USC Pacific Asia Museum
Pasadena, California 91101
Open Wednesday through Sunday 10am to 6pm


EXHIBITION
Jade, Silk and Porcelain:
The Materials of Asian Art
March 9 - May 27, 2007
Letter Box (Bunko Bako), Japan, Meiji
period (1868-1912), lacquered wood
with gold, Gift of Mrs. Mahlom Arnett,
in honor of Mr. Mahlom Edward Arnett,
1999.23.5AB
The beauty and intrinsic value of Asian artworks are derived from exquisite natural materials that have been transformed by the hands of master artists. Nine of the most important substances used to produce Asian art are featured in Jade, Silk and Porcelain: the Materials of Asian Art, an exhibition opening at USC Pacific Asia Museum on March 9, 2007. This exhibition provides a unique opportunity for the visitor to focus on silk, porcelain, lacquer, ivory, jade and other stones, bamboo, paper, gold, and wood—the primary materials used in Asia for centuries to create rare treasures for domestic, royal, and ritual use. Drawn from Pacific Asia Museum’s permanent collection and select loans, this exhibition will explore the characteristics of these materials, the symbolism and special properties attributed to them, and the techniques implemented by artists to bring out their inherent beauty.
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Dragon Robe, China,
Qing dynasty (1644–1911), Guangxu period (1875-1908), silk, Museum Purchase with funds provided by the Collectors’ Circle, 2000.38.6 |
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Woman’s Shoulder Cloth,
Indonesia, Sumatra, Aceh, 1900-1925, silk, Gift of the ARCO Corporation Art Collection, 1995.54.17AB |
Many of these materials, most notably, silk, porcelain, lacquer, bamboo, and paper, were
discovered or first worked in Asia. For centuries, certain materials seemed mysterious and
exotic to Westerners. In Italy, it was once believed that porcelain, made of a fine clay, was
produced by grinding up white sea-shells that they called porcellana. As the Chinese
jealously guarded the secret of silk production, foreigners proposed that silk was made from
flower petals found in the Chinese desert. Lacquer, a substance used to produce
luxury materials and their decoration, was originally implemented
as a protective coating on food vessels as it is heat,
water, acid, and insect resistant.
In some Asian cultures, these substances are considered to contain magical or spiritual properties and convey important symbolic references. Jade is such a hard and durable stone that for millennium in China it has been associated with immortality. In east Asia, bamboo, a plant that gently sways in the wind without breaking, symbolizes flexibility and integrity, and is often used as a material to create brushes, brush pots, and other objects found on the gentleman-scholar’s desk.
Jade, Silk, and Porcelain will present the materials in
their natural state along with exemplary works of Asian
art produced from these same substances that represent
regional artistic forms and styles. Augmenting the installation,
photographs and video presentations will illustrate the primary t
echniques used to
transform the substances.
This exhibition is guest-curated by Meher McArthur, and based on her recent book, The Arts of Asia: Materials, Techniques, Styles (Thames & Hudson, 2005).
Special Events for Jade, Silk and Porcelain: The Materials of Asian Art
- Friday, March 9, 6-10 pm Free
Artnight
Explore Jade, Silk and Porcelain: The Materials of Asian Art and enjoy selections performed live in the museum’s auditorium by musicians from the Pasadena Symphony Orchestra. - Saturday, March 17, 2 pm free w/admission
Guest Curator's Tour
Jade, Silk and Porcelain: The Materials of Asian Art. Call (626) 449-2742, ext. 31 to RSVP. - Saturday, March 31, 2 pm free w/admission
Lecture
“Jade: Stone of Heaven” by gemologist Richard Hughes. Presented in conjunction with the exhibition Jade, Silk and Porcelain: The Materials of Asian Art, call ext. 31 to RSVP. - Sunday, April 22, 1-4pm
FREE Family Festival
Hands-on crafts workshops including origami, calligraphy, sumi-e, collages, mandalas, for all ages in the museum's courtyard and auditorium.
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Dish with Map of Japan, Japan, Arita, Edo period (1600-1868),19th century, porcelain with underglaze cobalt blue, Gift of Mrs. Wilhelmina Lockhart, 1984.55.43 |