Art Gallery of New South Wales shows Japanese Taisho Chic |
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| Friday, 23 May 2008 05:18 |
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Sydney, Australia - Japan in the early 20th century was a place of great change. The essential question of the day was: how could one be both Japanese and modern at the same time when modernity was defined as Western? This exhibition explores the impact of the simultaneous clash and embrace of modernity and tradition on arts and design in Japan of the Greater Taisho period (1900–1930). On exhibition 22 May - 3 August 2008. Nowhere was this more evident that in the arts, particularly in the image of women. On one hand, there was the liberated, self-confident, fun-loving ‘modern girl’, who dressed in Western fashion and decorated her home in Western style; on the other, the ‘good wife’ and ‘wise mother’, who epitomized traditional Japanese femininity.  The balance between modernity and nostalgia – the clash and the embrace – is captured in this exhibition of paintings, prints, textiles and decorative arts from the period, ranging from prints of coolly sophisticated young women to bold kimonos with abstract patterns that reinterpreted traditional motifs and sleek glassware that represented the latest in art deco chic. The Art Gallery Society of New South Wales was founded in 1953 to support the Art Gallery of New South Wales. Incorporated as a not-for-profit public company, it is a registered charity and has its own governing Council, budget and annual report. The twin objectives of the Society are to enhance members' enjoyment of art, and to raise funds for the permanent collection. Over the years the Society has grown from a small group of Sydney identities to become the largest and most active organization of museum supporters in Australia. The Art Gallery of New South Wales is the leading museum of art in New South Wales and Sydney, and one of Australia's foremost cultural institutions. It holds significant collections of Australian, European and Asian art, and presents nearly forty exhibitions annually. Visit the Art Gallery of New South Wales at : www.artgallery.nsw.gov.au/ Click on logo below to add this article to your favorite Social Website ~ |
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