Menu
close
Rob_Hugo@PortNW.
Rob_Hugo@PortNWI recently had the opportunity to visit the Los Angeles County Museum of Art to view the Japanese collection that they have in the Japanese Pavillion. The entire experience was very inspiring. The setting of the Pavillion especially grabbed my attention because it set such a peaceful mood, and I almost felt like I was transported to Classical Japan. The lighting in the Pavillion was set by the use of Japanese rice paper walls that just let a few rays of sunlight in creating a very tranquil ambiance.
The collection included several exquisite Japanese scroll paintings that included an explanation about the significance of animals and plant life. I found that knowing the meaning behind the paintings was very interesting and helped contribute to my overall understanding of the art. It was also really great to have been given some background knowledge about this art during our class sessions because I found that I was focused on parts of the artwork that I might not have paid attention to. Some parts of the artwork that jumped out at me were the fascinating stamps, and especially the use of color used in later artwork. I could actually see the minerals in the colors and it was great to know why they were present.
I also viewed a collection of Japanese vases and tablewear. The collection was absolutely beautiful and each had a very unique and inticate design. I found it the amount of detail quite amazing. The collection that I looked at had a very strong artisic design that included the use of curved lines, religious representation, as well as a strong presence of nature. Each piece had great character and offered a glimpse into the beauty of Japanese life.
Another type of art that I explored was the intricate designs of Netsuke. Netsuke are tiny pieces made of either metal or wood that are use to hold a small pocket or purse on a Kimono. A Kimono does not have pockets so the people woul hang a purse or pocket book from a Netsuke piece that would be strung into a thread of the Kimono. The Netsuke pieces were very tiny and also had extremely detailed and intricated designs. The subject of the Netsuke pieces included designs of animals, religious icons, mystical creatures, and people. Looking at the Netsuke pieces was really interesting beacuse they were designed with great character and the subjects were quite indicative of their time periods.
I found the Japanese Pavillion at LACMA a wonderful representation of the classic culture of Japan. This would be a wonderful place to take students on a field trip to take a look into the beauty and wonder of a far away place and time. As I was walking away from the peace and tranquility of the Pavillion, I was fortunate to stumble upon a Japanese Modern Art showing. This display included works from a Japanese American young man who grew up on the streets of Los Angeles. His artwork showed a great clashing of both time and culture. Each painting included a mix of classic Japanese art with the street grafitti in Los Angeles. It was amazing to me how the clash of these two worlds met in such perfect intriguing harmony. I really enjoyed this display because I felt a great personal connection to the clashing of two cultures. I really think that many of my students would also feel this connection, which offered a glimpse into the hectic, crazy, modern world while reaching and just touching the memory of Classical Japan.
I was really glad that I had the opportunity to visit both of these spectacular art exhibits. I think that LACMA is a great place to encourage students to visit. Experiencing cultural art first hand is a wonderful pathway to understanding.