000-12,000, and a 19th century blue and white brushpot inscribed with a text by the Western Han dynasty poet Wang Bo, estimated at $8,000-12,000.

The sale includes 25 lots dedicated to arts of the scholar's studio, including a 17th century a bronze 'double dragon' brush rest, estimated at $2,000 – 3,000, a huanghuali jiaoxiang writing box, estimated at $6,000–8,000, and an 18th century huanghuali and hongmu yokeback chair, reputedly from the collection of Prince Pu Lun (1874-1927), estimated at $10,000– 15,000. Textiles, bronzes, and jades are also well-represented in the sale, with highlights including a Ming dynasty jade waterpot in the form of a mythical beast from the Stephen Junkunc Collection, estimated at $8,000-12,000, a Han dynasty gilt-bronze stag form fitting from the Carl Kempe Collection, estimated at $10,000-15,000, and a blue-ground silk kesi 'dragon' robe, estimated at $4,000-6,000.

A Pair of Large Famille-Rose Beaker Vases, late 19th century, H. 20 1/2 in. (52.1 cm.), A Private Bay Area Collection, Decorative Asian Works of Art, Online sale, June 13-22, 2022, Lot 13, Estimate: $2,000-3,000

Decorative Asian Works of Art
Online sale, June 13–22, 2022

The Decorative Asian Works of Art sale, running online from June 13–22, features a range of Chinese works of art, with highlights including a pair of large wucai 'figural' beaker vases from the 19th century, estimated at $10,000–15,000, and a 19th century red-ground embroidered silk 'elephant' frontal, estimated at $2,500–3,500. The auction also features works from other parts of Asia, including over 20 Japanese works of art, such a painting by the 19th century artist Matsukawa Hanzan (1818-1882) featuring two merchants, estimated at $3,000–5,000, and a bronze figure of Yasuda Zenjirō, made by Kitanura Shikai (1871-1927) in 1927, estimated at $2,000–3,000.

Read more, click here

Also, be sure to read the feature stories:
Under the Hammer: Top Highlights from Fine Asian Works of Art, click here
and
Meet the Specialist: Hannah Thompson, click here

Design Miami/Basel 2022, Thomsen Gallery
Basel, Switzerland, June 14-19, 2022

Thomsen Gallery is delighted to participate again in Design Miami/Basel with Japanese modern and contemporary art. If you are in Switzerland during the Art Basel week, please visit them in Hall 1 Süd at Messe Basel. Thomsen's exhibition at Design Miami/Basel offers a select group of Japanese bamboo ikebana baskets by the great masters from the first half of the 20th century, considered the Golden Age of Japanese basketry, along with works by contemporary makers. The baskets are complemented by Japanese modern bronze vessels, contemporary porcelain sculptures and immaculate gold-lacquer boxes.

Tuesday, June 14: 11am-8pm
Wednesday, June 15: 11am-8pm
Thursday, June 16: 11am-7pm
Friday, June 17: 11am-7pm
Saturday, June 18: 11am-7pm
Sunday, June 19: 11am-7pm

Read more, click here.

Tianzhuo Chen, Trance, 2019 (video still), two single-channel videos with sound (loop). Image courtesy of the artist, BANK/MABSOCIETY, and Asia Society Museum, New York

Mirror Image: A Transformation of Chinese Identity
Asia Society New York
Opens June 15
This exhibition presents 19 artworks by seven artists, born in mainland China in the 1980s. Belonging to what is referred to as the ba ling hou generation, they grew up in a post-Mao China shaped by the one-child policy and the influx of foreign investment. Comprising painting, sculpture, performance, installation, video, digital art, and photography, the exhibition reflects the dramatic economic, political, and cultural shifts the artists have experienced in China during their lifetimes.

The exhibition’s title, Mirror Image, refers to the double reflection at the heart of the exhibition. Rather than emphasizing their “Chinese-ness,” these artists’ respective practices are born of a contemporary China where Starbucks can be found in the Forbidden City and the internet permits them access—despite the obstacles of censorship—to a host of influences beyond geographical boundaries. The show is organized by Barbara Pollack, guest curator, with Hongzheng Han, guest curatorial assistant.

Participating Artists:
Tianzhuo Chen (born 1985 in Beijing, China; lives and works in Beijing)
Cui Jie (born 1983 in Shanghai, China; lives and works in Beijing, China)
Pixy Liao (born 1979 in Shanghai, China; lives and works in Brooklyn, New York)
Liu Shiyuan (born 1985 in Beijing, China; lives and works in Beijing and Copenhagen, Denmark)
Miao Ying (born 1985 in Shanghai, China; lives and works in Shanghai and New York City)
Nabuqi (born 1984 in Inner Mongolia, China; lives and works in Beijing, China)
Tao Hui (born 1987 in Chongqing, China; lives and works in Beijing, China)

Memorial Project Nha Trang, Vietnam: Towards the Complex–For the Courageous, the Curious, and the Cowards, 2001, single-channel video projection with sound, Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Harold and Ruth Newman, 2008.4. Courtesy of the artist and Mizuma Art Gallery, Tokyo © Jun Nguyen-Hatsushiba

Visionary Legacies: A Tribute to Harold J. Newman
Asia Society New York
Opens June 15
This exhibition celebrates the life of Harold (Hal) J. Newman (1931-2021) and honors the generosity and vision of the Newman family in their support of Asia Society Museum’s ongoing efforts to remain at the forefront of collecting Asian art in the twenty-first century. The exhibition includes a selection of new media works from the Museum’s collection that illustrates the breadth and depth of their patronage.

Upcoming Programs at Asia Society

Project Home: India by the Bay 2022, Asia Society Hong Kong
Online program, June 17, 7pm HK time/7am EDT
Episode 4 of India by The Bay-Project Home: The Word for the World is Home by award winning artist Seema Kohli will be presented. Exploring the themes of migration, memories and identity through her layered art pieces, Seema unlocks possibilities for a real human connection that are not bound by judgement or intellect.
Read more, click here.

Making Home: Performance and Artist Talk: Beili Liu, Asia Society Texas
In-person program, June 18, 3pm
To accompany her installation Each and Every in the exhibition Making Home: Artists and Immigration, artist Beili Liu joins Asia Society Texas for a performance and artist talk. As guests experience the gallery installation, the artist sits in contemplative silence during her performance, mending damaged and worn children's clothing. She repairs the items as an act of restoration in response to the experiences of children immigration at the southern U.S. border. The performance will be followed by an artist talk and audience Q&A.
Read more, click here.

Art for Breakfast – An Insider’s Introduction to the Kyoto National Museum,
Asia Society Japan
In-person and online program, June 27 8am Tokyo time/June 26 7pm EDT
Melissa Rinne, a senior specialist at the museum, will present an insider’s view of the institution, taking viewers through its vast collection of priceless objects, historical significance, and the challenges of running such an institution with national treasures. Ms. Rinne knows museums globally, being a Japanese art curator at the Asian Art Museum of San Francisco and a Japanese textile specialist. She will give insights into how Japanese national museums are managed and how they differ from museums abroad. In-person attendance at International House is available to Asia Society members and guests only, while the online presentation is open to the public.
Read more, click here.

Bruneaf Tribal, Thomas Murray
Brussels, June 15-19, 2022
Online exhibition

This week in Brussels, Bruneaf fair takes place, one of the world's largest gatherings of Non-European Tribal Art for dealers, specialists, and collectors. Established in 1988, Bruneaf holds two fairs each year, with the June fair as the primary one.

California-based Thomas Murray, independent researcher, collector, lecturer, author and private dealer of Asian, tribal and textile art, again participates in this fair with an online exhibition that features Variations in Human Figure Sculpture from the Indonesian islands and a very early Dayak Shield from Borneo.

L-R: Early Shield with Double Demon Face, Dayak People, Borneo, 19th century, wood and pigment,
40 x 14 in. (102 x 38 cm) and Tun Tun Babi Pig Trap Charm, Iban Dayak, Sarawak, Borneo, 19th-very early 20th century, wood, 20 in. (53.3 cm )

Descriptions and multiple photos of these rare and fine works of art can be found in the Bruneaf online catalogue, click here and on Thomas Murray's website, click here.

Photo by Roman Alokhin, Courtesy of the New Orleans Museum of Art

Japanese Art and its Importance in Interior Design, Joan B Mirviss LTD
Online ZOOM program

If you missed this informational and inspiring program, originally held on June 7, you can now watch the recording. To access the program, as well as recordings of other programs hosted by Joan B Mirviss LTD, click here.

From the moment Japanese art and aesthetics were introduced to the West, design and architecture have never been quite the same. This ZOOM panel explores how these encounters with Japanese art have sparked fresh perspectives and resulted in enchanting private and public spaces for the art’s enjoyment and display. Leading voices in the fields of architecture and interior design share their experiences with Japanese art, its influence on their studio’s practice, and working with collectors to incorporate its visual language into their environments. Drawing from wisdom accumulated over their long careers, top interior designers Robert Couturier and Paul Vincent Wiseman and New York-based architect Jane Sachs discuss how Japanese art can be situated in Western contexts. With a focus on display, they are joined by collector Pilar Conde, who lives alongside her important Japanese ceramics collection.

PANELISTS:
PILAR CONDE, Collector of Japanese ceramics
ROBERT COUTURIER, Renowned French-born interior designer
JANE SACHS, Principal of HS2 Architecture, New York
PAUL WISEMAN, President of San Francisco-based interior design firm, The Wiseman Group
Moderated by JOAN MIRVISS