Japanese Art - After The Disaster

Japanese art has made a tremendous impact on the art world over the years. I have been wondering if the art work we have been so accustomed to seeing from Japan will be somehow be altered due to the disasters this country has recently undergone. I have read that there has been some destruction to the museums in Japan due to the most recent earthquakes this spring. This along with the earlier tsunami and damage to nuclear plants will no doubt have some effect on the future production of great art works in this country.

Museums all over the world are having difficulty with attendance these days even without major disasters occurring in the city. It is not surprising that there has been an obvious decline in visitors to the museums and other cultural events in Japan this year. Fear of radiation has deterred many visitors this year. A major French show was cancelled this spring because what was thought to be fears of the nuclear power plant disaster.

Most often when disaster hits there is always an incredible amount of good that emerges. One positive step in the right direction may be the Polish led art show, Villa Tokyo, planned for later this summer. This may be the catalyst that is needed to get things going again. Also, the Japanese Society, an American non-profit organization has provided funds to the disaster victims.

It may take years for things return to normal in Japan. It may never be the same as before the recent disasters. There is hope that other countries like Poland will continue to provide assistance to Japan. Maybe the best art work is yet to come out of Japan.


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Divine Artisans

I had an opportunity this past week to view the exhibit, Dynasty and Divinity: Ife Art in Ancient Nigeria. This exhibit just opened at the Indianapolis Museum of Art. A lot has been written about these unique findings of cast-metal portrait heads in Ife, Nigeria. The exhibit contains over one hundred objects in metal, stone and terra-cotta. This remarkable exhibition has its only Midwestern stop at the Indianapolis Museum of Art.

Viewing this exhibit is like taking a class in art history with emphasis on Ife metal arts and sculpture from the 12th – 15th centuries. The images the royalty of the Yoruba people are captured in cast copper- alloy and terra-cotta heads and figures. The heads are life-size and the metal casting technology is thought to be very advanced for the time period. All of the Ife copper-alloy sculptures were made by a process known as lost-wax casting. Some of the small objects included in this exhibit have never been shown outside of Nigeria.

I did a quick walk through of the exhibit with a hand-held guide. There is a lot to see and a lot to learn about Ife art. I allowed an hour to view this exhibit and I did not have enough time. There is a catalog that accompanies the show and it beautifully illustrates many of the objects.

I plan to view the exhibit again perhaps with a docent guide before it leaves. This exhibition will be at the IMA through January 16, 2012. If you are in the area, and want to view the wonderful art objects of West Africa, you may want to make a special trip to the museum to view this landmark exhibition.


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