Japanese Art Cultivates Screens
Esperanza Benavides
Issue date: 10/1/09 Section: Arts & Culture
"Beyond the Golden Clouds," a stunning exhibit of Japanese ink screens, took place at the Art Institute of Chicago in September. Associate Curator of Japanese Art Janice Katz described the artwork as, "Screens of three-dimensional objects that have a multitude of decorative surfaces, including a painted picture, and also silk brocade borders, lacquer frames, and metal fittings." These paintings captured the spirit of Japanese culture and other important themes such as the change of seasons, religion, and nature.
"Landscape of Four Seasons," created by Sesson Shukei in 1560, stood as the first main display upon entering the exhibit. Although painted with only black and white ink, the painting perfectly embodies the broad range of colors and transitions from spring to winter. Since Japanese script reads from right to left the spring season is positioned on the far right with farmers, men, and children playing under Sakura (cherry blossom) trees. The spring season screens look more vivid and stimulating. It then gradually transitions to winter with snow-covered mountains and people gathering firewood. Thus the screens turn into plainer, lighter colors, representing the cold and tranquility. Their placement also represents the importance of the season changes to the Japanese culture and the harmonious balance the seasons constitute to the Japanese spirit.
The screens, also known as "byobu" (block off), were sometimes used as "fusuma," sliding doors made of screens. The display, "Fans on Stream," by Sakai Hoitsu, made in the 1820s, represents a screen used as a fusuma. The vibrant and glaring painting captured a historical event of fans being thrown in a stream. Patches were taken off from the screen for the door handle but were carefully stitched back and then converted into a two-fold screen for the exhibit.
The most lustrous display of screens stood at the end of the exhibit. "From the Mountain Lake Screen Tadi Series," by Okura Jiro, made in 1990 in Virginia represents Japanese Zen and Shinto. Wood composed the screens instead of paper and were painted red and covered with real sheets of gold. Over time the paint and gold will shrivel off, and then the wood will turn back to its original state, exemplifying that nature forms a continuous and hormonal cycle of change and rebirth that represents Shinto and Zen.
The exhibit underlined the fact that Japanese art still exists. Janice Katz's insisted, "I hope visitors will see that traditional Japanese art is still being adapted…and that the contemporary Japanese art scene is vibrant and active."
"Landscape of Four Seasons," created by Sesson Shukei in 1560, stood as the first main display upon entering the exhibit. Although painted with only black and white ink, the painting perfectly embodies the broad range of colors and transitions from spring to winter. Since Japanese script reads from right to left the spring season is positioned on the far right with farmers, men, and children playing under Sakura (cherry blossom) trees. The spring season screens look more vivid and stimulating. It then gradually transitions to winter with snow-covered mountains and people gathering firewood. Thus the screens turn into plainer, lighter colors, representing the cold and tranquility. Their placement also represents the importance of the season changes to the Japanese culture and the harmonious balance the seasons constitute to the Japanese spirit.
The screens, also known as "byobu" (block off), were sometimes used as "fusuma," sliding doors made of screens. The display, "Fans on Stream," by Sakai Hoitsu, made in the 1820s, represents a screen used as a fusuma. The vibrant and glaring painting captured a historical event of fans being thrown in a stream. Patches were taken off from the screen for the door handle but were carefully stitched back and then converted into a two-fold screen for the exhibit.
The most lustrous display of screens stood at the end of the exhibit. "From the Mountain Lake Screen Tadi Series," by Okura Jiro, made in 1990 in Virginia represents Japanese Zen and Shinto. Wood composed the screens instead of paper and were painted red and covered with real sheets of gold. Over time the paint and gold will shrivel off, and then the wood will turn back to its original state, exemplifying that nature forms a continuous and hormonal cycle of change and rebirth that represents Shinto and Zen.
The exhibit underlined the fact that Japanese art still exists. Janice Katz's insisted, "I hope visitors will see that traditional Japanese art is still being adapted…and that the contemporary Japanese art scene is vibrant and active."
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