Not much to say right now, but I wanted to share this photo. I took it last weekend while visiting the Huntington Gardens. The view is from the Chinese Garden looking towards the Japanese Gardens, which will be reopening on April 11. Yeah, my anticipation is building somethin' fierce. ;-)
You can bet that I'll be sharing some photos with you.
But, for now, we can only gaze from afar, dreaming of the beauties awaiting in the hidden garden.
I decided to celebrate by showing a few of my favorite dragons that I've seen over the last year. I'll keep my eyes open for more to share, as a running blog theme, over the course of this year. ;-)
Detail of Crouching Tiger Monastery I (2011) by Kenny Harris
Each place has a presence, a spirit built up over the ages, formed by the experiences and events that have occurred therein. It is a goal of architectural painters to discern the soul of the structure and express it with clarity, using only the setting and space.
This is the approach taken by Kenny Harris in his exhibition "China" at Koplin Del Rio Gallery, which runs until February 18. Inspired during a recent trip, this show attempts to capture the unique nature of the various locales visited, from the posh colonial "Peace Hotel Shanghai" to the tranquil spirituality of the "Crouching Tiger Monastery" series. Through the nuances of light and space, along the lines of perspective, the enduring character of each place is revealed.
Although there are no people within these works, leaving the places to speak for themselves, without the clutter and bustle of habitation, the imprint of humanity is visible in each piece.
Detail of Zhouzhuang (2011) by Kenny Harris
Like classic images from the Dutch Golden Age of art, Harris explores the conceptual dichotomy between indoors and outdoors, where the delineations contrast and where they overlap. These images make one consider the emotional significances existing within such spaces, as well as the liminal or transgressive aspects of going from one type to the other, especially as it pertains to sacred or elite grounds, such as a monastery or the Forbidden City.
As promised here are some photos of the current public exhibition of Ai Weiwei'sCircle of Zodiac Heads at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. It's a really cool display, recreating the famous bronze heads from the Zodiac Fountain of the Chinese Imperial Palace in Yuan Ming Yuan. The originals were looted by foreign troops during the 2nd Opium War in 1860.
The pieces are expressions of Chinese nationalist iconography, especially as testaments against western colonialism. However, they are also designed to be separate from any fixed location, being wanderers of the world's cultural venues. It's an interesting contrast of thematic emphasis.
In any case, they are wonderful sculptures of the Chinese Zodiac animals.
Ai Weiwei's Circle of Zodiac Heads (Tiger and Rabbit)
Unlike the western zodiac, the Chinese assign a sign for the entire year. We are currently in the Year of the Rabbit.
I recently visited the Bowers Museum in Santa Ana. The art venues deep into Orange County are not in my normal orbit of activity, but I will make the occasional art foray into the South. I wanted to check out their scrimshaw exhibit. That's not something that gets put on display very frequently. It was a nice modest collection.
Then I checked out the "Spirits and Headhunters: Art of the Pacific Islands" show. Obviously, any show that covers such a wildly diverse area is going to be broad and thin in overall presentation, but this show packed in the quality. It succeeded both in giving an overarching survey and in displaying objects of notable cultural potency.
Spirit Mask, Papua New Guinea
Likewise the "Ancient Arts of China: A 5000 Year Legacy" was broad and thin. It had some gorgeous works, but, given the topic, I'd have like to see more. Of course, while my aesthetic desires are limited only by my imagination, the Bowers has expense and display space to consider. Given those limitations, it's a good collection. ;-)
Last night in the light rain as rough winds blew,
My drunken sleep left me no merrier.
I question one that raised the curtain, who
Replies: "The wild quince trees -- are as they were."
But no, but no!
Their rose is waning, and their green leaves grow.
You didn't think that I was out of rose photos, did you? ;-)
Although I enjoy just about any type of story, my favorite genre is the Ghost story. Unlike most forms of horror fiction, the prevalent mood isn't terror or revulsion, but a deep sorrow. Yeah, there is often some menace involved and certainly the presence of the "Weird" but it is that lingering sense of loss that makes the ghost so haunting.
My favorite stories generally come from the "Golden Age of Ghosts" in the Victorian and Edwardian eras, but I'm also very fond of the classic Chinese Ghost Story. This definitive work of this genre is the compilation by Pu Songling (who was born on this date in 1640), Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio.
This collection has had a strong influence upon the development of Chinese folklore into canonical stories, similar to the effect that the Brothers Grimm had upon European fairy tales. Fox fairies, demonic spirits, and ghostly lovers receive their lasting imprint from Pu Songling and persist in such a form into narratives of the contemporary era.
The Getty Museum had a Photography exhibit, "Photography from the New China," that caught my interest. The primary theme that I took away from the show was that of cultural and historic reassessment. It brought to mind the Chinese proverb "I dreamed a thousand new paths. . . I woke and walked my old one." Some of the photos spoke directly to this quote.
For instance, the tableaux works by Wang Qingsong are reinterpretations of classical paintings, but with symbols of modern consumerism and materialism, in which the Golden Arches of McDonald's is the equivalent of an Imperial banner and tawdry modern attire replaces the elegant fashions of the courtly ladies. Yet, although these images have significant difference in value, is the underlying action any different? The mighty lord over and forced their will upon the weak, whether it is a Ming Emperor or an American corporation. A courtesan performs the same function regardless of her clothing and hairstyle. So, do these images speak of a new path or continuing down the old one?
I Am Chairman Mao's Red Guard by Hai Bo (2000)
In contrast, the works of Hai Bo do indicate a rejection of the old path. In his series "They", he presents a set of diptychs in which a photograph from the era of the Cultural Revolution is contrasted with a contemporary photo, using the same sitters. In group photos, when a subject has died, there is an empty space where that subject would have been. This contrast between the rigid and colorless Maoist world and soft, timeworn modern world do indicate significant, even painful, change. For Hai Bo's subjects, it may be true that the underlying realities of power and function are essentially unchanged, as indicated in Wang Qingsong's work, but, for the individual, life forces us down new paths.
Standard Pose by Qiu Zhijie (1997)
Finally, the works of Qiu Zhijie brings us to a synthesis of these styles. Creating tableaux of modern Chinese works posed in the style of Maoist propaganda posters with similar coloration to Cultural Revolution photos, we are presented with an ambiguous statement regarding the new vs. old paths. Obviously, these are parody pieces. But what is being parodied? It it a spoof on the old ways by displaying the modern Chinese as so totally incongruous with the Maoist style? Or is it a spoof on the modern Chinese identity that for all of its superficial change is still following along the old path?
In any case, there was much to consider at this show. Other artists on display include Rong Rong, Liu Zheng, Song Yongping, and Zhang Huan. Sadly, the show closes today. Again, I'm more of a closer than an opener. Sorry, amigos. Maybe some fantastic Pipa music will compensate?
By the way, I selected a performance by Wu Man because she is dealing with a similar quandary as that presented in this webpost. She even curated a musical festival entitled "Ancient Paths, Modern Voices." Good stuff!!!
The state flower of Delaware, symbol of immortality, feminine youthful charm, cultural elegance and the arrival of Spring, the peach blossom is one of my favorite flowers.
