UPCOMING EXHIBITIONS Fall/Winter Schedule 2014 MEDIA CONTACTS Head, Public Affairs and Marketing Allison Peck, pecka@si.edu 202.633.0447 Public Affairs and Marketing Specialist Miranda Gale, galem@si.edu 202.633.0271 Public Affairs and Marketing Specialist Ellie Reynolds, reynoldse@si.edu 202.633.0521 PRESS ROOM asia.si.edu/press NOTE TO EDITORS: The following information is current as of August 2014; please discard all previous versions. All listings are subject to change; dates and titles should be confirmed with the Office of Public Affairs and Marketing at 202.633.0271 or PressAsia@si.edu. For press releases and image and caption reports, visit asia.si.edu/press. Unearthing Arabia: The Archaeological Adventures of Wendell Phillips October 11, 2014 June 7, 2015 Media tour Tuesday, October 7 #unearthingarabia Interviews Julian Raby, director of the Freer and Sackler galleries; Rocky Korr, researcher and retired manager of F S collections; Massumeh Farhad, chief curator and curator of Islamic art; Zaydoon Zaid, an archaeologist who excavated at Marib Wendell Phillips, a young, dashing paleontologist and geologist, headed the largest archaeological expedition to remote South Arabia (present-day Yemen) from 1949 to 1951. Accompanied by some of the leading scholars, scientists, and technicians of the day, Phillips was on a quest to uncover two ancient cities Timna, the capital of the once-prosperous Qataban kingdom, and Marib, the reputed home of the legendary Queen of Sheba that had flourished along the fabled incense road some 2,500 years earlier. Through a selection of unearthed objects as well as film and photography shot by the expedition team, the exhibition highlights Phillips s key finds, recreates his adventures (and misadventures), and conveys the thrill of discovery on the last great archaeological frontier. Phillips stands with Yemeni men, including Sheik Al-Barhi (center), a leader of the Bal Harith tribe, and a child in the desert. Courtesy American Foundation for the Study of Man.
F A L L / W I N T E R E X H I B I T I O N S C H E D U L E 2 0 1 4 2 Perspectives: Chiharu Shiota August 30, 2014 June 7, 2015 #perspectives Public installation August 18 21, 2014 Media luncheon Thursday, August 21 Interviews Carol Huh, Perspectives curator and assistant curator of contemporary Asian art; Chiharu Shiota, internationally-renowned installation artist Japanese performance and installation artist Chiharu Shiota installs a monumental yet intimate work in the Sackler pavilion this summer. Haunted by the traces that the human body leaves behind, the work amasses personal memories of lost individuals and past moments through an accumulation of discarded shoes and notes collected by the artist. Shiota studied at Kyoto Seika University, Canberra School of Art, and Berlin University of the Arts with Marina Abramovic and Rebecca Horn. Her work has been presented at the Mattress Factory (Pittsburgh, 2013), Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery (United Kingdom, 2012), National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo (2007), Neue Nationalgalerie (Berlin, 2006), and MoMA PS1 (New York City, 2003), as well as the Biennials in Venice, Fukuoka, and Yokohama. Born in Osaka, Japan, in 1972, Shiota currently lives and works in Berlin. Detail, Installation view of Dialogue From DNA at Manggha, Centre of Japanese Art and Technology, Krakow, Poland by Chiharu Shiota; 2004; photo by Sunhi Mang Nasta liq: The Genius of Persian Calligraphy September 13, 2014 March 22, 2015 #calligraphy Interviews Simon Rettig, exhibition curator and curatorial fellow; Massumeh Farhad, chief curator and curator of Islamic art Nasta liq: The Genius of Persian Calligraphy is the first exhibition of its kind to focus on nasta liq, a calligraphic script that developed in the 14th century in Iran and remains one of the most expressive forms of aesthetic refinement in Persian culture to this day. More than 20 works dating from 1400 to 1600, the height of nasta liq s development, tell the story of the script s transformation from a simple conveyer of the written word into an artistic form on its own. The narrative thread emphasizes the achievements of four of the greatest master calligraphers, whose manuscripts and individual folios were and still are appreciated not only for their content, but also for their technical virtuosity and visual quality. Page from the St. Petersburg album; Imad al-hasani (d. 1615; act. Isfahan 1599 1615); India, Mughal dynasty; calligraphy, early 17th century, margins, 1755 56; opaque watercolor, ink, and gold on paper; Purchase, F1942.15b
F A L L / W I N T E R E X H I B I T I O N S C H E D U L E 2 0 1 4 3 Fine Impressions: Whistler, Freer, and Venice Opening October 18, 2014 Interviews Lee Glazer, associate curator of American art In 1887, museum founder Charles Lang Freer purchased the entire Second Venice Set, twenty-six atmospheric etchings by James McNeill Whistler. This precipitous act marked the beginning of a long and fruitful partnership. The mutually beneficial relationship between collector and artist eventually led to the founding of the Freer Gallery, today the world s largest and finest repository of Whistler s works. The Second Venice Set is well known within Whistler s oeuvre. It has most frequently been exhibited to highlight changes in Whistler s style and to underscore the popularity of Venice as a tourist destination and artistic subject. Fine Impressions, however, tells the story from Freer s perspective: how his acquisition of the Second Venice Set came to shape his legacy as a connoisseur and collector. The Balcony; James McNeill Whistler (1834 1903); United States, 1879 80; etching on paper; Gift of Charles Lang Freer, F1887.18 The Traveler s Eye: Scenes of Asia November 22, 2014 May 31, 2015 #travelerseye Media tour Wednesday, November 12 Interviews Debra Diamond, associate curator of South and Southeast Asian art (organizing curator); James Ulak, senior curator of Japanese art; Ann Yonemura, senior associate curator of Japanese art; Stephen Allee, associate curator of Chinese painting and calligraphy; Carol Huh, associate curator of contemporary Asian art; David Hogge, head of the Freer and Sackler Archives; and Nancy Micklewright, head of Scholarly Programs and Publications Travel shapes how we perceive the world. Long after a trip has ended, images made to guide, track, and represent travelers and their journeys continue to influence our views of other cultures and our own cultural identities. Featuring more than 100 works created over the past five centuries, The Traveler s Eye: Scenes of Asia provides glimpses of travels across the continent, from pilgrimages and research trips to expeditions for trade and tourism. Juxtaposing East Asian scrolls, Japanese woodblock prints, and contemporary photography with maps, archaeological drawings, and souvenirs, The Traveler s Eye invites viewers to look more closely at these seemingly straightforward images. Beneath the surface, they will discover the deliberate choices made by artists representing journeys and travelers seeking to remember them. Detail, Kawasaki Station, from Fifty-three Stations Along the Tokaido (Tokaido Gojusan-tsugi); Utagawa Hiroshige; Japan, Edo period, 1855; woodblock print; ink and colors on paper; Gift of Victor and Takako Hauge, FSC_GR_705.3
F A L L / W I N T E R E X H I B I T I O N S C H E D U L E 2 0 1 4 4 Style in Chinese Landscape Painting: The Yuan Legacy November 22, 2014 May 31, 2015 Interviews Stephen Allee, associate curator for Chinese painting and calligraphy A tradition dating to the third century, landscape painting is one of the most outstanding achievements of Chinese culture. Key styles in this genre emerged during the Yuan dynasty (1279 1368) and are still followed today. While surviving works from the Yuan are rare, whenever possible, this exhibition includes the earliest work in the museum collection together with later examples tracing the characteristics and evolution of six of these styles. The exhibition is the second in a series of two; the first, Style in Chinese Landscape Painting: The Song Dynasty, is on view through October 26. Detail, Dwelling in Seclusion in the Summer Mountains; Wang Meng (ca. 1308 1385); China, Yuan dynasty, 1354; ink and color on silk; Purchase, F1959.17 Zen, Tea, and Chinese art in Medieval Japan December 13, 2014 June 14, 2015 Interviews Ann Yonemura, senior associate curator of Japanese art Zen Buddhism, tea, and ink painting well-known expressions of Japanese culture have their roots in Chinese arts and ideas brought to medieval Japan from the late 12th to the 16th century. By the end of that period, arts and customs from Song, Yuan, and Ming dynasty China had been assimilated into Japanese culture, emerging as Japanese practices such as chanoyu, the art of tea. In this exhibition, Chinese and Japanese paintings, lacquer ware, and ceramics illuminate this remarkable period of cultural contact and synthesis. Longquan ware mallet-shaped vase; Longquan, China, Southern Song or Yuan dynasty, late 13th early 14th century; stoneware with celadon glaze; Purchase, F1937.182
F A L L / W I N T E R E X H I B I T I O N S C H E D U L E 2 0 1 4 5 Oribe Ware: Color and Pattern Come to Japanese Ceramics December 13, 2014 June 14, 2015 Interviews Louise Allison Cort, curator for ceramics Invented in Japan in 1605, Oribe ware introduced vivid pattern and color to a ceramics tradition that had previously favored somber, monochrome designs. Oribe ware vessels were used primarily for serving food and drinking tea, and their sprightly patterns with glossy black or brilliant green glazes made them a shimmering addition to 17th-century dining trays and tearooms. A major technological advance in ceramics the Motoyashiki multi-chamber climbing kiln, which allowed potters to melt glazes to dazzling translucency made this radically new appearance possible. This exhibition highlights the best selections of Oribe ware in the Freer s collection, including two new acquisitions on view for the first time. Mino ware Oribe style serving dish; early 17th century; Momoyama or Edo period; Stoneware with Oribe glaze and iron decoration under clear glaze; gold lacquer repairs; H: 8.3 W: 37.0 D: 37.0 cm; Tajimi, Japan; Purchase F1973.6a-e Chinese Ceramics: 13th 14th Century December 20, 2014 December 2015 Interviews Louise Allison Cort, curator for ceramics Ceramic production during the Yuan dynasty (1279 1368) reflects the strength of the international market demand for Chinese wares. Notably, celadon-glazed vessels from Longquan competed with porcelain objects from Jingdezhen, painted with innovative decoration in cobalt pigment. A dozen Chine se ceramics from the Freer collection show highlights of Yuan ceramic styles and complement the exhibition Style in Chinese Landscape Painting: The Yuan Legacy. Dish with design of mandarin fish; Jingdezhen, China, Yuan dynasty, mid-14th century; porcelain with cobalt pigment under colorless glaze; Purchase, F1971.3
F A L L / W I N T E R E X H I B I T I O N S C H E D U L E 2 0 1 4 6 CLOSING EXHIBITIONS Bountiful Waters: Aquatic Life in Japanese Art Through September 14, 2014 Interviews Ann Yonemura, senior associate curator of Japanese art The waters that surround the islands of Japan and flow from its mountain ranges to form rivers and lakes host plants and animals that have sustained human life since prehistoric times. This exhibition features a selection of prints, paintings, illustrated books, and ceramics that depict Japanese appreciation for the beauty and variety of fish and other species. A highlight is the public debut of the Large Fish series twenty woodblock prints by Hiroshige (1797 1858) gifted to the Freer by John Fuegi and Jo Francis. Detail, Suidō Bridge and Surugadai, from the series One Hundred Famous Views of Edo (Edo Meisho Hyakkei); Utagawa Hiroshige (1797 1858); Japan, Edo period, 1857; woodblock print; ink and color on paper; Gift of John Fuegi and Jo Francis, F1996.24 Off the Beaten Path: Early Works by James McNeill Whistler Through September 28, 2014 Interviews Maya Foo, exhibition curator and museum specialist; Lee Glazer, associate curator of American art In the summer of 1858, twenty-four-year-old Whistler traveled with a friend through the Rhineland with the goal of reaching Amsterdam and seeing Rembrandt s The Night Watch. Although they soon ran out of money and returned to Paris, Whistler produced a body of works that documented his adventures and shaped his approach to composition, light and shadow, and perspective. Detail, A Street at Saverne; James McNeill Whistler (1834 1903); United States, 1858; etching on paper; Gift of Charles Lang Freer, F1898.224
F A L L / W I N T E R E X H I B I T I O N S C H E D U L E 2 0 1 4 7 Style in Chinese Landscape Painting: The Song Legacy Through October 26, 2014 Interviews Stephen Allee, associate curator for Chinese painting and calligraphy Landscape painting is one of the outstanding achievements of Chinese culture. While the tradition has a long history reaching back to the third century, it was during the roughly four hundred-year period from the Five Dynasties (907 960) to the Song dynasty (960 1279) that its characteristic styles and techniques emerged. This exhibition showcases a group of the Freer s best Song dynasty landscape paintings along with later works that illustrate the evolution of six different styles. A subsequent exhibition (Style in Chinese Landscape Painting: The Yuan Legacy, opening November 22), will explore developments during the Yuan dynasty (1279 1368). Detail, Mountain Mist, Spring Morning; Zhao Bosu (1124 1182); China, Ming or Qing dynasty, 17th century; ink and color on silk; Gift of Charles Lang Freer, F1909.195 The Arts of China Through September 7, 2014 Interviews Keith Wilson, curator of ancient Chinese art; Stephen Allee, associate curator for Chinese painting and calligraphy The Arts of China features a comprehensive group of ancient Chinese jades and bronzes that spans more than three thousand years, from the Stone Age to the dawn of China s Imperial period. Impressive examples from early jade-producing cultures such as the Hongshan, Liangzhu, and Longshan and the metal objects produced during the Bronze Age document the existence of regional centers, as well as the growing importance of music in ancient China. The exhibition also displays works from much later periods paintings, calligraphy, and decorative objects that represent the refined tastes of imperial and aristocratic patrons. Religious art is another focus, and the early Chinese Buddhist art installation includes wall murals painted for the cave chapels at Kizil, a site in central Asia that participated in the East West exchanges of the Silk Road. Tomb guardian creature; China, Tang dynasty, ca. 700-740; Lead-glazed earthenware, H x W: 98.0 x 31.5 cm; Gift of the Else Sackler Foundation S1997.24
F A L L / W I N T E R E X H I B I T I O N S C H E D U L E 2 0 1 4 8 CONTINUING FEATURED EXHIBITIONS Ancient Chinese Jades and Bronzes Arts of the Islamic World Arts of the Indian Subcontinent and the Himalayas Ceramics from Thailand Chinese Ceramics: 10th 13th Century Cranes and Clouds: The Korean Art of Ceramic Inlay Feast Your Eyes: A Taste for Luxury in Ancient Iran Freer & Whistler: Points of Contact Japanese Screens The Nile and Ancient Egypt The Peacock Room Comes to America Promise of Paradise: Chinese Buddhist Sculpture The Religious Art of Japan Silk Road Luxuries from China Sculpture of South Asia and the Himalayas Sylvan Sounds: Freer, Dewing and Japan Xu Bing: Monkeys Grasping for the Moon Harmony in Blue and Gold: The Peacock Room; James McNeill Whistler, 1834 1903; Oil paint and gold leaf on canvas, leather, and wood; Freer Gallery of Art, Gift of Charles Lang Freer