Traces of China: The Japanese Transformation of Chinese Themes and Techniques

Clark Center for Japanese Art and Culture     April 5–August 2      15770 Tenth Ave., Hanford, California   (559) 582-4915   www.ccjac.org

Cultural News, July 2008

Gama Sennin (detail), by Kuroda Ryozan (1755–1814) Late Edo period (early 19th century) Hanging scroll; ink on silk © Clark Center

     Giving Japan its writing system, influencing its religion and moral ethics (through Buddhism, Taoism and Confucianism) as well as its material culture, China has been, from the 6th century on and despite periods of introspected fallback, considered by Japanese as a model, as a part of its cultural heritage.

      Featuring a diverse selection of paintings, woodblock prints, ceramics, and bamboo baskets, the summer exhibition at the Clark Center for Japanese Art and Culture looks at the various influences of Chinese culture on Japanese art, exploring the adaptation of Chinese literati, historical, Taoist or popular themes to Japan as well as the transmission of craft techniques such as ceramics and bamboo weaving.

      Japanese literati (bunjin) of course were looking at Chinese literature as a reference, but as they were forbidden to leave Japan from the mid-17th century and had little access to original Chinese works (or to meeting the literati themselves), the lifestyle, attitude, and art changed considerably in Japan.

       The show, therefore, explores the adaptation of classical themes such as landscape painting, as well as the way the bunjin’ ideals and methods were brought to Japan through woodblock-printed art books and painting manuals.

       The exhibition also explores less known sides of the Chinese culture in Japan, featuring supernatural characters such as some of the Taoist immortals, and from popular novels edited in mass-produced woodblock prints.

      The exhibition runs through August 2. The gallery is open between 1 and 5 p.m., Tuesdays through Saturdays and is closed on national holidays.