Dallas, TX – Bewilderment, confusion, fascination, fear and astonishment describe the reaction to the arrival of Western trade ships in Japanese ports in the mid-19th Century. Bizarre languages, alien customs and exotic-looking people penetrated Japanese society bridging the East and the West. On display this summer at The Crow Collection - News from Abroad: Woodblock Prints from Yokohama, Japan is the first artistic medium to respond to the new influences affecting Japanese society in the 1850s.
In 1859, Yokohama was selected as Japan’s primary port for foreign trade. As a result, Yokohama was the first Japanese city to see the effects of Western commerce and culture. The prints created in Yokohama were distributed throughout all of Japan, educating Japanese citizens about the changes taking place in their most important port and the influences of the Western world. Japanese printmakers worked tirelessly to satisfy their countrymen’s quest to learn about the foreigners in their land, specifically, their unknown languages, exotic manners and peculiar customs.
“This exhibit is both curious and enlightening,” remarked Amy Hofland, director of the Crow Collection. “If we put ourselves in the lives of the Japanese countrymen at that time, it becomes clear how important these prints are. They were the means to communicate change and to educate regarding the new culture. I imagine it is a bit like seeing the images of the moon for the first time. They inspire wonder, awe and a feeling of astonishment that transcends time. We are delighted to welcome these works to our museum.”
The prints, as viewed in a series, capture the emotion-filled moments as the citizens of Yokohama greet the new western influence. Images of marketplaces, ships, animals, flags and garments provided the printmakers with plenty of material to study. Transportation was captivating to the Japanese at that time and steam engines, hot air balloons, wheels, ships and streetcars are beautifully illustrated in many of the works. Ships are examined with a particular passion. Their massive size, ominous color and sheer power created an instant allure and technological fascination for the Japanese.
News from Abroad is on display beginning July 21 through September 10, 2006.
On Thursday, July 27, The Crow Collection’s special programming “InsideAsia: Art .Music.Culture,” will focus upon the exhibition. Visitors are encouraged to wander throughout the exhibition while listening to the soothing sounds of the Japanese flute, enjoy a sake tasting, view a duet from “Madame Butterfly” and join artist Jim Hastings for sketching in the galleries. The events run from 5 – 9 p.m.
Saturday, July 22, from 12 – 4 p.m., families are encouraged to participate in “AdventureAsia! Art Experiences for Everyone” – programming that makes News from Abroad comes to life. After strolling the galleries and learning the art of print making, children may participate in interactive activities by trying their hands at Gyotaku, Japanese Fish Print Making. Activities continue in the museum with Hanko designs (the art of making Japanese signature seals) and kabuki lessons, complete with face painting and costumes. Origami cranes will be created through out the afternoon with special instruction from the Japan-America Society of Dallas/Fort Worth. The sounds of Fumiko Coburn and the Koto will provide the perfect background music for a day of Japanese immersion.
The Trammell & Margaret Crow Collection of Asian Art is free to the public. It is located at 2010 Flora Street, Dallas and open Tuesdays – Sundays from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. with extended hours on Thursdays until 9 p.m. For more information, visit http://www.crowcollection.org or call 214-979-6430.
The Trammell & Margaret Crow Collection of Asian Art contains more than 600 paintings, objects of metal and stone, and large architectural pieces from China, Japan, India, and Southeast Asia. Over 300 works are on display in the galleries including precious jade ornaments from China, delicate Japanese scrolls and a rarely seen 28-foot by 12-foot sandstone facade of an 18th century Indian residence.
PHOTOGRAPHS available upon request: nicolette_woodburn@richards.com
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