Society for Asian Art Newsletter for Members

Transcription

1 Society for Asian Art Newsletter for Members January - February 2014 No. 1 TRAVEL WITH THE SAA IN 2014 SAA Winter Trip to Los Angeles (February 1-2, 2014) - Limited to 15 Participants The SAA will sponsor a two day trip with curator Laura Allen to LA on the weekend of February 1-2 to view an important private collection of Japanese art. Also included in the trip will be a visit to LACMA, a cocktail party at an SAA member's home, a group dinner, and one night's stay in a hotel. Trip costs and details are still being worked out. Complete information will be announced via on Monday, December 16, and checks will be accepted for the trip on Wednesday, January 8. Japan in the Spring Whether you are a first-time visitor or you have been to Japan before, the SAA upcoming tour, Japan s Arts, Crafts and Architecture, May 20-June 1, 2014, offers a unique opportunity to delve into its rich culture. The tour is scheduled during the height of Japan s spring, when the landscape is lush and green, and seasonal flowers provide vibrant accents of color in both formal temple gardens and informal sidewalk displays. During eleven days, with Japan expert tour leader, Andy Bender, you will be introduced to Esprit Travel s friends, both venerable masters of craft and internationally recognized ceramic, textile and bamboo artists in their studios to view and discuss their latest works. As we travel by train, charter bus, ferry and on foot, you will visit the famous Miho Museum, Zen Buddhist gardens, walk through ancient neighborhoods in Kyoto, sample exquisitely presented seasonal cuisine and attend a vibrant temple market. Traveling on to Naoshima Island in the picturesque Inland Sea, our hotel designed by Tadao Ando is filled with an internationally famous collection of contemporary art. The island also has installations by such renowned contemporary artists as Sugimoto, De Maria and Turrell. In Kanazawa, a former Samurai stronghold with ancient streets winding below its castle, we will visit the exciting new Museum of the 21st Century and the venerable Kenrokuen Garden. As the tour unfolds, you will experience the Japanese aesthetic, with its abiding respect for nature and traditions, as it evolved over the centuries into 21 st century art. Just a few spaces are still available to weave the fascinating story of today s Japan. SAA Fall Trip to Korea (Early to Mid-October, 2014) - Limited to 20 Participants This exciting, not-to-be missed trip featuring the arts and culture of Korea, will be divided into two parts. The longer first part (approximately two weeks) will focus on traditional Korean art and will be led by Dr. Robert Mowry, the renowned East Asian scholar who recently led the SAA London trip and who is a favorite SAA lecturer. This portion will spend several days exploring Seoul, after which participants will travel by bus to many of Korea's most famous historical sites, temples, and museums. The second portion of the trip will focus on Korea's contemporary art scene. It will be led by Hyonjeong Kim Han (aka HJ), the Museum s very popular curator of Korean art. Taking place mostly in Seoul, this four day segment will feature trips to galleries, artist studios, and contemporary art museums. SAA members are welcome to take either or both parts of this trip (the traditional and contemporary portions will be priced separately). A detailed itinerary will be included in the May-June SAA newsletter. The Society for Asian Art is a support organization for the

2 IN THIS ISSUE Saturday, January 11 Study Group: Jade: From the Neolithic to the Present with Sam Bernstein Friday, January 17 Member Event: Witty, Wicked & Wily with Storytellers of the Asian Fridays, January 24-May 2 Arts of Asia Lecture Series Spring 2014 Saturday, January 25 Member Event: Yoga and Self-Transformation with Kate Vogt Saturday, February 1 Member Event: Shamanism in Vietnam with Mark Rapoport Thursday, February 6 First Thursday Lecture: Yoga Exhibition with Qamar Adamjee and Jeff Durham Saturday, February 15 Member Event: Fabulous Faquirs: European Prints of Yogis with Robert del Bonta Tuesday, March 4 Annual Spring Dinner UPCOMING EVENTS (subject to change) Thursday, March 6 First Thursday Lecture: God s Come Alive in Kerala with Graeme Vanderstoel Friday, April 4 Society Book Sale Saturday, April 5 Member Event: Talk on Swami Vivekananda with the Vedanta Society Sundays in April Literature & Culture: Literature of Japan with John Wallace Friday, April 11 Member Event: A "Gorgeous" Conversation with Forrest McGill and Allison Harding Society for Asia Art January - February No. 1 Members Newsletter Edited by Jeanne Dorward, Jim Frank and Judy Fraschella published bimonthly by: Society for Asian Art 200 Larkin Street San Francisco, CA Copyright 2014 Society for Asian Art Board of Directors President Vice President Vice President Vice President Secretary Treasurer Asst. Treasurer Phyllis Kempner Linda Lei Anne Adams Kahn Maureen Hetzel Jeanne Dorward Edward Baer Mel Hetzel Richard Beleson Eileen Bitten Deborah Clearwaters* Sheila Dowell Vince Fausone Judy Fraschella Elizabeth (BJ) Johnson Sheryln Leong Forrest McGill* David Menke Donald Meyer Julie Kim Nemeth Greg Potts Merrill Randol Coral Reiff Teri Sandison Nazneen Spliedt Lucy Sun Alice Trinkl Kalim Winata Barbara Wirth *ex officio SAA Board Nominations If you would like to be considered for nomination to the SAA Board of Directors or wish to recommend a potential candidate, please contact any of the following Nominating Committee members: Anne Kahn, Ehler Spliedt, Julie Nemeth, Merrill Randol or Barbara Levinson. 2

3 PRESIDENT S MESSAGE Happy Holidays to everyone I hope you were able join us at the SAA Holiday Party on December 11 to celebrate the season and the conclusion of this year's events. We will welcome 2014 with an exciting array of new and continuing programs. After focusing on Korea last term, the coming semester of the Arts of Asia lectures will feature Japan as the subject. With these topics in mind, our Travel Committee has trips planned for Japan (May 20-June 1) and Korea (October, 2014). For the docents and all the rest of us who attend the Arts of Asia lectures and listen so attentively, these trips will provide an exciting opportunity to see the art and culture of these countries in vivo. The Literature class will continue with John Wallace, and there will be a Study Group on Jade on January 11. In March we will once again have our Spring New Year s dinner. We are also planning a spring trip to Orientations in Monterey. A number of our upcoming First Thursdays and Member Events will be on topics related to future exhibitions of the museum. We hope they will add to your understanding and enjoyment of the exhibitions. Our Upper Category events will continue to feature "Conversations" and other special programs such as an evening with Jay Xu at a private home and a lecture by Britta Erikson "Enduring Passion for Ink" on April 10. We hope we can entice you to increase your membership level if you haven't already done so. We look forward to seeing you at all of our events. The SAA Board, Jim Frank, and I wish you a wonderful holiday and a peaceful, healthy New Year. Phyllis Kempner RECENT UPPER CATEGORY MEMBER EVENTS Consider upgrading your membership level to Contributing, Donor or Sponsor. Special more intimate programs, such as the two below that are by invitation only, will then be available to you. Sponsors Studio Visit to Li Huayi in the Company of Jay Xu This October some 15 members of the new Sponsors membership category visited the home and studio of renowned ink artist Li Huayi in San Francisco. Led by Jay Xu, members were treated to a two hour discussion and viewing of works by the artist, followed by tea with his wife Betty. Sponsors and Donors Visit to Sebastopol Thangka Center of Tashi Dhargyal In late October Sponsors and Donors made their way to Sebastopol to a new thangka center in wine country, established by Tashi Dhargyal. The Tibetan Gallery & Studio is where the largest thangka painting outside of Tibet is in progress, measuring some 20 by 15 feet and expected to take 5 years to complete using only traditional materials and methods. Members viewed the drawn canvas in progress and sand mandala paintings being made by visiting Drepung monks from Tibet. SOUK The SAA Souk will return to Fort Mason on October 25 th and 26 th, 2014, so mark your calendars now And we are already collecting donations. We will publish the March drop off date in the next newsletter. In the meantime if you have treasures you would like to contribute as a tax-deductible donation, we can arrange for pick-up before the next announced date. Just call Greg Potts at (510) or Maureen Hetzel at (415) to make arrangements. 3

4 MEMBER EVENTS Witty, Wicked & Wily The Art of Storytelling With Storytellers of the Asian When: Friday, January 17 Time: 2:00 pm 4:00 pm Fee: $15 Come hear the superb storytellers of the Asian employ their extraordinary skills to transform us into the magical world of Asian myths and folklore. They will regale us with tales that the objects in our collection would tell us if they could speak. Inanimate objects will come to life before our very eyes. Not only will our storytellers share fascinating lore with us, they'll also give us a bit of background on the art of storytelling itself. You might discover a hidden storytelling talent yourself This is both fun and instructive with tea, coffee, and cookies to sustain you. Ganesha Yoga and Self-Transformation With Kate Vogt When: Saturday, January 25 Time: 2:00 pm - 3:30 pm Fee: $15 SAA welcomes Kate Vogt back for a stimulating presentation on yoga. This lecture will use the texts and sacred art of India from the Museum's collection to explore yoga's rich and diverse history. We will grapple with the traditional meaning and practices of yoga as being less about bodily shape than about the inner attitudes and clarity of mind. Yoga's several-thousand-year evolution has a few foundational concepts that will give us insight into the upcoming exhibition "Yoga: The Art of Transformation." Kate Vogt teaches Yoga Philosophy and Lifestyle in yoga teacher trainings, contributes to the Yoga Journal, tutors individuals in personal practice of yoga and is co-editor of Mala of the Heart: 108 Sacred Poems. Shamanism in Vietnam With Mark Rapoport When: Saturday, February 1 Time: 2:00 pm pm Fee: $15 The Northern Mountains of Vietnam are home to 20 of the country's 53 ethnic minority groups. They have maintained their culture through the centuries, and their traditions persist to this day. Their religious traditions are a mix of Taoist and Buddhist beliefs, with elements of Confucianism and animism. Shamans preside over these traditions, their role being largely hereditary and not restricted only to men. Mark Rapoport has lived in Vietnam for the past 12 years, avidly collecting the art and artifacts of these groups. In 2005 he and his wife opened "54 Traditions Gallery" in Hanoi; he has organized three exhibitions on Shamanism. Mark will illustrate his talk with dozens of shamanic objects and textiles from his collection 4

5 MEMBER EVENTS Fabulous Faquirs: European Prints of Yogis With Robert del Bonta When: Saturday, February 15 Time: 2:00 pm - 3:30 pm Fee: $15 Most of the works published on European engraved prints of India depict scenery and architecture. But what of other views, particularly concerning religious practice? Observations of India were made long before Europeans went in search of the picturesque, and the coming of the East India Company. Bob del Bonta will explore the periods leading up to the establishment of the British Raj, with prints from his collection as well as those on view at the Asian, which form part of his collection. Bob is a well-known and well-liked speaker for the Society and has curated many shows at the Asian as well as at BAM. He has lectured and published articles on Hindu, Jain, Sikh, and Mughal art and paintings, and 19th century photography and calendar art. Annual Spring Dinner Restaurant FANG When: Tuesday, March 4 Time: 6:00 pm no-host bar, 7:00 pm dinner Place: Restaurant Fang, 660 Howard Street, San Francisco Fee: $55 Society members, $60 non-members Due to popular request we will be returning to Restaurant Fang for our traditional Spring Dinner and enjoy the gourmet "fangalicious" cuisine of Chef Kathy Fang. After a "meet and greet" cocktail hour we will dine on auspicious foods to start off the Lunar New Year with good fortune. Wine will be served with dinner. Bring a friend and enjoy the company of other Society members. STUDY GROUP Jade: From the Neolithic to the Present - A Methodology for Jade Appreciation and Collecting With Sam Bernstein When: Saturday, January 11 Time: 10:30 am - 3:00 pm Fee: $45 Society Members, $55 non-members (after Museum admission), includes lunch Mr. Bernstein will discuss the salient qualities that make a piece of jade desirable. He will also detail some of the ways to tell whether a piece is genuine to its date of declared origin and some of the ways to tell whether it is an intentional fake. Sam Bernstein is a highly respected Gallery owner, merchant and authority of Asian Art and Chinese Jade in particular. He is the author of numerous articles and books including Collecting Chinese Jade and The Emperor s Jade Suit: My Adventures in the Jade Trade. He is dedicated to assisting and encouraging collectors in their quest and feels that collecting fulfills a basic, human need. 5

6 ARTS OF ASIA LECTURE SERIES The Culture and Arts of Japan When: Fridays, January 24 May 2 Time: 10:30 am 12:30 pm Place: Samsung Hall Fee: $150 Society members, $175 non-members (for the series, after Museum admission); $20 per lecture (after Museum admission, subject to space availability) After having examined early Japanese art during Fall Semester, the Spring Arts of Asia series will begin by focusing on special themes in Japanese art before moving chronologically from the Momoyama period to Japanese contemporary art. As always, the lectures will be delivered by prominent scholars and curators, and this semester will coincide with the third and final year of the Museum s current docent training class. Similar to the Fall semester, this year s Spring semester is expected to sell out, so prompt registration is strongly recommended. Seated Amitabha Buddha (Amida Nyorai), approx Japan, Heian period ( ). Lacquered and gilding on wood. The Avery Brundage Collection, B60S10+. January 24 The Yamato-e tradition: Japanese Picture Scrolls and Famous-Place Paintings Laura Allen, Asian Art Museum January 31 The Tale of Genji in Japanese Painting Melissa McCormick, Harvard University February 7 Japan and the Culture of the Four Seasons: Nature, Literature, and the Arts Haruo Shirane, Columbia University February 14 In and Around the Arts of Tea in Momoyama Japan Andrew Watsky, Princeton University February 21 Samurai Life during the Edo Period Luke Roberts, UC Santa Barbara February 28 Stuffed Buddhas: Buddhist Sculpture, Interior Objects, and Consecration Greg Levine, UC Berkeley March 7 The Art of Monks: Ink Painting in Medieval Japan Yukio Lippit, Harvard University March 14 Society Today Edo Printed Books and the Revolution in Illustration Mary Beth Berry, UC Berkeley March 21 Famous Sites, Great Names in Momoyama and Early Edo Painting Elizabeth Lillehoj, DePaul University March 28 Kimono Stories: Four Centuries of Japanese Fashion Sharon Takeda, LA County Museum of Art April 4 Making Pictures in 18th Century Japan Matthew McKelway, Columbia University April 11 Reading 'The Mirror of Yoshiwara Beauties, Compared' In Context Julie Nelson Davis, University of Pennsylvania April 18 From Art as Technology to the Arts of Longing: Paintings and Craft Objects in Meiji Japan Chelsea Foxwell, University of Chicago April 25 The Local and the Global in the Art of Modern and Contemporary Japan Alicia Volk, University of Maryland May 2 Collecting and Connoisseurship Emily Sano, Former Director Asian Art Museum 6

7 FIRST THURSDAY LECTURE SERIES Yoga: The Art of Transformation With Qamar Adamjee and Jeff Durham When: Thursday, February 6 Time: 6:30 pm - 7:30 pm Fee: $10 (after Museum admission) The Curators offer a special preview of this exhibition that will be at the Asian from February 21-May 25, Through masterworks of 1,000 years of Indian sculpture and paintings, the exhibition explores yoga s goals; its Hindu, as well as Buddhist, Jain, and Sufi manifestations; its means of transforming body and consciousness; and its profound philosophical foundations. It is the first exhibition to present this leitmotif of Indian visual culture and examine the roles of yogis and yoginis played in Indian society. It will feature the world s first illustrated manual of yoga postures. Qamar Adamjee is Associate Curator of South Asian Art at the Asian Art Museum. Jeff Durham is Associate Curator of Himalayan Art at the Asian Art Museum. Yoga Narasimha, Vishnu in his Man-Lion Avatar, ca India. Bronze. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Gift of Dr. Norman Zaworski. SAA Book Sale April 4, Loggia, Asian Art Museum 1:00 pm 4:00 pm We are accepting books for the 2014 Book Sale NOW So if you move, downsize, or are tired of all the books collecting dust, please bring them to the SAA office. If you have a lot of books, we are happy to pick them up from your home. We are accepting books with ASIAN subjects, be it art, novels, history, exhibition catalogues and others. Please contact us at the SAA office at Contact Information Society for Asian Art Asian Art Museum 200 Larkin Street San Francisco, CA Phone: Fax: saa@societyforasianart.org Web: 7

8 REGISTRATION FORM How to Register To Register you may: 1. Go to our website, sign up and pay on-line: 2. Print this registration form and send it with a check to: SAA, 200 Larkin Street, San Francisco, CA OR OR 3. Print this registration form and fax it with your credit card information to: Registration is required for all programs unless otherwise noted. If a program becomes fully enrolled, your payment will be returned. Refunds are granted for cancellations up to one business week before the event and take one or two weeks to process. SAA does not issue tickets or confirmations. You will be contacted ONLY if your registration cannot be completed. Paid Programs Fee Quantity Sub-Total q January 11: Jade: From the Neolithic to the Present with Sam Bernstein q January 17: Witty, Wicked & Wily w/ Storytellers of the Asian q January 24 May 2: Arts of Asia Lecture Series Spring 2014 $45 Members $55 Non- Members $15 $150 Members $175 Non-Members q January 25: Yoga and Self-Transformation with Kate Vogt $15 q February 1: Shamanism in Vietnam with Mark Rapoport $15 q February 6: Yoga Exhibition with Qamar Adamjee and Jeff Durham q February 15: Fabulous Faquirs: European Prints of Yogis with Robert del Bonta q March 4: Annual Spring Dinner $10 $15 $55 Members $60 Non-Members Name Total Address Zip Code q Visa q MC q Discover \ - - Card Number Expiration Date CCV# (3-digit # on back) Signature