ASIA WEEK

Installation view, Quiet Elegance: The Ceramics of Fukumoto Fuku, Joan B Mirviss LTD

Quiet Elegance: The Ceramics of Fukumoto Fuku
Closing Friday, October 25, 2024
39 East 78th St, Ste 401

There’s still time to catch the ethereal works of Japanese artist Fukumoto Fuku in Quiet Elegance: The Ceramics of Fukumoto Fuku at Joan B Mirviss LTD before the exhibit closes on October 25th!

In her third solo show, the artist presents over two dozen captivating sculptures and alluring teabowls, distinguished by their soft, radiant, unglazed surfaces and highlighted with glistening glazes. The color palette ranges from deep cobalt and teal to delicate powder blue and soft gray, creating a mesmerizing interplay of tones that continue to enthrall collectors and curators.

Starting on the wheel, she masterfully shapes each thinly walled form with organically irregular rims. For her current series of sculptural vessels, she then slices the upper area into sections before the initial bisque firing. She next re-stacks the often undulating pairings, applying gradated, colorful glazes as the “glue” between the segments before the second high-temperature firing. With the final addition of platinum or gold leaf, her finished forms may reference the ephemeral radiance of the sun or a full moon peeking through clouds or mist – a wistful beauty that belies the permanence of these heavenly bodies.

Don’t miss the opportunity to experience these enchanting porcelain vessels for yourself!

To learn more and view the online catalog, click here.

Qalyan Cup Commissioned for Prince Mas’ud Mirza Zill Al-Sultan (1850-1918), Qajar Enameled Gold Cup from a Water-pipe (Qalyan) (detail), Persia, dated A.H. 1282/1865-66 A.D., h: 2½ x d:3¹⁄8 in. (h: 6.2 x d: 8.1cm); total height: 6¹⁄8 in. (15.7cm)

The Rose and the Nightingale: Enamels from Qajar Persia
October 21–25, 2024
16-17 Pall Mall, London

Oliver Forge and Brendan Lynch Ltd. is delighted to present their upcoming exhibition The Rose and The Nightingale: Enamels from Qajar Persia running from October 21-25 at their Pall Mall gallery.

The exhibition features a private collection of over 70 exquisite enamel works of art created during the Qajar Dynasty (1789-1925). The collection has been formed over the last two decades and includes objects formerly in the esteemed collections of Alexander J. Choremi (1879-1940), Eskander Aryeh (1935-88) and Mahmoud Khayami (1930-2020).

This rare display of enamels is being offered for sale as a single collection.

In anticipation of the exhibition, they are excited to announce that the catalog is now available on their website. Dive into the collection early and explore these remarkable works of art before they go on view by clicking here.

Courtesy The Metropolitan Museum of Art

This is the last week to view two fascinating exhibitions at The Metropolitan Museum of Art – Collecting Inspiration: Edward C. Moore at Tiffany & Co. and Lineages: Korean Art at The Met – before they close this Sunday, October 20th! Learn more about them below.

Collecting Inspiration: Edward C. Moore at Tiffany & Co.
Closing Sunday, October 20, 2024
Gallery 199

Edward C. Moore (1827–1891)—the creative force who led Tiffany & Co. to unparalleled originality and success during the second half of the 19th century—amassed a vast collection of decorative arts of exceptional quality and in various media, from Greek and Roman glass and Japanese baskets to metalwork from the Islamic world. These objects were a source of inspiration for Moore, a noted silversmith in his own right, and the designers he supervised.

This exhibition feature more than 180 extraordinary examples from Moore’s personal collection, which was donated to the Museum, alongside 70 magnificent silver objects designed and created at Tiffany & Co. under his direction. Drawn primarily from the holdings of The Met, the display will also include seldom seen examples from a dozen private and public lenders. A defining figure in the history of American silver, Moore played a pivotal role in shaping the legendary Tiffany design aesthetic and the evolution of The Met’s collection.

To learn more and view a video tour of the show, click here.

Lineages: Korean Art at The Met
Closing Sunday, October 20, 2024
Gallery 233

In celebration of the twenty-fifth anniversary of The Met’s Arts of Korea gallery, Lineages: Korean Art at The Met showcases highlights of the Museum’s collection paired with important international loans of Korean modern and contemporary art. This juxtaposition of historic and contemporary artworks—from twelfth- and thirteenth-century celadons to futuristic cyborg sculptures made in the 2000s—displays the history of Korean art in broad strokes through four intertwined themes—lines, people, places, and things. Featuring thirty objects, this exhibition fosters a dialogue of ideas that have resonated across time and bound artists together. If you’ve seen this exhibit before, be sure to visit again to explore their latest rotation.

To learn more and view informative videos of the show, click here.

Courtesy Japanese Art Society of America

Join the The Japanese Art Society of America next week for their upcoming sponsored events!  An Introduction to Bunraku: The Puppet Theater of Japan is a live Zoom webinar next Tuesday, Oct. 22nd  that will delve into the tradition and history of this multidimensional art form listed as a UNESCO Intangible Culture Heritage of Humanity. On Saturday, Oct. 26th, they will host a panel discussion and lunch at The Hammond Museum and Japanese Stroll Garden exploring their exhibit on contemporary prints from China, Korea and Japan. Learn more below and sign up today!

Zoom Webinar: An Introduction to Bunraku: The Puppet Theater of Japan
October 22, 2024 at 5pm

JASA is pleased to present the Zoom webinar, An Introduction to Bunraku: The Puppet Theater of Japan, with Claudia Orenstein, Professor of Theatre at Hunter College and the Graduate Center, CUNY. Bunraku, also known as ningyō jōruri, is a multidimensional art that marries exquisitely carved puppet figures, operated by teams of performers, with dramatic narration to shamisen accompaniment. Drawing from early ritual practices and the work of medieval itinerant bards in the Edo period, bunraku became a popular entertainment appealing to restless urban audiences with tales of love, war and personal sacrifice. Contributions of great dramatic writers like Chikamatsu Monzaemon (1653-1724) and novelties in puppet construction not only supported the form’s past success, but have continued to make it a unique art form admired throughout the world.

Professor Orenstein will offer insights into various aspects of the tradition and the history and development of this art that is both an Important Intangible Cultural Property of Japan and listed as a UNESCO Intangible Culture Heritage of Humanity.

To learn more and register, check out their calendar of events here.

Luncheon Talk at The Hammond Museum and Japanese Stroll Garden
October 26, 2024 from 2-4pm
28 Deveau Road North Salem, NY
Fee: $30 includes buffet lunch

JASA is delighted to host an in-person visit and panel discussion for members at The Hammond Museum and Japanese Stroll Garden, where the exhibition Making a Good Impression: Contemporary Prints from China, Korea and Japan runs until November 17. This exhibition is co-curated by Elizabeth Hammer and JASA member Allison Tolman, who will be among the participants in the panel discussion.

The museum is accessible by car (parking is available) or MetroNorth train to Croton Falls and then Uber service to the museum. Attendees will be served a buffet lunch. Please note that the deadline to sign up is October 22nd.

To learn more and register, check out their calendar of events here.

Katsukawa Shunshō (1726–1792), Yoshiwara Courtesans at the Kyōen Restaurant, 1770s, hanging scroll, ink and color on silk, 23⅝ x 33¾ in. (60 x 85.7 cm), signed: Katsu Shunshō ga with kakihan

We are pleased to shine this week’s Gallery Spotlight on Sebastian Izzard LLC Asian Art, renowned for its exceptional Japanese and Korean art, catering to the discerning collector.

With more than forty years of experience as an auction-house specialist, appraiser, and dealer in Japanese and Korean art, Sebastian Izzard established his eponymous gallery in New York in 1998. His goal was to provide the personal expertise, dedicated attention, and insightful guidance that are especially valuable to discerning collectors worldwide. The gallery deals in all periods, from early to modern, with a primary focus on exceptional quality.

Izzard’s introduction to Japanese art began as a student in London, when a print by Utagawa Kunisada (1786–1865) in a shop window captured his attention. After graduating from the Chelsea School of Art in 1973, he chose Kunisada as the focus of his research, spending a year and a half in Japan, and earned his Ph.D. in 1980 from the School of Oriental and African Studies at London University.

Izzard has curated major exhibitions on Japanese art, including Kunisada’s World and Hiroshige, both accompanied by scholarly catalogues. His work on Kunisada’s World earned the Uchiyama Memorial Prize. He also co-curated the exhibition Designed for Pleasure: The World of Edo Japan in Prints and Paintings, 1680–1860 at the Asia Society, New York in 2008.

Over the years, the gallery has guided and assisted clients in building collections of prints, paintings, and other works of art. Whether you’re interested in buying or selling, exploring their exhibitions and catalogues, or seeking appraisal and consulting services, they warmly welcome your inquiries.

To learn more, click here.

Courtesy the Artist and The Korea Society

Artist Talk: Annette Hur Video Release
October 15, 2024
Online

The Korea Society is pleased to release an online Artist Talk with contemporary artist Annette Hur.

In the modern tradition of abstract art, artists look beyond what we physically see. Using color, shape, line, and texture, they express strong emotional content without constraints of representation. With her bold colors and brushstroke, Annette Hur deliberately positions her paintings in between abstraction and figuration, dealing with the conflicts of the real lived experience and how her body remembers and processes it.

“Anchoring to nothing, my ever-flowing identity as an immigrant female in the United States created the journey to investigate my self-perception, longing and belonging. The urge to release myself from the past traumas conflicts with the yearning for home and the loved ones who are no longer with me. This collision between reality, dreams, and desires resonates through layers of violent hues of colors and boundless yet determined brushstrokes. Water-in nature- as a universally symbolic capricious element, operates as a metaphor for perpetual journeys and reflecting the passing of time.”

To watch the video, click here.

Installation view, Transcultural Dialogues: The Journey of East Asian Art to the West, Fu Qiumeng Fine Art

Transcultural Dialogues: The Journey of East Asian Art to the West
Closing Saturday, Oct 19, 2024
65 East 80th St, NYC

This is the last week to experience Transcultural Dialogues: The Journey of East Asian Art to the West at Fu Qiumeng Fine Art!

The compelling group show explores the artistic evolution of East Asian traditions as they spread to the Western art milieu focusing on the exchange and interaction of visual language and conceptual frameworks between traditional ink art and modern American art.

Works by more than 15 artists are highlighted from classical and modern masters such as Bada Shanren (1626-1705), Qi Baishi (1864-1957) and C.C. Wang (1907-2003) to contemporary artists such as Brandon Sadler, Hayoon Jay Lee and Michael Cherney, whose artist language bridges the gap between tradition and the present offering reflections on identity, cultural exchange and the ongoing dialogue between East and West.

With a vibrant mix of traditional East Asian paintings alongside contemporary pieces that honor and expand upon east Asian traditions, Transcultural Dialogues is an art historical journey not to be missed! 

To learn more, click here.

Pair of Lokapala, Chinese, Tang Dynasty, 618–906, earthenware with sancai glaze. h. 52 3/4 in. (134 cm); w. 24 1/4 in. (61.6 cm); d. 13 1/2 in. (34.3 cm), San Antonio Museum of Art, gift of Lenora and Walter F. Brown: 2013.38.6-7

Off the Wall: Chinese Art Through the Ages
Tuesday, October 15, 5:30–6:30pm
Great Hall
Free with Museum admission; Members Free

Embark on a captivating journey through Chinese Art this week at the San Antonio Museum of Art!

From ancient Han artifacts to exquisite Ming and Qing porcelains, Docent Yaping Zhang will guide you through the splendor of Chinese art and culture across the ages.

Off the Wall is a curated tour series that explores special topics across SAMA’s collections. Each session is developed and facilitated by passionate docents who can’t wait to share the stories behind SAMA’s most captivating artworks and hidden gems.

To learn more, click here.

Courtesy Dai Ichi Arts, Ltd.

SAYAKA + SAYAKA: Contemporary Ceramics by Shingu and Oishi Sayaka
October 17 – November 1, 2024
Opening reception with Artists: Thursday, Oct 17, 5-7pm

Dai Ichi Arts, Ltd. is delighted to present SAYAKA + SAYAKA: Contemporary Ceramics by Shingu and Oishi Sayaka, an exhibition where flora and fauna converge, giving rise to captivating contemporary ceramics. Through the work of two young women artists from a new generation of ceramics in Japan, this show expands the potential of “decoration” as a primary mode of artistic expression, as seen through the contemporary perspectives of Shingu Sayaka and Oishi Sayaka.

Shingu Sayaka’s work places a significant emphasis on the symbolism of flora and botanical forms, allowing her to explore profound Japanese themes of mutability and ephemerality through both sculptural and functional pieces. Her work showcases the intricate beauty of butterfly wings, feathers, petals, leaves and more. In this show, she introduces a new series of “Lotus” pieces, sculpting the iconic lotus flower and its leaves into sensitive and daring ceramic sculptures that remind us of nature’s fragility.

Oishi Sayaka crafts surreal compilations of fauna in her sculptural and functional creations. For this show, she has created work that showcases an exquisite array of fauna, including eagles, turtles, coral reefs, koi fish, deer, lions as well as her signature “Apple” forms that show an amalgam of her animated motifs. Through her work, she explores metaphysical themes: nature, human identity, time, and mortality converge through the mode of decoration.

Both artists from Kansai, who share the same given name and have become fast friends, have explored the tension between form, function, and surface to create new works in dialogue with one another.

They look forward to welcoming you to the opening reception, which will be attended by the two artists from Japan.

To learn more, click here and preview their online exhibition catalogue, click here.