http://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspxEvents from VCM contributors60http://www.acm.org.sg/exhibitions/eventdetail.asp?eventID=184The concept of beauty is one that has been debated for centuries. The varied interpretation and evolving notion of what is beautiful has made defining beauty not just a daunting task but also one that may never be achieved. Humankind has thus found solace in the phrase ‘Beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder’ as it helps in defining the concept of beauty as one which is subjective. This exhibition will bring forth the many facets of beauty across Asian cultures, time and space. It is hoped that visitors will be exposed to the different notions of what is beautiful and that the experience they encounter from visiting the gallery will help them find both the outer and inner beauty of the people and things they encounter. Asian Civilisations MuseumThu, 12 Mar 2009 07:22:25 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#6c03c40a-4b5b-4e5d-8e78-ce3983da8db2http://www.museum.go.kr/eng/display/special_view.jspHyeonmu(black tortoise and serpent) symbolizes seven of the 28 constellations, situated in the northern portion of the star chart. The belief of the Five Elements soon gave rise to the worship of the so-called ‘four cardinal deities’, making hyeonmu the guardian deity of the underworld. In this exhibition, the significance and history of this intriguing figure are followed. National Museum of KoreaThu, 12 Mar 2009 07:22:25 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#fcbb4759-bcf2-4c13-8118-05c5d6fbb8abhttp://www.aconet.cz/npm/eexh.html#JAPAN_LOVEThis exhibition introduces the personality of Joe Hloucha, an author, expert on Japan and most importantly collector of non-European art, and his collection, a large part of which he donated to the Náprstek Museum. On display you will find the most precious artefacts and valuable exhibits from the Japanese collection, which have never been exhibited before. Visitors will be acquainted with the places in Japan, which Joe Hloucha visited and acquainted himself with. As well as that the display features black and white, hand-coloured photographs, which Hloucha purchased in Japan or which he shot himself. They document some long non-existing town quarters, extinct crafts and intact sceneries. The exhibition will also present all the literary works of Hloucha and some of his diaries.National Museum; Nàprstek Museum of Asian, African and American CulturesThu, 12 Mar 2009 07:22:25 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#71c52857-697a-4c34-a4d0-776371541528http://www.museum.go.kr/eng/display/special_view.jspWe can see from the sheer volume of documents and publications that a lot of books were published during the Joseon Dynasty period. During this period, the government published books and issued them itself, instead of having publishing companies publish all those books. The Joseon Dynasty pursued civil administration by ruling with academic studies and institutional systems, and it established several offices in charge of publication. Civilian publication mostly came from Buddhist temples, and also Seoweon schools and private individuals published personal anthologies or household genealogies. In this exhibition, 16 types of Joseon Dynasty books will be shown to the public, and the exhibition will be arranged in a certain fashion so that people would be able to witness the various forms employed to deliver information regarding factual details involving the issue of when or where books were published.National Museum of KoreaThu, 12 Mar 2009 07:22:25 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#8a35d257-a7d4-4af6-b859-9fd3e46cc1cchttp://www.nhb.gov.sg/SAM/AAMDF.htmArt museum directors from Brunei, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam, will meet in Singapore to discuss issues facing Asian visual arts and art museum development during Asian Art Museum Directors’ Forum 2007. This is a follow up to the inaugural AAMDF held at the National Art Museum of China, Beijing in September 2006. AAMDF 2007 will open at 7:00 pm on 16 November and will close with a business session (9:00am – 11:00am) on 18 November. The forum on 17 November is open for registration by museum professionals, artists, students and the general public. Singapore Art MuseumThu, 12 Mar 2009 07:22:25 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#aa83f966-2ecc-4c03-b597-0e0ce8d70837http://www.muzeumazji.pl/htme/gal_ns.htmlThe exhibition "Silks, Felts and Carnelians" presents the collection of costumes and jewellery, which is characteristic for the Kazakh, Kirghiz, Turkmen, Uzbek, Tajik, Pashtun, Hazar, Baloch and Nuristani peoples. Their dresses consist mainly of loose tunics, wide galligaskins and coats. The severe life style of the Kazakh and Kirghiz led to developing ordinary, sparsely decorated costumes. The Turkmen, inhabiting mainly desert terrain, created dresses distinguished by contrasting colours and complicated geometric embroidery. The Uzbek and Tajik people who are living in large cities on junctions of merchant routes have the most exquisite clothing. Nuristanis living in isolated valleys cultivate separate traditions which are reflected also in their clothes. The Pashtun, Hazar and Baloch peoples living in Afghanistan conjoined local nomadic traditions with influences of other neighbouring ethnic groups. Asia and Pacific Museum in WarsawThu, 12 Mar 2009 07:22:25 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#d869df9d-ac42-46f2-8d48-a7bf352990d0http://www.nus.edu.sg/museum/exhibitions.htmFrom landscapes and figures to flowers and birds, David Kwo painted a variety of subjects interpreted through traditional Chinese brush techniques and Western styles. He is most famous for his portrayal of small animals, especially cats and dogs that became his hallmark. Kwo sought to build a bridge between his native and adopted culture that allowed a conciliation of the two. He blended the disciplined art of calligraphic brushstrokes and composition with Western emphasis on freedom, creativity and improvisation. In 2003, he donated 105 paintings to the Lee Kong Chian Art Museum of the National University of Singapore. This exhibition features over 50 significant pieces of the late artist.NUS Museum, NUS Centre For the ArtsThu, 12 Mar 2009 07:22:25 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#2742fd36-b56d-45e1-ba4c-0d0a044ad5e4http://www.lcsd.gov.hk/CE/Museum/Arts/english/exhibitions/eexhibitions_s_20070701_2.htmlFeaturing about 270 artifacts including sculptures, paintings, jewellery, porcelain and stone artifacts that have been collected from five continents of the world by the British Museum since it was founded in 1753, this exhibition covers a vast span of time from 2 million years ago to the present day. Diverse cultures including ancient Egypt, Rome and Greece, as well as artistic styles of European, African, American and Asian art are explored. Highlight items include an Egyptian wooden mummy-board “The Unlucky Mummy” of the early 22nd dynasty, about 945 BC, a 13th century Egyptian brass “Astrolabe” with silver inlay, a marble Roman statue of Dionysos of 2nd century, a “Queen's lyre” from about 2600-2400 BC found in the Royal Cemetery at Ur, and a walrus ivory chess-piece made in about 1150-1200 and found in Scotland.Hong Kong Museum of ArtThu, 12 Mar 2009 07:22:25 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#e9a03841-0e97-4c69-9e1c-001c8694dd06http://www.nba.fi/en/kumu_korean_homeThe exhibition Korean home – The Way of Living presents the culture of South Korea. It is curated by a Korean textile artist, Amie Ann (Ae-Kyung An), who has been living in Finland for years and has done a lot of work in promoting cultural relations between Finland and South Korea. Natural materials – wood, clay and paper – are present in various ways in the exhibition. Visitors are exposed to the theme of the Korean home: traditional housing conditions but not forgetting the present day urban living. In addition to the objects and the impressive photographs by Gosinga Kim South Korean culture is introduced through a video filmed by Kati Aberg. Museum of Cultures, National Museum of FinlandThu, 12 Mar 2009 07:22:25 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#463693a9-cafe-4d6b-bfc5-b95aa109a145http://www.ayalamuseum.org/exhibitions_philart.aspLuminaries in Philippine art from the late 19th-20th century: Juan Luna (1857-1899), Fernando Amorsolo (1892-1972), and Fernando Zobel (1924-1984) made their mark with works on canvas and paper. Luna was the first Filipino artist to achieve acclaim in Europe's fine arts academy. He also pre-dated by 100 years the Realist movement that was to become popular in the Philippines. Amorsolo is perhaps the most beloved of Philippine artists with his paintings of landscape infused with shimmering light. Zobel was an artist of constant experimentation and his achievements as an artist, a teacher, and a patron have had profound influence on generations of Philippine artists.Ayala MuseumThu, 12 Mar 2009 07:22:25 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#f2c97a2b-40a4-47f5-bb72-a25b629d5376http://www.museum.go.kr/eng/display/sub_02_01.jspCheongnyong (blue dragon), located in the eastern portion of the constellation chart, symbolizes seven of the 28 constellations. Beliefs in the Five Elements led to the entrenchment of ‘four cardinal deities', making cheongnyong the guardian deity of the underworld. In early Goguryeo tomb murals, the appearance of cheongnyong seems rather awkward due to inharmonious blends of dissonant physical features, having derived from various anteceding animals. With time, however, as its importance within the motifs of tomb murals increased, clashing parts gradually evolved to be more congruous with one another and the creature finally acquired its characteristically arcane look. National Museum of KoreaThu, 12 Mar 2009 07:22:25 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#3433c39a-43ac-4300-a60e-842b48133de1http://www.nhb.gov.sg/SAM/From+the+Everyday+to+the+Imagined.htmThe exhibition presents an ever changing India as seen through the eyes of major stalwarts in the development of modern Indian art. The exhibition features stunning works by A Ramachandran, KG Subramanyan, Gulammohammed Sheikh, M.F. Husain, SH Raza and Arpana Caur. Visual perspectives of everyday social realisties are juxtaposed against the rich tapestry of Indian mythology tradition and fantasy.Singapore Art MuseumThu, 12 Mar 2009 07:22:25 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#4d498826-333e-474e-9276-f4439fd8874ehttp://www.aconet.cz/npm/exhibitions/asia_woman/eindex.htmlWoman in all her various forms and roles is a theme that runs through the whole history of Indian art. This exhibition presents over 400 items. From the Náprstek Museum come household and other everyday items that represent the best of Indian artistic craftsmanship, while the National Gallery has provided paintings and sculpture. Women - whether goddesses, semi-divine or earthly beings - are represented in a host of different ways, showing the variety and richness of Indian art tradition. An exhibition organised in cooperation with the National Gallery in Prague and the Embassy of the Republic of India, and held in the National Museum's exhibition rooms in the Lobkowicz Palace in Prague Castle. National Museum; Nàprstek Museum of Asian, African and American CulturesThu, 12 Mar 2009 07:22:25 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#af45a8d5-6743-45af-97dc-094022d9eeedhttp://www.cbl.ie/getdoc/c6c9d2ca-2d95-4ca2-98cb-230ba81b9a0c/Temporary-Exhibitions.aspxThe life of the artist Tsukioka Yoshitoshi (1839-1892) spanned the violent transformation of Japan from a medieval to a modern society. Working in the ephemeral medium of woodblock prints or ukiyo-e, literally Œpictures of the floating world¹, Yoshitoshi at first confronted the savagery of his time. By the 1880s, he created One Hundred Aspects of the Moon, a more tranquil series of a hundred portraits imaginatively linked to phases of the moon. This print collection was formed by the late Else and Joseph Chapman. The exhibition is lent by the Museum of International Folk Art, Museum of New Mexico, USAThe Chester Beatty LibraryThu, 12 Mar 2009 07:22:25 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#0d810361-e2d3-4916-bc18-f1e89f5c73f5http://www.nhb.gov.sg/SAM/Re-Woven.htmRenowned Singapore fashion designer Benny Ong has in the past thirty years established a global brand name. His designs are widely sought after internationally. In recent years Benny has been drawn again and again to the rich heritage and tradition of textiles in Southeast Asia, particularly Laotian weaving. This project is a close collaboration between SAM, local artist and designer, Benny Ong, and Lao weavers and artisans. It is a project whereby attempts are made to bridge art, design and craft. Re-Woven is an installation of, what Benny termed as, “woven art” which are creations in textile, traditionally woven in contemporary designs. Singapore Art MuseumThu, 12 Mar 2009 07:22:25 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#63f49aaa-c7d9-4fa7-87d4-383cdb1796eehttp://www.voelkerkundemuseum-muenchen.de/inhalt/html/sonder.html#exotischeExplanatory text only available in German State Museum of EthnologyThu, 12 Mar 2009 07:22:25 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#598aa605-7464-4675-8b18-b5bd6be83750http://www.shanghaimuseum.net/image/zl/1.jpgExplanatory text only available in ChineseShanghai MuseumThu, 12 Mar 2009 07:22:25 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#02596962-3feb-4074-9b2e-f2c9d0dbcdfehttp://www.acm.org.sg/exhibitions/eventdetail.asp?eventID=332The renowned China Beijing Opera is appearing for an 8-day run in Singapore, and by special arrangement, acmfriends members and guests will enjoy an exclusive preview of their show at the ACM. The preview includes three staged excerpts from their rich store of myth, legend and history. The evening's programme also includes a self-tour of the ACM Galleries and a buffet dinner.Asian Civilisations MuseumThu, 12 Mar 2009 07:22:25 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#4c6b55c1-9fb4-4480-aa38-e5f39b6a7f12http://www.lcsd.gov.hk/CE/Museum/Arts/english/exhibitions/eexhibitions_s_20071001_1.htmlA renowned artist and committed educator, Ho Chat-yuen (1899-1970) was a disciple of the Lingnan master Gao Qifeng (1889-1933). Ho enjoyed the life of creating works and acting as mentor to his students. He also founded the Hong Kong Fine Arts Association with his followers in 1968. Although Ho passed away in 1970, his family and followers are committed to promoting his virtuosity and artistry through exhibitions, publications and donations to major museums. The Hong Kong Museum of Art is therefore honoured to have received a donation of 84 works of art from the Ho family and the Hong Kong Fine Arts Association. To celebrate this generous gift and to enhance the audience's appreciation of Ho's achievements, the museum presents this memorable exhibition featuring about 60 representative works from the donation alongside with the museum's collection.Hong Kong Museum of ArtThu, 12 Mar 2009 07:22:25 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#7221bdcf-db35-4469-b61f-ee3640655810http://www.shanghaimuseum.net/cn/zljc/juti.asp?zlid=104Highlights of Ancient Chinese Figure Painting, from the Liaoning Provincial Museum and the Shanghai Museum. Shanghai MuseumThu, 12 Mar 2009 07:22:25 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#85085ca5-d528-4ba5-8888-cdf50f21070bhttp://www.vme.org.vn/Events_Programs.asp?ID=1This exhibition pays homage to fieldwork carried out by the great ethnologist Georges Condominas, who collected almost 500 artefacts between 1948 and 1950 in the Vietnamese village of Sar Luk, of which the Musée du quai Branly possesses an extensive collection. The exhibition presents a selection of around 140 items of widely varying forms, materials and functions, including wickerwork (baskets, hoop nets and traps, and household receptacles), agricultural tools (machetes, balance axes, etc), craftwork (weaving and pottery), tobacco pouches and pipes, toys and learning tools (the adult world in miniature), many magico-religious artefacts (for exorcisms, agrarian rites, and buffalo sacrifices), finely worked men’s and women’s clothing, and musical instruments. The selection is complemented by hitherto unpublished photographs and work documents: notes, sketches made in the field, sound recordings, a video, a 1995 film on Georges Condominas’s return to Sar Luk, and extracts from his works ''Nous avons mangé la forêt and l'Exotique est quotidien''.Viet Nam Museum of EthnologyThu, 12 Mar 2009 07:22:25 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#46907751-61e9-47d9-b355-1e5c3dff8fa2http://www.acm.org.sg/exhibitions/eventdetail.asp?eventID=186During the past, many Asian countries interacted with each other through peaceful means via religion, trade and political missions. This exhibition will highlight some of the significant landmarks in Buddhist history, through the travel records of the monks Faxian, Xuanzang, Yijing and the spread of Buddhism at centres of higher learning such as Nalanda in eastern India which was visited by many students from all over the Asian world. The exhibition will be illustrated and accompanied by a display of Buddhist art and artefacts borrowed from museums in India and Southeast Asia and will include some objects from the ACM’s own collection.Asian Civilisations MuseumThu, 12 Mar 2009 07:22:25 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#5d8032fc-b92b-4240-8aef-6aba3f091241http://www.nhb.gov.sg/SAM/Home/The+Big+Picture+Show.htmIn line with Singapore Art Museum’s mission which is dedicated to the collection and display of Southeast Asian modern and contemporary art, a selection of large paintings from the Singapore Art Museum’s collection representing many countries in Southeast Asia and Asia will be on display. SAM has brought together for display some of the largest treasures in its collection. A few of these works, such as Charlie Co’s Carosa Sang MGA Espiritu, are firm favourites with museum goers, while others like Pacita Abad’s Marcos and His Cronies will be displayed for the first time since its acquisition. The show has been divided into four themes: Imagined Spaces; Larger than Life; Horizon: Poetic Landscapes and finally Horizon: The Built Up City. Singapore Art MuseumThu, 12 Mar 2009 07:22:25 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#608b6aa0-0319-408c-bbdf-3c83a241901ehttp://www.museum.go.kr/eng/display/sub_02_01.jspAncient Goguryeo tombs are famous for their mural paintings depicting the guardian deities protecting the four cardinal directions. One of the four guardians, baekho as the guardian deity of the west is conceived from the animal which has been so intimate with Korean people via various mythologies, legends and folk tales. The early images of baekho are characterized by the head of a tiger and the reptilian body comparable to that of the cheongnyong (blue dragon) which is marked by a long neck, waist and tail. The image of the 6th century, however, exhibits a more powerful supernatural figure with exaggerated mouth, protruded eyes, sharp teeth and front legs raised in front of the body in a sinister manner. The new figure is often confused with that of cheongnyong, the guardian deity of the east, but the shape of the head and the wavy stripes covering the body reveals that it is the tiger protecting the west of the universe. The exhibition shows various images of baekho collected from Ssangyeongchong (Tomb of Double Columns), Suryeopchong (Tomb of Hunting Scene), the Jinpari Tomb No. 1 and the Great Gangseo Tomb.National Museum of KoreaThu, 12 Mar 2009 07:22:25 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#c57445c2-cf32-414f-9f11-674eec6d584chttp://www.kit.nl/smartsite.shtml?id=16238Monumental Bisj poles several metres high, carved from mangrove wood, form a forest in the museum's exhibition hall. Here you can become acquainted with centuries-old rituals of the Asmat from New Guinea. These rituals, still performed today, are brought to life in a thrilling combination of light, sound and film. To this day, Bisj poles are still made by the Asmat, an ethnic group residing on the south-western coast of New Guinea. They are carved from the trunk and roots of mangrove trees. Bisj is derived from the word mbi (or mbui), which means spirit or shade of the dead. The Bisj poles represent deceased ancestors. Bisj poles were made to be used during Bisj ceremonies, which were held to commemorate deceased members of the community and to avenge them if they had been killed by the enemy. The poles also symbolise fertility and new life. The exhibition looks at the Asmat culture and consists of Bisj poles, poetry, film fragments, audio material and photographs TropenmuseumThu, 12 Mar 2009 07:22:25 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#d74c928c-d4c0-4a1b-a445-3e7c71321b9fhttp://nmvnh.org.vn/e%5Fpages/major/index.asp?uid=13The Cat Tien site was discovered by local residents and the Lam Dong provincal museum in 1985. This is a big group of relics and includes many objects that were found along the side of the Dong Nai river. The relics belong to Quang Ngai, Duc Pho communes, Cat Tien district, Lam Dong province (about 150km from Ho Chi Minh City to the Southeast). With eight excavations (from 1994 - 2006), many different architectural vestiges were unearthed by archaeologists. There were temples and longehouses, roads and brick kilns. The archaeologists defined the site as a "holy land" with many temples which were influenced by Hinduism and that existed more than 1,000 years ago.National Museum of Vietnamese HistoryThu, 12 Mar 2009 07:22:25 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#cfe014a9-5919-44fb-a7d2-1d5c291afa18http://www.muzeumazji.pl/htme/i_en.htmlThe concept of an iconographical representation of the five Buddha archetypes arose in the early stage of the development of Indian tantric Buddhism, namely in a text called Guhyasamajatantra. The Buddhas were placed in the mandala environment, with a special emphasis on direction and its meaning. The five Buddhas could be read as reflections of the historical Shakyamuni Buddha’s spiritual journey. They are also the heads of the Five Buddha Families and each and every Buddhist tantric deity must by nature belong to one or the other. The whole Tibetan Buddhist pantheon derives mainly from these five. The objects were collected by the Asia and Pacific Museum during more than 30 years, mainly brought by the founder, Director Andrzej Wawrzyniak from his Himalayan sojourns and bought from Polish travelers to Mongolia. A choice of 120 from this collection of over 2000 artifacts will be presented on the forthcoming exhibition. While we witness the growing interest in Buddhist philosophy and art in the West, our Museum has a privilege to play an important role in the process of research, presentation and display of such profound and beautiful visual phenomena to the public.Asia and Pacific Museum in WarsawThu, 12 Mar 2009 07:22:25 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#1320051d-9118-45d3-8502-262d621da089http://www.acm.org.sg/exhibitions/eventdetail.asp?eventID=356The ACM’s new Peranakan Museum will be the only one in the world to present a pan-Southeast Asian view of Peranakan culture, covering the centres of this culture – Singapore, Malacca, Penang and Indonesia – as well as exploring links with other related centres in the region such as Thailand and Myanmar. The opening will be celebrated during three weekends with festivals: Opening Weekend Festival: PERANAKAN HERITAGE The opening of the new Peranakan Museum will kick off with a bang. 26 Apr 2008 - 27 Apr 2008 2nd Weekend Festival: FAMILY FUN AT THE PERANAKAN MUSEUM Another weekend of Peranakan festivities at the Peranakan Museum. 03 May 2008 - 04 May 2008 3rd Weekend Festival: PERANAKAN FUSION Your last chance to be merry at the newly-opened Peranakan Museum. Bring your families and friends. 10 May 2008 - 11 May 2008Asian Civilisations MuseumThu, 12 Mar 2009 07:22:25 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#8251c460-6f89-43d1-ba03-6fa5e5ccaff3http://www.quaibranly.fr/en/programmation/exhibitions/currently/north-sumatra-the-batak/index.htmlThe public is invited to discover a collection of remarkable artefacts created by a people long cut off from contact with the West: the Batak. Deeply immersed in ancestral customs connected to the mythology of the beginnings of things and to natural forces, the Batak live in the north of the island of Sumatra, in a mountainous region cut through by steep valleys. The works on display (acquired from the former Barbier-Mueller collection in Geneva) give a fascinating glimpse of daily life among the Batak: living conditions, rituals, and items fashioned for everyday use items. Highly finished works, created with an evident care for ornamentation, the artefacts in the exhibition invite the visitor to lose himself in the intricacy of their detail, to share in the secrets they contain.Musée du quai BranlyThu, 12 Mar 2009 07:22:25 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#294e8c52-82dd-4e8e-89c5-f951d0f40696http://www.museu.gulbenkian.pt/exposicoes.asp?lang=en#64The exhibition of masterpieces of Islamic art from the Aga Khan Collection organised by the Aga Khan Trust for Culture which will be presented at the Temporary Exhibition Gallery of the Calouste Gulbenkian Museum in late February 2008, reveals 1000 years of artistic production from the 9th to the 19th century. The pieces are representative of a wide geographical region, ranging from Spain to Indonesia. Among the works in the exhibition, the visitor will find illuminated manuscripts, metal and glass objects, textiles, jewellery and paintings, many of which have already been shown in Parma, London and Paris. Calouste Gulbenkian MuseumThu, 12 Mar 2009 07:22:25 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#08a1ad83-3cf1-4e3d-80c8-4b14672d00e7http://www.aconet.cz/npm/eindex.htmlThe photographer presents Yemen as he sees it, i.e. as a country with a very conservative lifestyle, a country where people still wear their traditional garments and believe in traditional values. National Museum; Nàprstek Museum of Asian, African and American CulturesThu, 12 Mar 2009 07:22:25 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#c0056d8d-64c6-48dc-842a-80bef0d6d545http://www.voelkerkundemuseum.com/index.phpExplanatory text only available in GermanMuseum of EthnologyThu, 12 Mar 2009 07:22:25 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#131c9c68-7c6b-4be0-b2e2-9377bf9fa15dhttp://www.tropenmuseum.nl/smartsite.shtml?ch=FAB&id=18253The Tropenmuseum presents a photo exhibit on the Asmat people of New Guinea. The combination of historical images from the museum’s collection and contemporary photos by Wim van Oijen provide an impression of this isolated tribe. The exhibit complements the major ‘Bisj Poles’ exhibit in the Light Hall of the Tropenmuseum that highlights ancestral rituals of the Asmat. ‘Asmat, historical and contemporary photography’ runs in the Gallery of the Tropenmuseum. Asmat is a tribe from the Indonesian province of Papua (the former Dutch New Guinea). The Asmat people are most famous for their gorgeous woodcarving and ancient (abandoned) practice of headhunting. The Tropenmuseum’s historical photo collections go back to 1870. The Colonial Museum received the first batch of photos in the early 20th century. The majority of the photographs date from the 1950’s. Photographer Wim van Oijen has visited the Asmat annually since 1992, in search of what he calls the fundamental life and the contrast with his own complex world. Modernisation and globalisation continue to complicate their environment. Van Oijen’s photographs show a proud people that consciously retains their own culture and dignity. Together with the historical photographs, Wim van Oijen’s photographs form an important period document. They show a people that, despite the quick succession of changes, hold onto traditions.TropenmuseumThu, 12 Mar 2009 07:22:25 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#abc89dfa-2d30-4bd3-ac74-a8a78b5c18c5http://www.nmhc.jp/information/info/index.html#1Explanatory text only available in JapaneseNagasaki Museum of History and CultureThu, 12 Mar 2009 07:22:25 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#76e48918-da39-48a0-a0fc-2544d185a6fchttp://z08.cgpublisher.com/program.htmlAt this time of fundamental social change, what is the role of the museum, both as a creature of that change, and perhaps also as an agent of change? The International Conference on the Inclusive Museum and The International Journal of the Inclusive Museum are places where museum practioners, researchers, thinkers and teachers can engage in discussion on the historic character and future shape of the museum. The key question of the Conference and the Journal: How can the institution of the museum become more inclusive? The overall theme of the Conference is Creativity, Cultural Diversity, Intangible Heritage and Sustainable Development.National Museum of EthnologyThu, 12 Mar 2009 07:22:25 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#ee7622a3-97df-4257-8bb8-209bc0584925http://www.lcsd.gov.hk/CE/Museum/Arts/english/exhibitions/eexhibitions_s_20080401_1.htmlFounded in 1879 by Emile Guimet (1836-1918) to showcase the fruits of the grand expeditions that this industrialist from Lyon undertook to the Far East, the Musée Guimet is now home to one of the largest collections of Asian art and civilization outside Asia. In the new artistic and intellectual movements that flourished in Paris from the 18th to the 20th century, a taste for Chinese art played a major role. This exhibition recreates various Parisian locales where collectors and connoisseurs, artists and scholars cultivated, advocated and enjoyed a Chinese aesthetic. Evoking the ambience of that epoch as well as the strength of this particular trend, these reconstructed milieus serve as the backdrop for a display of some 170 works that include Chinese porcelain, lacquer, bronzes, furniture, drawings, prints and paintings. As well as selected items from the collection of the Musée Guimet, the exhibition includes exhibits from other museums and institutions in France such as the Louvre, the Musée d'Orsay and the Centre Pompidou, Paris.Hong Kong Museum of ArtThu, 12 Mar 2009 07:22:25 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#a073fc60-1e64-499a-8710-ee3880e4122bhttp://www.acm.org.sg/exhibitions/eventdetail.asp?eventID=199Drawing on the collections from the Asian Civilisations Museum, this exhibition explores the commonalities of the varied and vibrant textile arts across Southeast Asia. The exhibition is part of the 40th anniversary of ASEAN and aims to promote the continued production and demand for traditional textiles. Asian Civilisations MuseumThu, 12 Mar 2009 07:22:25 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#acf380f4-4253-4468-a301-faddef3de0aahttp://www.vam.ac.uk/exhibitions/index.htmlThe V&A’s spring exhibition, China Design Now, will explore the recent explosion of new design in China, from the 2008 Olympic stadium to the most interesting fashion and graphics. The exhibition captures a dynamic phase as China opens up to global influences, and looks at developments in three rapidly expanding cities - Beijing, Shanghai and Shenzhen. It will display the work of Chinese and international designers, focussing on architecture, fashion, youth culture and graphics as well as film, photography, product and furniture design and digital media.Victoria and Albert MuseumThu, 12 Mar 2009 07:22:25 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#2cbdebe8-c192-42b6-9c48-338bb3218b3ehttp://www.muzeumazji.pl/htme/i_en.htmlThe exhibition of little-known Chinese art of reverse glass painting, first in Poland, presents a newly acquired collection of nearly 40 pieces. Most of them were gathered by Polish sinologist Prof. Jan Rowinski. Chinese painting on glass was indebted to Jesuit missionaries and painters working at the Emperor's court in 18th century. Nevertheless, one hundred years later paintings of this kind featured already the style, motifs and symbols typical for Chinese tradition. Among the paintings presented at the exhibition, dated for 19th and 20th century, there are portraits of beautiful women, women with children, still lives, landscapes, scenes related to the Chinese mythology and literature. Some of them are painted on the mirror glass. All catch the eye by their vivid colors, naive charm of portrayed persons, rich symbolism hidden in flowers and fruits. Asia and Pacific Museum in WarsawThu, 12 Mar 2009 07:22:25 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#e8277d50-ef71-41fe-a206-d84ddcb90253http://www.tnm.jp/en/servlet/Con?pageId=A01&processId=02&event_id=4467This display traces the development of Buddhist statues from Gandhara (Ancient India), China, the Korean Peninsula, and Japan to provide insights about how Buddhist beliefs and statues developed in each region. Buddhism is a religion based on the teachings, known as dharma, of Prince Siddhartha Gautama, who lived in India around the 5th century B.C. He attained "Enlightenment" and became Sakyamuni Buddha when he was 35, and spent the rest of his life teaching his insights to others. After his death, his followers continued to practice and spread his teachings. Following his cremation, the Buddha's ashes and relics, known as sarira, were deposited in stupas, originally mound-like structures. Buddhist art developed when stupas were decorated with reliefs that depicted stories of Buddha and other designs. Initially, Buddha was not presented as a human figure. This changed around the 1st century A.D. and Buddhists began to worship the statues. Over time, Buddhism spread to other areas, where statues were crafted and worshipped in various forms. Tokyo National MuseumThu, 12 Mar 2009 07:22:25 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#e455e36f-72a8-4903-b8e0-1eec028de07chttp://www.tnm.jp/en/servlet/Con?pageId=B01&processId=01&event_id=5389This thematic display features Southeast Asian lacquer ware and ceramics which were imported to Japan during the Edo period (1603-1868) and favored in the world of the tea ceremony. Kinma is a decorative lacquer art technique, in which a design is line-engraved on the lacquered surface and later filled with colored lacquer. The name Kinma is derived from the Thai words chien mahk, a Southeast Asian custom of chewing (chien) betel nuts (mahk) mixed with quicklime and wrapped in a vine leaf. Vessels used for chien mahk were decorated in kinma and were imported to be used as tea powder containers or for the delicacies served as an accompaniment. Around the same time, Japanese tea masters became fond of a type of Southeast Asian ceramic ware. This was Vietnamese enameled ware known as "Red Annamese Ware" which is made of reddish brown clay covered with white slip and colorless transparent glaze and decorated with painted designs of flowers, deer, cows, birds, and others, by specialist craftsmen in overglaze enamel. It has a unique charm, distinct from that of the Chinese or Korean ceramics. Tokyo National MuseumThu, 12 Mar 2009 07:22:25 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#4bab2381-3fd2-430b-902f-8f4788479c4bhttp://www.tnm.jp/en/servlet/Con?pageId=B01&processId=01&event_id=5305Korean tea bowls are ceramic bowls made in Korea and used as tea bowls in Japan, and it was here that they became an especially admired form of ceramic ware. Originally mass produced in provincial Korean kilns for everyday use, they caught the attention of Japanese tea masters for their rustic simplicity. They embody the aesthetic principles of the wabi style of tea ceremony, and so became highly prized during the Tensho era (1573-92) when this was perfected. They continued to gain popularity and tea masters began to specially order their favorite style bowls. Despite being adopted into Japanese culture and the fond appreciation the Korean tea bowls received here, it is undeniable that their unique beauty was created by the potters from the privately owned kilns during the Joseon dynasty. Therefore, in recent years scholars have begun working to define the place of Korean tea bowls within the history of the ceramics and international exchanges of the Joseon dynasty. The research has included aesthetic appreciation and the study of documentary evidence, as well as the study of material evidence from excavations of kiln sites and Japanese historic sites, and has made significant progress over the last 20 years. Tokyo National MuseumThu, 12 Mar 2009 07:22:25 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#a8e33add-68e9-4d57-b2f0-9ebf0616e98ehttp://nmvnh.org.vn/e%5Fpages/news/index.aspBinh Dinh is a province of the littoral of Center Vietnam, an important door opening on the sea for the provinces of the High Lands and of South Laos. Binh Dinh is a land having a historical thickness, with its famous Sa Huynh culture, ancient capital of the Champa kingdom the vertiges of which are the citadel Do Ban, the cham towers with its original architecture. It is also the start point of the peasant uprisings of the XVIIIth century, with the name of the hero Nguyen Hue, and also the birthplace of numerous personalities of the people. Binh Dinh is also famous by its martial tradition and its rich and diversified culture with its battle music Tay Son, its song Ba Trao. The purpose of the exhibition is to present the precious ancient objects, the works of archaeological research, the restoration of the vestiges Cham in Binh Dinh, to present the potentialities and the rich touristical places of the province to the population of the capital, of the whole country and the foreign visitorsNational Museum of Vietnamese HistoryThu, 12 Mar 2009 07:22:25 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#f4814fa1-def3-440c-a99f-cc363d84452bhttp://www.lcsd.gov.hk/CE/Museum/Arts/english/exhibitions/exhibitions01_jul08_05.htmlIn 2008, the Hong Kong Museum of Art will launch a series of thematic exhibitions put together by specially invited guest curators. The exhibitions will aim to explore Hong Kong art from different angles and provoke a dialogue between Hong Kong artists and the community as well as among local and overseas artists with a view to generating more dynamic artistic experiences. To be staged between 2008 and 2009, 4 exhibitions pursue key aspects of the museum's mission: promoting contemporary ink art; seeking a new position for Hong Kong art; strengthening the museum's role in developing local art in new media; and protecting equal opportunities for minority art groups. The first exhibition has been conceived on the basis of the digital works held by the museum as well as archive from "Videotage" and the Hong Kong Art Centre's digital collection that it has built up over the past 20 years. It aims to deepen the understanding of local art in new media and its historical development, put in place a standard for the interpretation and appreciation of the "moving image" and provoke greater discussion and study of the subject. Hong Kong Museum of ArtThu, 12 Mar 2009 07:22:25 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#e73cd5aa-f93e-4c70-aec9-e77775c1453bhttp://www.tnm.jp/en/servlet/Con?pageId=B01&processId=01&event_id=5558150th Anniversary of Japan-France Diplomatic Relations Special Exhibition of the Musée d'Orsay Collection As a joint project of the Musée d'Orsay, Paris, and the Tokyo National Museum, this exhibition highlights the influence of Japanese art on French art by focusing on tableware. Popular dinnerware sets produced from 1866 to throughout the 1930s with designs taken from Japanese woodblock prints will be exhibited in conjunction with works by Hokusai, Hiroshige, and others that constituted the origins of their motifs. This exhibition is a valuable opportunity to explore the influence of Japanese art on French arts in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Tokyo National MuseumThu, 12 Mar 2009 07:22:25 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#8e4318c4-1178-4f07-a09b-971e2efe94cahttp://www.tnm.jp/en/servlet/Con?pageId=B01&processId=01&event_id=5577Although the author is unknown, this Noh drama is said to have been created by combining the Legend of Hell of Tateyama, known to be included in The Anthology of Tales from the Past, and the Legend of Uto (a kind of bird) from a Reference Book of utamakura (places famed for poetry). In the Medieval age, hunters and fishermen were socially discriminated against as people who dealt with animal killing. This drama, while dealing with the suffering of people bound by such an idea, depicts the love between a parent and child, a love common to all humans both past and present. Tokyo National MuseumThu, 12 Mar 2009 07:22:25 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#e7deba0c-01ac-457c-b886-7b7d5a896f6bhttp://www.guimet.fr/HOKUSAI-Mad-about-his-art-FromThe National Museum of Asian Art Guimet is now inventorying some 120 works of art signed by or attributed to Hokusai or his studio. in spite of the strong interest shown by French collectors for this master since the end of 19th century, no Hokusai exhibition was ever organized by the Guimet Museum. In 2001, an outstanding donation allowed by Norbert LAGANE has disclosed the Dragon among clouds, an original and unpublished painting signed by Hokusai. From the Edmond de Goncourt Hokusai, printed in 1896, in what degree has our appreciation changed? Our next exhibition will give an opportunity to gather and present for the first time all recently entered Hokusai works, and also the more ancient collection, coming mostly from the Louvre Museum, specially restored or remounted in this view.Musée National des arts asiatiques GuimetThu, 12 Mar 2009 07:22:25 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#d151249d-6174-4d61-8872-72bb31f895b7http://www.medelhavsmuseet.se/smvk/jsp/polopoly.jsp?d=220&a=11452&l=en_US The exhibition has been made possible through a unique loan from the Topkapi Palace Museum and the Museum of Turkish and Islamic Arts in Istanbul. The first porcelain to come to Europe will be on display at the exhibition. This will comprise large, splendid ornamental pieces displaying how Chinese porcelain was used at the Ottoman court during the 14th and 15th centuries. At that time the porcelain was an exclusive luxury item, and the objects on exhibition at the Mediterranean Museum today are considered to be among the most valuable of art treasures. The Ottoman sultans introduced Chinese porcelain to Europe and were the first to collect it in large amounts. That is why today there are the world’s most celebrated collections of early Chinese blue & white and celadon porcelain in Istanbul. Due to the risk of earthquake in Istanbul, these early objects will not be shown there. Porcelain is a Chinese invention, and the Chinese held the monopoly on its manufacture for a thousand years; from the Tang dynasty up until the 18th century, when the first successful copies were made in Europe. The exhibition demonstrates how via trade mutual influence between East and West led to the creation of the blue-and-white porcelain that is known all over the world today. Museum of Mediterranean and Near Eastern AntiquitiesThu, 12 Mar 2009 07:22:25 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#0c086cbe-6029-423d-81a9-e2391f30a544http://www.tnm.jp/en/servlet/Con?pageId=B01&processId=01&event_id=5315Celebrating the 120th Anniversary of KOKKA and the 130th Anniversary of The Asahi Shimbun Throughout the history of Japanese art, each generation of painters, Buddhist sculptors, potters and other artists studied the works of the masters among their contemporaries as well as their predecessors in the field to create the masterpieces over time. Comparing artworks by master artists reveals fascinating details of similarity and contrast. The visual arts of each generation flourished and were enriched by rivalry between distinguished talents. A total of approximately 100 works of well-known masterpieces and sublime works by the artists will be on view, including more than 10 objects designated as National Treasures and approximately 40 works designated as Important Cultural Properties. Tokyo National MuseumThu, 12 Mar 2009 07:22:25 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#e3035381-c18c-4265-bb5e-fe240d85d71ehttp://www.ostasiatiska.se/smvk/jsp/polopoly.jsp?d=146&a=11528Videos by young Beijing artists: Jiang Zhi, Kan Xuan, Chen Shaoxing, Zhao Bandi, Zhao Liang, Lu Chuncheng, Sun Xun and Song Tao Explanatory text only available in SwedishMuseum of Far Eastern AntiquitiesThu, 12 Mar 2009 07:22:25 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#edc35032-ff0c-4c37-bb16-f8a88f8e5f19http://www.tnm.jp/en/servlet/Con?pageId=B01&processId=01&event_id=5418This exhibition, the second of a two-part thematic series, features garments and daily utensils of educated men in the Joseon Dynasty. The ideal way of living for yangban (members of the nobility class), from which most of high-ranking government officials came, was the humble but elegant life of sonbi - literati/scholars who highly valued Confucian philosophy, including the five virtues; benevolence, righteousness, propriety, wisdom, and fidelity, as well as harmony with others. Their sophisticated aesthetic sense is reflected in their mostly white garments and the plain furnishings of their living quarters (known as sarangbang). On the other hand, their official garments, battle attire and ceremonial dresses show combinations of vivid colors. These color schemes are strictly defined according to the ideas of Ying and Yang and the Five Elements, and their color contrasts create a unique tension. The display also features garments for children, worn on the occasion of their first birthday (tol). Tokyo National MuseumThu, 12 Mar 2009 07:22:25 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#afe29dc3-ab44-4d6d-a259-e7d3f4a16b5ahttp://www.nus.edu.sg/museum/exhibitions_nx.htmlFrom Sudjojono's idealistic articulations of the real as Indonesian nationalist and revolutionary aesthetic in the mid-20th century, the exhibition traces changes and continuities in ideas, polemics and practices in artistic representations of the real through to the works of fourteen contemporary Indonesian artists in the last decade. No longer seen merely as a visual style in artistic representation but instead as enduring values and attitudes, the exhibition will address ideas and discourse on the real by continually questioning the function of the artist in society and what constitutes the real as seen by them. A total of forty works of S. Sudjojono and contemporary artists drawn from various private and institutional collections in Indonesia and Singapore will be exhibited alongside each other in two galleries in NUS Museum – NX Gallery and part of the South and Southeast Asian Collection Gallery – to reveal connections between the modern and contemporary along the discourse of artistic representations of the real. NUS Museum, NUS Centre For the ArtsThu, 12 Mar 2009 07:22:25 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#4f407188-aef7-46f5-b22f-943e204b8a61http://www.ostasiatiska.se/smvk/jsp/polopoly.jsp?d=146&a=11530Photographs by photographer and art historian Osvald Sirén made in 1921-1923. An impressive documentation of Peking's architecture and streetlife. Explanatory text only available in SwedishMuseum of Far Eastern AntiquitiesThu, 12 Mar 2009 07:22:25 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#9badf94b-d681-41c5-a599-3343ade60452http://www.tnm.jp/en/servlet/Con?pageId=B01&processId=01&event_id=5305Korean tea bowls are ceramic bowls made in Korea and used as tea bowls in Japan, and it was here that they became an especially admired form of ceramic ware. Originally mass produced in provincial Korean kilns for everyday use, they caught the attention of Japanese tea masters for their rustic simplicity. They embody the aesthetic principles of the wabi style of tea ceremony, and so became highly prized during the Tensho era (1573-92) when this was perfected. They continued to gain popularity and tea masters began to specially order their favorite style bowls. Despite being adopted into Japanese culture and the fond appreciation the Korean tea bowls received here, it is undeniable that their unique beauty was created by the potters from the privately owned kilns during the Joseon dynasty. Therefore, in recent years scholars have begun working to define the place of Korean tea bowls within the history of the ceramics and international exchanges of the Joseon dynasty. The research has included aesthetic appreciation and the study of documentary evidence, as well as the study of material evidence from excavations of kiln sites and Japanese historic sites, and has made significant progress over the last 20 years. Tokyo National MuseumThu, 12 Mar 2009 07:22:25 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#57098b36-5324-4742-b24a-4194b736253dhttp://www.vme.org.vn/news_detail.asp?ID=784This exhibition is the result of a project that brings together community, environment, youth, and creativity. 19 young photographers from the Youth Union of Thinh Quang ward in Hanoi worked under the guidance of Paul Zetter, director of Ensemble Creative Training and Development, and Action for the City, a local NGO with a passion for the city. The project was funded by the SIDA Environmental Fund. Mirror? uses the technique of photovoice, a community-building methodology that aims to deepen and enrich a person’s engagement with their community at different levels, both personal and social. The end product of mainstream photography projects—the photographs—becomes secondary in photovoice where a renewed sense of engagement in the community, the making of new relationships and personal growth are the primary goals. 60 photographs will be displayed at the exhibition. The main subject of Mirror? is the To Lich River, famous for its past beauty and present pollution. Some pictures in this exhibition expose the raw and filthy aspects of the river while others depict hope and humor. The questions asked by all of them are, “If the river could speak, what would it say? Is the river a reflection of our lives?” The exhibition invites the viewers to reflect on issues that face the city. Before this exhibition, Mirror? was displayed at the Thinh Quang Primary School and Thai Thinh Junior Secondary School. The current exhibition has been redesigned and reprinted for display at the Vietnam Museum of Ethnology.Viet Nam Museum of EthnologyThu, 12 Mar 2009 07:22:25 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#627f1a0d-86ef-49f6-b76a-fef13e9852bahttp://www.museorientale.it/index.cfm?area=eventi&cont=temporaneeA selection of 40 works of Taiwanese photographers. Explanatory text only available in Italian. Museo Nazionale Preistorico Etnografico "Luigi Pigorini"Thu, 12 Mar 2009 07:22:25 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#b4958220-eaf5-4859-9b82-e74f6b54c036http://www.tnm.jp/en/servlet/Con?pageId=B01&processId=01&event_id=5603As well as being famous as one of the Three Distinguished Calligraphers of the Late Edo Period and being a calligraphy teacher with many students, Ichikawa Beian (1779-1858) was also an avid collector of art and antiquities. His collection is said to have included over 1000 pieces, covering a wide range of fields including Chinese and Japanese paintings, ink rubbings, antiques and stationery. Following his death, Beian's collection was scattered and lost. However his son, Mr. Ichikawa Sanji (Sanken), went to great lengths to reassemble the collection and in 1900 he donated it to the Tokyo Imperial Household Museum (the present Tokyo National Museum). Prior to this, a group of calligraphy, paintings and ink rubbings that had been on loan to the Shoheiko (a Tokugawa government school focusing mainly on Confucian studies) was donated to the museum by Beian's grandson, Mr. Ichikawa Santei. This exhibit features several items from the collection, including examples of Chinese calligraphy and paintings from the aforementioned catalogue as well as other items such as ink stones, brush stands and bronzes. Although some of the artists in this collection may not be famous names in art history, these are nonetheless precious resources for researching Edo culture. Tokyo National MuseumThu, 12 Mar 2009 07:22:25 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#0d8762f8-708b-4053-abc2-678e8e13fd78http://www.museum.go.kr/kor/exh/exh_main.jspExplanatory text only available in KoreanNational Museum of KoreaThu, 12 Mar 2009 07:22:25 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#b7a5be5f-e456-40ce-b824-fc62800551cchttp://www.ostasiatiska.se/smvk/jsp/polopoly.jsp?d=146&a=11526&l=sv_SEVisit a real Chinese garden in front of the museum at Skeppsholmen, right in the middle of Stockholm. Explanatory text only available in Swedish.Museum of Far Eastern AntiquitiesThu, 12 Mar 2009 07:22:25 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#ebe6ec6d-ded4-4837-b73d-595d0208e0e3http://www.vme.org.vn/news_detail.asp?ID=804In the Autumn festival 2008, the Vietnam Museum of Ethnology will organize an entertainment program for children and family during 3 days: 12-13-14/9 (in 13-14-15/8 Lunar calendar, on Friday, Saturday and Sunday). Beside the exhibition, performance, guidance of how to make toys and play traditional games as in the previous years, several toys and games will be introduce the first time at the VME. Especially, lion dance groups of the Viet, the Hoa and the Khmer from Bac Lieu province will be invited to perform special and joyful acts. This is also the lion dance which participated in the Smithsonian Festival, the U.S in 2007 and in the Vietnamese Culture Festival organized in May and June, 2008 in Singapore.Viet Nam Museum of EthnologyThu, 12 Mar 2009 07:22:25 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#a586bba4-68a3-450a-acc8-608f50cef2f2http://www.quaibranly.fr/en/programmation/exhibitions/currently/art-and-divinity-in-polynesia-1760-1860/index.htmlThis exhibition gathers together more than 250 works of Polynesian art from the 18th and 19th centuries, from the collections of the great European museums but which are rarely exhibited: astonishing divine images, ivory ornaments, war bonnets, decorated textiles… The exhibition therefore explores the Pacific Islands at the time of their first contact with European travellers, missionaries and colonists. Before coming to the Musée du quai Branly, the exhibition was shown at the Sainsbury Centre for Visual Arts and then at the British Museum under the name “Pacific Encounters”. The Polynesian Islands (from the Greek polys and nesos: “many islands”) were first explored 3000 years ago by the first travellers to venture east from the Western Pacific. In the 18th century, the entire region of the “Polynesian Triangle” (composed of Hawaii, the Easter Islands and New Zealand) had long been inhabited by the Polynesian people who shared the same roots.Musée du quai BranlyThu, 12 Mar 2009 07:22:25 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#183541e6-8b36-4aaf-a85d-0b77a2248a7chttp://www.princessehof.nl/2007/extras.php?e=26&t=actueelExhibition on the wife of a former Head of the Dutch Trading Post on Decima, Japan. Explanatory text only available in Dutch.Keramiekmuseum PrincessehofThu, 12 Mar 2009 07:22:25 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#08110397-cb47-4765-8c97-6254c17c6b01http://www.tnm.jp/en/servlet/Con?pageId=B01&processId=01&event_id=5587Rokuharamitsuji, originally named Saikoji, was founded by the priest Kuya Shonin outside the capital of Kyoto (present Higashiyamaku of Kyoto city) in the mid-10th century during the Heian period (794-1192). It became a betsuin (a branch of the head temple) of Tendai Buddhism in 977 and was given its current name. The district around Rokuharamitsuji was adjacent to a mortuary place, where funerals were held and cemeteries were located, and was also popular as a marketplace. Buddhist events were frequently held and attracted many people. Many stories related to the temple are included in collections of stories and legends such as The Anthology of Tales from the Past. In the second half of the 12th century members of the Heike clan had their residences in this area, and in the Kamakura period (1192-1333) the military government in Kamakura had its branch office Rokuhara Tandai there. Because Rokuharamitsuji continued to attract many people, and also because it was located in a place of political importance, Heian and Kamakura period masterpieces of Buddhist statues have been preserved there. We are fortunate to be able to display the statues from Rokuharamitsuji, which seldom leave the temple, here at the Museum on the occasion of the renovation of the temple's treasure house. The display demonstrates how the sculptural style of Buddhist statues changed from the 10th through the 13th century. Tokyo National MuseumThu, 12 Mar 2009 07:22:25 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#36a73c2c-6b97-463a-97cd-aa60cd8dfbb1http://www.tnm.jp/en/servlet/Con?pageId=B01&processId=01&event_id=5604Unkei, active from the late Heian (794-1192) to the early Kamakura (1192-1333) periods, is one of the most important Buddhist sculptors in the history of Japanese sculpture. He belonged to the group of Buddhist sculptors now known as the Kei school, which was active in Nara. Being the earlier capital, many Tenpyo style sculptures of the Nara period (710-794) were preserved there. Unkei studied these classical works and created a new style which was realistic and dynamic. Unkei worked not only for the old customers in Nara and Kyoto; he also met the demands of the new power in Japan, the Kamakura military government. Works for the new patrons included the statues preserved at Ganjojuin in Shizuoka commissioned by Hojo Yorimasa, the father-in-law of the first shogun Minamoto no Yoritomo. The two statues of Dainichi Nyorai (Mahavairocana), owned by Kotokuji temple and Shinnyoen respectively, are thought to have been produced by Unkei and possibly commissioned by Ashikaga Yoshikane, a vassal of the shogun. Through these works Unkei's style spread among the Kanto region sculptors. This thematic display features: the two statues of Dainichi Nyorai, which are most probably by Unkei himself; the Twelve Heavenly Generals, which some scholars think were produced at Unkei's studio; some Unkei style statues from the Kanto region; as well as works by Koen, Unkei's grandson. Tokyo National MuseumThu, 12 Mar 2009 07:22:25 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#6a6fe216-bf17-4520-add7-5302c2771ca1http://www.nhb.gov.sg/SAM/Post-Doi+Moi.htmSince adopting the open-door policy in 1986 with the implementation of the Doi Moi (Renovation) policies, developments in art in Vietnam have corresponded to the dynamic changes taking place in the economic, social and political spheres. What was once regarded as ‘politically correct’, artists experimented beyond Realism, with both Western art approaches and the traditional arts, adapting, adopting and appropriating forms and appearances to which the end was often to create an art that is ‘Vietnamese’. Post-Doi Moi: Vietnamese Art after 1990 is set to examine the changes that took place after the implementation of the Renovation policies. What was once a subsidy system implemented with the re-unification of the country when the Viet Minh won the war in 1976, it was replaced with an open-market economy. The starting point in the exhibition is 1990 with the year marking the first commercial art gallery to open in Hanoi and based on the assumption that the policies would have needed a period of gestation before changes are made apparent. A total of 62 works is on display within four sections – Reminiscence, Land, Individual and Transformation. Through these themes, the changes in the development of art during the last two decades can be systematically studied.Singapore Art MuseumThu, 12 Mar 2009 07:22:25 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#ed1bdcf5-bf61-40aa-aa8e-3e379aa7bc11http://www.princessehof.nl/2007/extras.php?e=27&t=actueelArnold Zimmerman (New York, 1954) is a storyteller. In his recent work, he creates scenes in which working class heroes assume the leading role. The figures are vigorously engaged in construction activities in an architectural setting. Toiling workers, prisoners in an infinite repetition of their actions, and blind to the patterns from which they cannot escape. The workers and their constructions are an amalgamation of styles and historical periods. Sometimes they appear to originate from the Middle Ages. At other times, they appear to be situated in the crisis years of the previous century. Specifically for this exhibition, architect Tiago Montepegado has converted one of the main museum rooms into a construction site. Zimmerman’s sculptures are positioned in a maze of construction scaffolding. When entering this maze, the visitor is absorbed in the structure of the Inner City. Inner City was first shown in Lisbon, at the Museu da Electricidade - an ancient power plant. The exhibition was a collaboration between Arnie Zimmerman and Tiago Monte-Pegado, where the Portuguese architect acting as the City Planner conceived a space inhabited by Zimmerman's figures and buildings. Keramiekmuseum PrincessehofThu, 12 Mar 2009 07:22:25 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#e01b909f-f6f0-4347-804e-05b2e464aa70http://www.museum.go.kr/eng/display/special_view.jsp75 Objects in the Asian Art Galery. Qingbai porcelain, also known as shady-blue porcelain, was one of the most favored types of pottery in China during the Song and Yuan Dynasties. Its distinctive pattern of blue shadows against a white background was meant to imitate the hue and texture of Qingbai jade and its refined aura marks it as a crowning achievement of Asian art. The purity and elegance of the porcelain produced at the Jingdezhen kiln well-suited the Yuan fondness for the color white. It attracted the interest of the court, establishing a pattern of imperial patronage which would extend well into the Qing Dynasty. This exhibition highlights several key aspects of Jingdezhen Qingbai porcelain, all of which are displayed in the completely renovated Sinan Seabed Relics Exhibition Room. National Museum of KoreaThu, 12 Mar 2009 07:22:25 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#896045db-b0d7-4d94-b85c-100ba985c070http://www.tnm.jp/en/servlet/Con?pageId=B01&processId=01&event_id=5586The Tokyo National Museum's collection of ethnological materials from Okinawa is mainly composed of objects purchased by the Ministry of Agriculture and Commerce from Okinawa prefecture in 1884. In 1882, the German Anthropological Society asked the Ministry to collect Okinawan ethnographical objects as reference materials for study. Objects which were not collected in time to send to Germany and spare samples were sent to Tokyo and transferred to the museum. Because many cultural properties, including ethnographical materials, were destroyed in Okinawa prefecture during World War II, the Tokyo National Museum's collection is among the oldest such ethnographical collections in existence. Worthy of special note are materials related to noro (ritual officers) of Yamato-mura, Amamioshima Island, which were donated by Ms. Yamato Yoshiko in 1998. Formerly in the conscientious care of Mrs. Osada Suma, a researcher of Amami dialect, they are important for the study of the Okinawan culture. This display features the decorative art of Okinawa including metalwork, colorful textiles, ceramics which show influences from various sources, lacquerware created under the influence of China and jade pieces which are thought to have been used by noro. Tokyo National MuseumThu, 12 Mar 2009 07:22:25 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#48c49387-5b0f-4904-acb6-a81f4a9131ffhttp://www.acm.org.sg/exhibitions/eventdetail.asp?eventID=290This exhibition will focus on one of Asia’s fastest growing economies – Vietnam. Visitors will be able to explore Vietnam's unique cultural identity, as seen in the diverse material cultures that developed over the past 2,500 years. This rich legacy is the result of different cultural influences, which were absorbed and adapted. The advanced bronze technology of the Dong Son culture of northern Vietnam some 2,500 years ago, shared similarities with Chinese traditions and was also exported to other parts of Southeast Asia. The Viet culture of the northern Red River region, was heavily influenced by China during the first 1,000 years of the common era, when the region was under Chinese rule. In central Vietnam, the Hindu Buddhist kingdom of Champa left an important legacy of temples and sculpture, inspired by Indian traditions. In the highlands and other remote areas, tribal communities involved in cross-border trade also engaged in the process of cross-cultural adaptation. Important pieces from national museums around Vietnam, will be exhibited in this exhibition, including archaeological materials, sculpture, textiles and ethnographic objects. Some exhibits will come from private collections and the ACM’s own collection. Asian Civilisations MuseumThu, 12 Mar 2009 07:22:25 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#a334e49e-aea3-4ecb-84b6-d5ec1b62f855http://www.nhb.gov.sg/SAM/ExhibitionsEvents/TAV.htm“The Artists Village: 20 years On” addresses many issues concerning the history, or rather, memories of TAV. History encompasses verifiable events and accounts of those events. The reciprocal relationship between memory, forgetting, and history questions and reveals how remembering and forgetting alters our perception of historical experience and the production of discourses. The dynamics of individual and collective social memories of TAV artists during the Ulu Sembawang period and the Post-Ulu periods offer multiple entry points to our understanding of TAV. Other forms of memories such as memories that have been written and archived brings to the fore the role of infrastructural memory in the form of museums, archives, monuments and other sites of memories in the construction of historical narratives.Singapore Art MuseumThu, 12 Mar 2009 07:22:25 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#855c92df-11b6-4a96-8a6e-9323ffdec876http://www.tnm.jp/en/servlet/Con?pageId=B01&processId=01&event_id=5703Before the invention of air conditioners, fans were used not only in Japan but also in other parts of Asia, including the Korean peninsula. The early evidence of fans in Korea include a round fan handle from a tomb dated to the 1st century B.C. and the painting of a figure using a round fan on the wall of a tomb dated to the 4th century. The earliest written record concerning fans can be found in the Samguk Sagi (Historical Record of the Three Kingdoms), according to which a local ruler in Silla heard of the enthronement of the first king of Goryeo in 918 and sent one of his vassals to the king to convey words of congratulations and present a gift of "a peacock fan" and arrows made of bamboo from Mt. Jiri. During the Joseon dynasty, men used folding fans and women mainly used round fans. Korean fans have various shapes and decorations, each of which has its own name. This exhibition features round fans collected in four areas of the southern part of the Korean peninsula. Tokyo National MuseumThu, 12 Mar 2009 07:22:25 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#b7492195-4ca3-4f0d-819e-0978b69cc9c6http://www.voelkerkundemuseum-muenchen.de/inhalt/html/sonder.html#gaertenDie Gärten Kyôtos im Wandel der Jahreszeiten. Photographien von Mizuno Katsuhiko. The gardens of Kyoto in the changing seasons, photographs by Mizuno Katsuhiko. Explanatory text only available in German State Museum of EthnologyThu, 12 Mar 2009 07:22:25 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#fd64ff20-9752-4f17-a82a-1a1b06f83e2bhttp://www.lcsd.gov.hk/CE/Museum/Arts/english/exhibitions/exhibitions01_jul08_03.htmlIn 1927, Huang Bore (1901-1968) took up the role of active defender of traditional Chinese painting and aroused a heated debate between traditionalists and the followers of the Lingnan master Gao Jianfu in Guangzhou. Much later, in the 1960s, he executed drastic changes in his painting style that proclaimed him as a forerunner in the renewal of the traditions of landscape painting. Extensive trips and sketching sojourns around Hong Kong inspired his work: capturing and transforming the special qualities of the local scenery through a modern interpretation of the heritage of expressive landscapes of the literati painters, he ultimately developed a unique style. Huang Bore's choice of local scenery as his subject matter revealed his strong attachment to Hong Kong. Now, thanks to the generous donation of hundreds of sketches by his sons Wong Tai Sing and Huang Dade and their loan of ink paintings by their father, we can rediscover the artist's wonderfully varied views of Hong Kong's beautiful natural landscape.Hong Kong Museum of ArtThu, 12 Mar 2009 07:22:25 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#a75cb34d-e886-4970-b4e3-fcf0f1cb0486http://www.acm.org.sg/exhibitions/exhibitions.aspAdmire a diverse showcase of colourful artefacts, including Chairman Mao-inspired badges, books and porcelain items. These objects were circulated during the Cultural Revolution for the purposes of education and propaganda in a nation-wide campaign between 1966 and 1976. Learn how the Chinese leadership sought to renew and keep the revolutionary spirit alive during this period through these historic items. Asian Civilisations MuseumThu, 12 Mar 2009 07:22:25 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#28bf49d5-c4cb-4eb7-8dd4-1dc70c829dd4http://www.ostasiatiska.se/smvk/jsp/polopoly.jsp?d=146&a=12388A poetic mix of portraits and urban landscapes, photographed in Japan between 2004-2007 by the Swedish photographer Aia Jüdes. Expanatory text only available in Swedish. Museum of Far Eastern AntiquitiesThu, 12 Mar 2009 07:22:25 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#06b07d8d-4bb2-4133-a3eb-15ca25400900http://www.tnm.jp/en/servlet/Con?pageId=B01&processId=01&event_id=5614Meibutsugire (celebrated fabrics) were a type of dyed and woven fabric brought to Japan from places like China, mainly from the Kamakura period to the early Edo period. They include fabrics such as kinran (gold brocade), donsu (damask), nishiki (Japanese brocade) and kando (striped textile), produced during the Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties. They were owned by daimyo or by temples and shrines and were used for a variety of purposes. For example, they were sometimes used as mountings for calligraphic works and paintings, or as bags for tea ceremony utensils such as tea caddies, bowls etc. The meibutsugire are being displayed in a series of four exhibitions, each exhibition featuring a different kind of design. In this, the second of the series, we will be shining the spotlight on designs featuring birds and beasts. Starting with animals like dragons or rabbits, these designs also feature motifs of birds like the phoenix, the crane and waterfowl as well as various fish. These motifs are sometimes used by themselves but can more often be seen combined with several other patterns.Tokyo National MuseumThu, 12 Mar 2009 07:22:25 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#103dc3b0-648d-4eb0-8175-594d81c26b97http://www.tnm.jp/These puppets, representing characters from the epic Indian poem the Mahabharata, are used in Wayang Kulit, a form of shadow puppetry from Indonesia. Wayang Kulit has evolved naturally over the years, adding new and original stories for example, or giving the characters more Indonesian-sounding names (such as changing Krishna to Kresna.) The puppets are made from buffalo leather and the rods used to support them made from buffalo horn. The puppet's exquisite shape is first chiseled out using very fine tools and then painted. The dalang (puppeteer) brings the puppets to life with his skillful improvised performance and narration, keeping the audience spellbound all night long. While listening to this narration and the accompanying music of the gamelan (an Indonesian musical ensemble), the audience can enjoy watching the puppets' silhouettes and can even go behind the screen to watch the dalang himself in action.Tokyo National MuseumThu, 12 Mar 2009 07:22:25 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#8698605d-604c-4362-940f-70bb730cdf0chttp://www.ostasiatiska.se/smvk/jsp/polopoly.jsp?d=1452&a=12386Explanatory text only available in SwedishMuseum of Far Eastern AntiquitiesThu, 12 Mar 2009 07:22:25 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#57c1ce60-1a9d-474c-8f1c-beaaa187d423http://www.lcsd.gov.hk/CE/Museum/Arts/english/exhibitions/exhibitions01_jul08_04.htmlExhibition Series II: "New Ink Art: Innovation and Beyond by guest curator Mrs. Alice King Alice King is the Chairman of the Ink Society, who devoted herself to promote Chinese art. Over the past 20 years, she has organized and exhibited more than 100 shows for Chinese artists from overseas, the Mainland and Hong Kong. "Ink painting is a unique, ever-changing form of traditional Chinese art. Over the years, it has continued to grow and flourish in the hands of great masters from different dynasties, shaped by social, economic and cultural values of the times. The exhibition "New Ink Art: Innovation and Beyond" aims to raise the question on how ink painting with its 3000 years of history has evolved through time to become an art form that is contemporary yet strongly rooted in tradition. This exhibition will exhibit works by the early masters including Lui Shoukwan, Luis Chan and Liu Guosong, to highlight the development of and changes in ink-painting in Hong Kong under the influence of the city's unique culture. The exhibition will focus on the development of ink art in Hong Kong and will also strive to understand "ink" in its broadest sense, seeing it not merely as a medium but rather to highlight its aesthetics and essence. The exhibition will be divided into six themes: Innovators to be Remembered, Beyond Tradition, Evolving City Life, Transformed Text, New Frontier & Is it Ink Art to infinite possibilities for the future development of ink art.Hong Kong Museum of ArtThu, 12 Mar 2009 07:22:25 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#df589507-e552-4e51-b026-b5903e4f3cd8http://www.tnm.jp/en/servlet/Con?pageId=B01&processId=01&event_id=5717'Yong' are ancient Chinese figures made mostly of clay. They may look cute, but they are certainly not toys! In ancient times it was believed that after death, spirits of the deceased lived the same kind of life in their tombs as when they were alive. For this reason, pottery figures of servants, soldiers, performers and animals etc. were placed in the tomb to serve the departed person's spirit. Yong have existed since long ago, but the objects displayed here are mainly from the 3rd period BC to the 6th period AD. This corresponds to the period of the Han dynasty and the Northern dynasties (the several kingdoms who ruled over the northern area of China during the Southern and Northern dynasties period). The Han and Northern dynasties Yong range from small, cute ones that could fit in the palm of your hand, to bigger ones over 50 cms high. Please note the body shape and facial expressions. Some Yong are smiling and others are angry figures with fearsome faces. They differ from each other in many ways depending on, amongst other things, their role, sex or era. These diversified expressions are one of the charms of Yong. Tokyo National MuseumThu, 12 Mar 2009 07:22:25 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#18d907e0-f6af-4e56-85f8-e5903716699fhttp://www.muzeumazji.pl/htme/gal_a.html Asmat tribe inhabits relatively small, coastal area in the south-west of New Guinea. Until recently they had been considered as cruel headhunters, defending their primitive lifestyle with determination. Nowadays, they are regarded as representatives of the most colorful and interesting Melanesian culture and are associated with their artistic achievements rather than with gloomy time of a permanent war and cannibalism. From the Neolithic society of the stone age until present days they have walked a short but turbulent way completely transferring their world. Their tribal traditions had been affected by external cultural influences. Now, people of the Asmat tribe do not fight but create. Artistic rivalry is giving them a substitute of war struggle. On a remarkably rich artistic map of New Guinea, Asmats territory is an important centre of the traditional art. In 2007, thanks to the cooperation with young biologists from Warsaw, Anna and Jakub Urbański, Asmat collection in the Asia and Pacific Museum was considerably enriched. During the stay among Asmat tribe they managed to gather an important collection of local art. For the first time in Poland the exhibition presents ceremonial columns bisj – openwork sculptures few meters high; massive, decorated war shields jamasj; subtly weaved, mysterious ceremonial and ritual dresses jipae and jiwawoka; ancestors figures kawe. Asia and Pacific Museum in WarsawThu, 12 Mar 2009 07:22:25 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#1e03b8af-880d-4fa7-9a17-40fc7c01d757http://www.museum.go.kr/kor/index.jspExplanatory text only available in Korean.National Museum of KoreaThu, 12 Mar 2009 07:22:25 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#67479c1d-41a0-4eaf-bd1f-b82b602f5243http://www.tnm.jp/en/servlet/Con?pageId=B01&processId=01&event_id=5720Every autumn we present "Masterpieces of Chinese Paintings and Calligraphy", which features works from the Museum's collection and pieces from other collections in the Museum's custody. Chinese calligraphy and paintings have been imported to Japan for a long time, and these works have had a large impact on Japanese art. A particular example of this would be the influence of works from the Song (960-1279) and Yuan (1271-1368) dynasties, which were introduced together with Zen Buddhism following the Kamakura period (1192-1333). Placed in studies and tea rooms, these works provided the basis of a new way to appreciate the arts in Japan. Among the renowned Higashiyama Gomotsu Collection, which was part of the shogun's collection of art objects and books. during the Muromachi period (1336-1573), are works of representative Chinese calligraphy that can no longer be found in China. Since the Meiji period (1868-1912) the Japanese intellectuals have strived to follow the traditional tastes of learned Chinese, so they imported many masterpieces of Chinese painting and calligraphy. Tokyo National MuseumThu, 12 Mar 2009 07:22:25 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#4048aa80-349c-4668-879a-a5090f013896http://www.museum.go.kr/kor/exh/exh_main.jspExplanatory text only available in Korean.National Museum of KoreaThu, 12 Mar 2009 07:22:25 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#c9a08cc0-1024-45ef-8e49-c3212f00be8dhttp://www.tnm.jp/en/servlet/Con?pageId=B01&processId=01&event_id=5891The Noh costume style we know today was completed in the mid-Edo Period (1603-1868). Karaori, woven using many gold threads and decorated with designs woven in colorful additional threads, were used mainly as outer garments for female roles. Kariginu and happi with substantial design motifs woven in gold threads were suitable for roles of higher positions such as demon-gods and emperors. The creation of such gorgeous styles as these were possible only because of the highly advanced weaving techniques which rapidly developed in Japan from the Edo period, and because of the patronage of feudal lords who spent their fortune unsparingly for the Noh theatrical art. This exhibition is centered around three main collections: those costumes preserved by the Konparuza troupe in Nara, a city located in the area where Noh first emerged; those formerly owned by the Mori family, recorded as having been used by the head of the family when he performed in front of Hideyoshi; and the collection of Azuchi-Momoyama period Noh costumes owned and preserved by the Kasuga Jinja shrine in Seki-shi, Gifu.Tokyo National MuseumThu, 12 Mar 2009 07:22:25 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#68798155-1dbd-4af4-9edf-774406721e81http://www.ostasiatiska.se/smvk/jsp/polopoly.jsp?d=1452&a=12970Various acitivities with traditional paper. Explanatory text only available in Swedish.Museum of Far Eastern AntiquitiesThu, 12 Mar 2009 07:22:25 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#e7932b8f-2ebf-4aa8-819d-0c9ff10b3efbhttp://www.tropenmuseum.nl/smartsite.shtml?ch=FAB&id=21826Visitors of the Tropenmuseum get a look in the daily life of contemporary Indonesia. Different crews filmed during 24 hours on eight locations spread over whole Indonesia. These shots give a non-directed outlook on the daily life in public.  At schools, markets, restaurants and stadiums.  TropenmuseumThu, 12 Mar 2009 07:22:25 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#cd950606-1674-4598-8c08-76b21b763b3dhttp://www.tnm.jp/en/servlet/Con?pageId=B01&processId=01&event_id=5615Nachisan (Mt.Nachi), located in Higashimuro-gun, Wakayama, is one of the Three Sacred Mountains of Kumano, with the Nachi Waterfall (also known as Ichinotaki) as its primary object of worship. At the area called Kareike, along the path leading to this waterfall, a large amount of objects related to Buddhism, including sculptural and engraved images of divinities and ritual implements, were unearthed in 1918 and 1930. About 70 sutra cases were found, suggesting that there were a large number of sutra mounds, where Buddhist scriptures and other related objects were buried to be preserved for the world to come after the long period of the decline of Buddhism. Another noteworthy group of objects consists of Esoteric Buddhist statues and sanmayagyo (objects and mudras representing specific Esoteric Buddhist divinities) which form Jojin-e (the center section of the nine-sectioned Kongokai Mandala). Usually a mandala is painted on paper or silk, but in this case it is three-dimensionally represented using relief images of the divinities and of sanmayagyo resting on bowl-shaped lotus pedestals. This is the only example of such an object. The group also include Esoteric Buddhist implements, such as five kinds of ritual bells, vajras with a single prong, five prongs, or sacred jewel at each end, an incense burner, a set of six bowls, katsuma (a cross of vajras with three prongs), and shiketsu (four stakes on the four corners of an altar to rope off the sanctuary). Tokyo National MuseumThu, 12 Mar 2009 07:22:25 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#d3ae08a1-73bb-42c5-887b-b3bf4a7c124dhttp://www.etnografiska.se/smvk/jsp/polopoly.jsp?d=1697&a=12124&l=en_USThe Chinese Cultural Revolution started in 1966 to reconquer Mao Zedong’s power within the Chinese Communist Party – lost partly due to the failure of the «Great Leap Forward». Mao Zedong called upon the population to overthrow China’s perceived enemies and seize control of the state and party. This struggle for power turned into wide-scale social and political chaos. Photographer Solange Brand: In the first turbulent months of the Cultural Revolution, Solange Brand, a French girl of 20, was in Peking. She had arrived in China at the end of 1965, and was working as a secretary at the French Embassy. Solange Brand took these images for herself. As a foreigner she could not see «beyond» what she was allowed to, therefore these photographs do not claim to be representative of the «entire» Cultural Revolution. However, they capture something quite rare and spon- taneous from the time. Propaganda posters: The posters of the Cultural Revolution had an instructive and encouraging purpose. The exhibition displays how the posters were used as a remodelling tool. Posters in millions: These posters are later examples (1974/5) of those used from the very beginning of the Cultural Revolution. They were often made by anonymous artists or were the result of a collective effort. Museum of EthnographyThu, 12 Mar 2009 07:22:25 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#0233eb58-8256-4e17-b4da-1b9a06ea2869http://www.tnm.jp/en/servlet/Con?pageId=B01&processId=01&event_id=5705Celebrating the 350th Anniversary of Ogata Korin's Birth Featuring Rinpa masterpieces, by renowned artists such as Koetsu, Sotatsu, Korin, Kenzan, Hoitsu, and Kiitsu owned by collections in Japan and overseas, exhibited together to introduce the works of great individuality from this celebrated tradition. This exhibition is held in celebration of the 350th anniversary of the birth of Rinpa master, Ogata Korin. Tokyo National MuseumThu, 12 Mar 2009 07:22:25 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#8b9f5233-7fe4-49a6-8fa9-5a6eedaf0efahttp://www.nus.edu.sg/museum/exhibitions_ventura.htmlRonald Ventura in Mapping the Corporeal lays groundwork for an investigation of the commodification of the human body, paranoia and religious consciousness in modern societies. In his most recent series, the material existence of modern life becomes a terrain that marks the regulation of social life from its interior, following it, interpreting it, absorbing it, and rearticulating it as a situation where the production and reproduction of life itself is at stake. Ventura expresses these ‘tensions’ in the form of sculptures, assemblages and hyperrealist paintings which are created mainly in graphite on canvas. Ronald Ventura was born in 1973 and studied painting at the Philippines College of Architecture and Fine Arts, University of Santo Tomas, Manila. The exhibition will be presented during the period of the Singapore Biennale 2008. NUS Museum, NUS Centre For the ArtsThu, 12 Mar 2009 07:22:25 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#7b56faf3-bcc5-4b5c-acff-cd7d03135e9bhttp://www.nus.edu.sg/museum/exhibitions.htmThis exhibition showcases the recent donation by the late Cultural Medallion recipient Chua Ek Kay, Mrs Betty Lee, Ms Linden Foo and others. Featuring over 10 pieces of works by noted calligraphers and artists Wong Kwan Shut, Liu Kang, Pan Shou and Chua Ek Kay, the exhibition is an introduction to the new additions of our collection. Other donations include works by Yunizar, Puan Sri Rosalind Foo, R.A. Nugroho Adi Prabowo and Lim Cheng Hoe.NUS Museum, NUS Centre For the ArtsThu, 12 Mar 2009 07:22:25 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#e3464046-b225-4bfc-8907-ff0c870b04b1http://www.lcsd.gov.hk/CE/Museum/Arts/english/tea/exhibitions/eexhibitions_20080101_1.htmlFeaturing over 100 artefacts of refined tea ware from the Tang dynasty (618-907) to the 20th century, this exhibition introduces the history of tea accompanied by a bountiful collection of Chinese tea vessels and export ware. Education corners have been set up to enhance an enlightening and fascinating experienceHong Kong Museum of ArtThu, 12 Mar 2009 07:22:25 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#2f69e5f1-fa10-4610-832a-4639d840cd2bhttp://www.nus.edu.sg/museum/exhibitions_glory.htmlOf the ambitions and desires of empires, nations, cities and individuals, Bound for Glory articulates the pursuit of recognition, presented through five works by the Malaysian contemporary artist Wong Hoy Cheong. Revealed in the works are reflections on aspirations for fame and glory sought through notoriety, geographical and imagined occupation, and nationalistic fervor; as well as the dilemmas and conflicts that a rapacious appetite for a place in history, influence and honour entails. Artworks presented in the exhibition include: Re:Looking (2002-3), Chronicles of Crime (2006), Suburbia:Bukit Beruntung, Subang Jaya (2006), Anthem (2006) and Aman Sulukule, Canim Sulukule / Oh Sulukule, Darling Sulukule (2007). Coming from Georgetown, Penang, the internationally-recognised artist’s practice is inter-disciplinary, involving areas such as drawing, installation, theatre, performance and video. Recent exhibitions he has been invited to present his work at include the Taipei Biennale (2008) and Istanbul Biennale (2007). A publication, Shifts: Wong Hoy Cheong 2002 – 2007, documenting the artist’s work since 2002, is produced in conjunction with the exhibition. NUS Museum, NUS Centre For the ArtsThu, 12 Mar 2009 07:22:25 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#5b7c87f7-4e92-4d13-960c-55ccce0b1c99http://www.nus.edu.sg/museum/exhibitions_archive.htmlThis is an exhibition conceived to explore aspects in modern Malayan art and museological discourse through the life and works of Malayan-born artist Mohammad din Mohammad. Based on ethnographic work conducted at the artist's homes in Singapore and Malacca, the exhibition seeks to explore the complex power relationships between the hegemonic museological processes of 'archiving cultures', the ambivalences in engaging 'source communities' commonly represented by artists and patrons and the discriminating gaze of the museum curator which entails an 'aesthetic of perception' in enabling the significant to be lifted out from mass detail. NUS Museum, NUS Centre For the ArtsThu, 12 Mar 2009 07:22:25 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#9a0b9e99-8dd5-4925-8546-1088a2af27afhttp://www.singart.com/current_exhibitions.php?page=heartA major exhibition of paintings of Singapore’s public housing estates by foremost watercolourist Ong Kim Seng, together with a companion book and video presentations of places present and past, in Singapore’s urban heartlands. The exhibition, book and video will be augmented with photos, interviews, poems and archival materials to capture the heritage of the Singapore’s public housing landscape as well as of the creative process of this innovative and landmark project. This exhibition is co-organised by Singapore Art Museum and the National Arts Council, and supported by the Housing and Development Board and Standard Chartered Bank. This exhibition is co-organised by Singapore Art Museum and the National Arts Council, and supported by the Housing and Development Board and Standard Chartered BankSingapore Art MuseumThu, 12 Mar 2009 07:22:25 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#aa14e68b-ecb6-4e1b-b713-3110df6bbd7dhttp://www.hoppmuseum.com/eng/temporal.phpThe Travels and Treasures of Ferenc Hopp Systematic collecting of Far-Eastern art began in the second half of the 19th century. From the end of the century, beside the Oriental collections of significant museums, like the British Museum, Victoria and Albert Museum, the Louvre, and the Ermitage, a whole range of public Oriental collections were established, which were mostly based on private collections. The first Far-Eastern collection in Central Europe was founded in Budapest in 1919, in compliance with the will of Ferenc Hopp, a patron of arts, globe-trotter and art collector. He bequeathed his Oriental collection of four thousand items and his villa to the Hungarian state, stipulating that it house an Oriental art museum. His collection came to form the basis of the Japanese, Chinese, Indian, and Southeast-Asian collections of the Ferenc Hopp Museum of Eastern Asiatic Arts. As the owner of the Calderony company, which sold school equipment and photographic tools, travelled around the world five times between 1882 and 1914. On his more frequent travels he regularly took photos and showed them at a lot of successful shows and exhibitions. Ferenc Hopp Museum of Eastern Asiatic ArtsThu, 12 Mar 2009 07:22:25 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#35d6b578-7012-4406-b587-a486f6fdd512http://www.tnm.jp/en/servlet/Con?pageId=D01&processId=02&event_id=5581The Museum Garden behind Honkan (main building, Japanese Gallery) will be open to the public during the autumn season. Tokyo National MuseumThu, 12 Mar 2009 07:22:25 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#5802d150-62e5-479c-8f3c-75fd16211ab1http://www.etnografiska.se/smvk/jsp/polopoly.jsp?%3Cbr%3Ed=1697&a=12774Sven Hedin’s Persian travels Photographs made by the famous Swedish explorer. Explanatory text only available in Swedish Museum of EthnographyThu, 12 Mar 2009 07:22:25 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#a73f92ce-1e8f-4006-abc1-42bc51fff48bhttp://www.muzeum.krakow.pl/NewsItem.107.0.html?ORIENTAL FABRIC IN POLAND - TASTE WHETHER TRADITION? IN COMMEMORATING OF 325 ANNIVERSARY OF VIENNA BATTLE Oriental textiles during centuries made up binding of Polish houses. They were broadly used to decoration of interiors both church as secular. It was placed in representative rooms and in home refuges. They were imported road of trade and road of special orders from countries of East; were taken after the battles. From countries of East merchants and missionaries brought it to Poland. They made up object of interests of many collectors also. Conference will disputed about oriental textiles as artistic phenomenon, and also as well as test of finding of causes of them of popularity in Poland.Conference will be concern questions particularly: 1. Turkish textiles 2. Persian textiles 3. Indian textiles 4. Far Eastern textiles 5. Ikonography of textiles in Polish art 6. Textiles in Polish art. The conference languages will be Polish and English. Presentations should be no longer then 20 min. There is no conference fee. Participants from abroad will be assisted with the accommodation booking, especially non-expensive.The National Museum in CracowThu, 12 Mar 2009 07:22:25 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#5034bb91-1ed1-4c3c-817a-2bc60f0801abhttp://www.tnm.jp/en/servlet/Con?pageId=B01&processId=01&event_id=5928The collection acquired by Mr. Takano Tokiji of paintings by Asai Chu, a Western-style painter of the Meiji period, includes eleven oil paintings, fifty-six watercolors and sketches, as well as six hanging scrolls. Many of them were painted during Asai's stay in Europe in his mid-forties and display a mature skill. The family of Mr. Takano donated the seventy-three works in 1985, in accordance with the collector's will. Mr. Takano had aspired to be a painter at young age, and even after entering the world of business he made continuous efforts to collect works of Asai, whom he had long admired. This collection, which Mr. Takano began in his late twenties and spent close to fifty years amassing, speaks eloquently of Mr. Takano's passion and enthusiasm. This exhibition focuses on works produced by Asai whilst studying abroad and features 20 pieces, including oil paintings painted in France and several watercolors. The pictures painted during Asai's stay in Europe have a feeling of light and a sense of poetry. Tokyo National MuseumThu, 12 Mar 2009 07:22:25 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#75c9c063-4181-41a0-9da6-a06b2c5a5363http://www.tnm.jp/en/servlet/Con?pageId=B01&processId=01&event_id=5936Series Historical Collection: Speaking to the Future. You may be surprised to know that the Tokyo National Museum has a collection of old European books. When the new government created the museum in 1872, one of its main purposes was to use the museum as a repository of intellectual resources from Western civilization, contributing to the construction of a modern society in Japan. The museum worked to acquire such books through various routes. As a result, the books grew into a large collection which included Dutch books that the Tokugawa government acquired through Nagasaki, natural history books brought by Philipp Franz von Siebold on his second visit to Japan in 1859, and European and American books which the new government purchased in the Meiji period (1868-1912). Because these books were regarded as research materials, they were not esteemed as cultural heritage. However, in recent years, the museum has been researching these books as cultural properties in collaboration with outside scholars. This exhibition, which features Dutch language books, serves as an interim report on that research. While enjoying the curious information on Japan as seen by Europeans and the beautifully hand-painted illustrations of the natural history books, we hope you can gain an understanding of the efforts of the people who collected these books. Tokyo National MuseumThu, 12 Mar 2009 07:22:25 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#e10ef903-d21e-4706-a6d3-f1d7c9c7123dhttp://www.guimet.fr/KONPIRA-SAN-Sanctuary-of-the-seaThe Guimet Museum welcomes, for the first time outside Japan, paintings on screens and sliding partitions from a Shintoist Japanese sanctuary. This will be an opportunity to study major works of the 18th century and also to evoke Shintoism, the native animist religion of the Japanese archipelago. This exhibition jointly organised by the Kotohira-gû Shrine Office and the Guimet Museum is part of the commemoration of the 150th anniversary of diplomatic relations between France and Japan. In the Shinto sanctuary of Konpira (or Kotohira-gû), the cult of the mountain meets the beliefs relating to the protective divinity of maritime transports, which guards against the dangers of the sea. It was from the time of Heian (794-1185) a major devotion centre, particularly frequented from the 17th century. The exhibition intends to show, for the first time outside Japan, some of these works, which are mostly large scale mural paintings (sliding partitions and screens) and which lend themselves to the interior architecture of the exhibition space. These will be displayed in such a way as to take into account, as accurately as possible, the unique character of the layout of interior spaces in Japan, applied here to the religious sphere.Musée National des arts asiatiques GuimetThu, 12 Mar 2009 07:22:25 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#b3f6d35e-2015-4a91-9d97-2c0385307b45http://www.tnm.jp/en/servlet/Con?pageId=X00&processId=02#pagetopShishimai - "lion dance" performance January 2, 2009, January 3, 2009 Taiko -Japanese Drums January 2, 2009, January 3, 2009 Yugei of Edo - traditional vaudeville performances January 2, 2009 Clarinet concert January 3, 2009, Ikebana flower arrangements January 2, 2009 - January 12, 2009Tokyo National MuseumThu, 12 Mar 2009 07:22:25 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#1481b41e-75e2-4eb5-9379-d7f184ad2291http://www.singart.com/upcoming_exhibitions.phpThe Japan Media Arts Festival is a showcase of award-winning new media art, animation, manga and entertainment with a strong focus on Japanese culture. Since its inauguration in Tokyo in 1997, this annual event has grown from strength to strength, attracting entries from amateurs and professionals alike from around the globe. The forthcoming exhibition at Singapore Art Museum’s new contemporary art wing at 8 Queen Street, will make available to Southeast Asian audiences for the first time a varied and engaging showcase of digital and new media art and technologies. Cutting-edge artworks will sit alongside familiar and well-loved pop culture icons from the world of anime and manga. In addition, this exhibition will also feature an interactive section with various popular entertainment systems such as Nintendo Wii. A series of public programmes has been planned in conjunction with this exhibition. This will include: symposia and dialogue sessions, anime screenings, and robot-making workshops.Singapore Art MuseumThu, 12 Mar 2009 07:22:25 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#58b327e9-1a1c-45fb-8cc1-d7cfff12aff3http://www.museum.go.kr/kor/exh/exh_main.jspExplanatory text only available in KoreanNational Museum of KoreaThu, 12 Mar 2009 07:22:25 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#9cc963cd-2e36-4335-a212-c9a8aaa9b743http://www.vam.ac.uk/collections/asia/zen_calligraphy/index.htmlThis display of Zen calligraphy marks the 120th anniversary of the death of the Japanese statesman and master swordsman Yamaoka Tesshu .Tesshu is famous for his statement that swordsmanship, Zen and calligraphy are identical in their aspiration to the state of no-mind (mushin). This view of calligraphy, which has its origins in China, sees it as a ‘picture of the mind’. Featuring twenty-two magnificent hanging scrolls, the display includes works by the two of his contemporaries - Katsu Kaishu (1823 - 1899), one of Japan’s first internationalists, and Takahashi Deish? (1835 - 1903), a Zen statesman who retired from public life to devote himself to calligraphy. The display also features the work of the late Professor Terayama Tanch? (1938 - 2007), the second-generation master of Hitsuzendo (The Way of the Zen Brush), who was an authority on Tesshu and from whose posthumous private collection this exhibition is drawn. Victoria and Albert MuseumThu, 12 Mar 2009 07:22:25 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#346d752a-39cb-46d7-bb94-35771d1e519ehttp://www.tnm.jp/en/servlet/Con?pageId=B01&processId=01&event_id=6048Celebrating the New Year 2009, the Tokyo National Museum will open from January 2. The New Year exhibition will feature the year's zodiac sign ox, and the museum will host various family events. At Honkan (Japanese Gallery), there will be a Feature Exhibition of the New Year - Celebrating the Year of the Ox: Images of Oxen in Art from January 2, 2009. Family events will be held on the 2nd and 3rd of January, including Shishimai dance performances, Taiko (Japanese drum) performances, and Yugei of Edo Traditional vaudeville entertainment. Ikebana (flower arrangements) installations for the New Year, by Yamane Yumi, Head of the Shinsei school of ikebana. Will also be installed at the Main Gate and Honkan entrance areas. Tokyo National MuseumThu, 12 Mar 2009 07:22:25 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#f4a31b87-fd64-48f1-8070-d368b4b8b96ahttp://www.tnm.jp/en/servlet/Con?pageId=B01&processId=01&event_id=5941In 2002 and 2003, the Tokyo National Museum received a gift from Mr. Kobayashi Toan (Yoko) of 423items he had collected over many years, including rare Chinese seal albums and orthographic materials. Mr. Kobayashi Toan played a leading role in the field of seal carving in Japan for a long time, as an artist with a precise style who used a sharp carving technique. Furthermore, his in-depth knowledge of Chinese characters and seals led him to publish many articles and books on the subjects from fairly early in his career. For these remarkable achievements, and for his highly sophisticated style based on his critical intellect, Mr. Kobayashi was recommended as a member of the Art Academy in 1993 and as a Person of Cultural Merits (Bunka Koro-sha) in 1999, and in 2003 he was appointed honorary vice president of the Sphragistic Society of China. Mr. Kobayashi passed away on August 13, 2007, three years after he received an Order of Cultural Merit in 2004. In 1976 the Tokyo National Museum received a donation of albums containing 198 ancient Chinese seals and albums of 247 later Chinese seals, which are known as the Bakunan Seal Collection, from the industrialist Mr. Yokota Minoru (1894-1974). Mr. Yokota authored a bibliography of seal albums, but he died before it was published. Tokyo National MuseumThu, 12 Mar 2009 07:22:25 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#e9076c12-240c-4947-8f60-ee794c8564e8http://www.museum.go.kr/kor/index.jspExplanatory text only available in Korean National Museum of KoreaThu, 12 Mar 2009 07:22:25 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#ed998479-eb4f-4f33-a182-2ed204da5719http://www.vme.org.vn/index.aspSchedule for “ca tru” activities in the upcoming 6 months of 2008 The UNESCO-supported center for “ca tru” (ceremonial songs) cooperates with the VME to organize a monthly “ca tru” program, for the remaining 6 months of 2008. Place: In the Viet house, outdoor exhibition of the VME. Program details: July: Introduce the life and career of Nguyen Khuyen, a well- known poet; Perform several famous talking songs of him; Interact with the members of the center and visitors. August: Introduce and perform talking songs composed by the members of the Club; the members will interact with the visitors. September: Introduce the life, career and well-known talking songs by Nguyen Cong Tru, a well-known poet; perform several songs of his; the members of the Center will interact with the visitors. October: Introduce and perform some “ca tru” songs; interaction between the members of the Club and the visitors. November: Introduce the life and career of the poet named Cao Ba Quat; perform some talking songs of his; interaction between the members of the Club and the visitors. December: Summarize the activities in 2008 of the UNESCO Center for “ca tru”; introduce and perform several well-known bai hat noi (talking songs) and some representative traditional “ca tru” songs.Viet Nam Museum of EthnologyThu, 12 Mar 2009 07:22:25 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#5434ac72-8a69-486c-accc-b253a873c07bhttp://www.lcsd.gov.hk/CE/Museum/Arts/english/exhibitions/exhibitions01_jul08_02.htmlTo celebrate Hong Kong's hosting of the equestrian events of the 2008 Olympic Games, a special exhibition focusing on the horse in Chinese art and culture will showcase around 40 exhibits selected from the collections of the Hong Kong Museum of Art. The exhibits include Chinese ceramics, bronzes, bamboo carvings, Chinese paintings, historical pictures and modern works. Based on this wide range of art forms, the exhibition sets out to explore the various roles and symbolic meanings of the horse through its depiction in Chinese and modern Hong Kong art from four perspectives: the role of the horse in ancient China; the literati essence in Chinese horse paintings; the horse as decoration and symbol; and the horse in modern art. Hong Kong Museum of ArtThu, 12 Mar 2009 07:22:25 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#288c8f4b-89c9-411d-8fab-6f184df141d7http://www.museum.go.kr/kor/inf/inf_all_01.jsp?orgmenu=1Explanatory text only available in Korean.National Museum of KoreaThu, 12 Mar 2009 07:22:25 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#c9bd6322-ec3b-4b09-90c4-a163101ffc47http://www.ayalamuseum.org/index.php?option=com_ayala_content&task=viewexhibitpage&id=52The exhibition reveals a collector's great infatuation with fossils. It showcases a quality selection of actual fossils and the magnified images found on them, created solely by natural forces, without any human intervention. Found in several parts of the world and of various ages, the fossils are divided into four main categories: petrified wood, dinosaur bones and by-products, ammonites, rocks and stones. Using photography to present the multiplicity of designs, patterns, colors, and shapes, this exhibition shows organic transformed to inorganic matter to art from nature. Together, the fossils and the images reveal a multiplicity of colors, forms, sizes, and shapes that can only be brought about by earth’s constant transformation. Fossils are the remains of living organisms that have been preserved in stone. They are concrete proof of the existence of plants and animals that once lived on this earth many millions of years ago. Fossils come in a multitude of colors, forms, shapes, and sizes that are difficult to imitate or replicate and can be admired and appreciated, studied, and pondered upon—showing that the beauty of the physical world is eternal. Ayala MuseumThu, 12 Mar 2009 07:22:25 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#fbf29be3-d7c1-49e7-86e7-32f8b7f134d2http://www.nus.edu.sg/museum/exhibitions_net.htmAn archival display-cum-exhibition, the presentation will be divided into three sections – The Formative Years, Body / Form / Perspectives and Materials / Processes / Public Works - exploring a range of biographical, stylistic and thematic interests. The presentation surveys the breadth and depth of Ng’s oeuvre and encourages further research and dialogue on the artist, his productions and facets of the era in which he lived and worked. Ng Eng Teng (1934 – 2001) was a painter and potter by training but is most recognised for his sculptural pieces featuring humanist themes. A beneficiary of the artist's generous donations, NUS Museum has over 1,000 of Ng's works including sketches, paintings, maquettes, sculptures, figurines and pottery. NUS Museum, NUS Centre For the ArtsThu, 12 Mar 2009 07:22:25 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#a6e0cfad-a43a-4f78-9900-bf887b5e0836http://www.voelkerkundemuseum.com/index.php?id=einzelne_meldung&tx_ttnews[tt_news]=475&tx_ttnews[backPid]=54&cHash=72635072b8Historical "Orient Photography", 1864-1970 Explanatory text only available in German. Museum of EthnologyThu, 12 Mar 2009 07:22:25 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#310f111e-6b99-421c-b476-12da01c4bcc2http://www.tnm.jp/en/servlet/Con?pageId=B01&processId=01&event_id=5914The Ainu people believed that in all of nature's endless phenomena, from the vast plateaus to the infinite expanse of the ocean, there resided a 'soul'. Also, they regarded as 'Gods' those things which were essential to human life or which were beyond human control and offered prayers to these Gods. They believed that without the provision and protection of the Gods, a stable life would be impossible, so in prayer they asked the Gods to ensure that peaceful times continued. Furthermore, they held rituals of prayer to express in words their gratitude to the Gods for heeding their wishes. This exhibition features various items used by the Ainu and Uilta people, including ritual implements, such as inau, ikupasui and wooden bowls, together with the clothes and tools used in everyday life, giving us an insight into the ways the Northern people prayed to their Gods. Tokyo National MuseumThu, 12 Mar 2009 07:22:25 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#33387e50-fcd1-4a6e-98aa-b57eed7253f0http://www.quaibranly.fr/en/programmation/exhibitions/currently/red-kwoma/index.htmlThis exhibition presents the paintings of three contemporary artists from New Guinea (East Sepik province): Kowspi Marek, Chiphowka Kowspi and Agatoak Kowspi. Via the founding myth of the Kwoma people, the exhibition tells the story of how men came from the earth thanks to a boar which returned covered in red earth. The visitor will be presented with the myth as a way of making sense of the world. Designed in collaboration with the artists and Kwoma communities, this exhibition shows how determined this culture is to have a future. The exhibition originates from Kowspi Marek’s desire to inform people about the Kwoma myths and culture. From 2003, the welcome that these paintings received in France conferred on them the status of independent works of art which could be exhibited as such. In this way, Kowspi and his sons felt that they had been recognised as djumbama, as "men of style" (artists) held in high esteem by the Kwoma people. Musée du quai BranlyThu, 12 Mar 2009 07:22:25 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#62872c26-6abd-42cd-8516-897e02c5a168http://www.rijksmuseum.nl/tentoonstellingen/indiase-miniaturen?lang=enWelcoming the Rijksmuseum with Indian miniatures in the Van Gogh Museum. The Rijksmuseum is to show highlights from its collection of Indian miniatures in the Van Gogh Museum. The presentation is a voyage of discovery across India: the stylistic development of Indian painting from the 15th to the 19th centuries is illustrated by means of some fifty masterpieces. Around half of the miniatures come from the bequest of the Amsterdam physician and collector P. Formijne and will be on show for the first time. This is the fourth time that the Rijksmuseum has been a guest of the Van Gogh Museum while its premises are undergoing restoration. Many paintings were commissioned by the Muslim emperors of the Mughal empire, which at its height in the 17th century stretched from the north to central India. The Hindu kings from the northwestern states of Rajasthan and the Punjab also played an important role as artistic patrons. The miniatures offer a fascinating insight into courtly life, where activities included playing polo, attendance at elephant fights and smoking hookahs. Artists also took their inspiration from religious texts and classical Indian music. The portrayal of melodies (ragas) is unique to the Indian painterly tradition, whereby the emotions evoked by a particular note are rendered visually.RijksmuseumThu, 12 Mar 2009 07:22:25 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#50115073-67a9-4d15-9e00-fbfee69c4024http://www.tropenmuseum.nl/smartsite.shtml?ch=FAB&id=19230On 14 May 2008 it is exactly sixty years ago that the State of Israel was founded. An event that led to the departure of hundreds of thousands of Palestinians from the place in which they lived. This exodus is known in Arabic by the term Nakba: catastrophe. In this exhibition the Tropenmuseum shows how this event affected the lives of individual Palestinians. Personal stories, told in video interviews, reveal memories of 1948 from a Palestinian perspective. Historical photos illustrating life in Palestine before 1948, are displayed alongside contemporary art and photography. ‘Palestine 1948: Remembering a past homeland’ appears in the Tropenmuseum’s Park Gallery from 1 March 2008 to 4 January 2009. TropenmuseumThu, 12 Mar 2009 07:22:25 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#bdabfb66-b55f-4cf9-94b1-56d190ba6687http://www.varldskulturmuseet.se/smvk/jsp/polopoly.jsp?d=824&a=13542&l=en_USWhat is the situation for people along the river Ganges? GP's photographer Magnus Sundberg and reporter Karl-Johan Bondeson has visited India and Bangladesh and met people along the Ganges river system. In a small photographic exhibition in the entrance, they share their meetings. The exhibition emphasizes the current climate changes. That the earth is getting warmer is a fact. The consequences of prejudice both the environment and people. Shrinking glaciers, rising sea levels, precipitation change and we are get more and more intense tropical storms. The big losers are poor people in third world who have no resources to protect themselves. It therefore threatens the future of millions of inhabitants. The exhibition is a collaboration between GP and the museum. On the opening day of the exhibition, November 30, the GP will have a 6-page story on how environmental changes around the Ganges affecting the local population. The exhibition is ongoing during the same time as the UN climate conference taking place in Poland. Museum of World CultureThu, 12 Mar 2009 07:22:25 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#f6937664-0d56-4af8-8d72-e72e271024dfhttp://www.singart.com/8qsam/school_8q.html8Q sam is Singapore Art Museum’s new wing for contemporary art. Both the main museum building and the new 8Q building were originally built to serve as schools. 8Q sam was the former Catholic High Primary School. The creation and experience of contemporary art is highly individualistic and largely unconventional, yet still retains a broad community orientation by virtue of its shared forum and concerns with contemporary life and living. This continuum and flow between the cutting-edge and the community creates a zone that lies outside the institutional bounds of school, but like school, can also be a place of learning and enrichment. As a new wing, 8Q takes on a contemporary outlook that is differentiated from the museum’s historical art programmes. 8Q sam’s inaugural exhibition explores this very zone of school within and outside, and the museum’s own trajectories of school to museum. In 8Q-Rate, eight artists work with eight museum curators to realise works that reference school, whether as a personal or a generic experience. It also highlights Singapore contemporary art practice through the works of Ahmad bin Abu Bakar, Chong Li-Chuan, Jahan Loh, Donna Ong, :phunk Studio, Grace Tan, Tan Kai Syng and Jason Wee. Chong Li-Chuan, a former Catholic High Primary student, has reworked the school anthem as part of his piece.Singapore Art MuseumThu, 12 Mar 2009 07:22:25 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#9a39bfa0-9d76-4153-9e32-46f66cc12aebhttp://baotanglichsu.vn/Category_News.aspx?CateId=584&lang=enNear the anniversary of the liberation of the capital (10/10/1954 - 10/10/2008), the 50th anniversary of the creation of the National Museum of Vietnamese History (1958 - 2008), the 10th anniversary of the creation of the Association of Collection and Study of Ceramics and Ancient Objects of Thang Long, the National Museum of Vietnamese History, in coordination with the Association of Collection and Study of Ceramics and Ancient Objects of Thang Long, with the Association of Artistic Plants of Hanoi, organizes the exhibition under the theme: Pleasure Objects and Artistic Plants. With more than 80 artistic objects dating from the culture of Dong Son (of more than 2500 years of age) to the time of the Nguyen (XIXth century), the exhibition presents the most beautiful vietnamese ancient works, now conserved by collectors of Hanoi. The whole yard, as well as the garden of the National Museum of Vietnamese History, is reserved to the exhibition of pleasure plants which have won national prizes and belong to members of the Association of artistic plants of Hanoi. National Museum of Vietnamese HistoryThu, 12 Mar 2009 07:22:25 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#1e4fa366-3451-4321-aa3a-a085a823f406http://www.quaibranly.fr/en/programmation/exhibitions/currently/upside-down-the-arctic-regions/index.htmlUPSIDE DOWN - LES ARCTIQUES, Upside down, the Arctic Conceived by Edmund Carpenter, cinematographer and specialist in Canadian and Siberian Arctic anthropology, this exhibit offers the visitor a novel experience: the discovery, for the first time in Europe, of the totality of Eskimo arts. It invites one to take a voyage around the entire icecap, from Siberia to Alaska, where the civilizations (Evenk, Dorset, Kushkokwin, etc.) are just so many points of reference. Doug Wheeler, an American artist who was a pioneer in the “Light and Space” movement created the Exhibit’s setting. Jean de Gastines’ signature scenography incorporates the Gallery’s curves, which were designed by Jean Nouvel, as a course that runs through white landscapes, with no orthogonality, from the North Pole. The curator and artistic director opted to not offer any commentary for visitors during the course of the Upside Down – Arctic exhibit. A brochure will be supplied, for free. It contains a map that looks like it was created with freehand drawings and which summarizes one’s trajectory inside of the exhibit’s Arctic space. This mini-guide will act as the guide for to carrying out this adventure throughout this ice-covered land. Musée du quai BranlyThu, 12 Mar 2009 07:22:25 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#9b89301b-7d3f-4b6d-9aa6-f10aabfc4c1chttp://www.tnm.jp/en/servlet/Con?pageId=B01&processId=01&event_id=5926Meibutsugire (celebrated fabrics) were a type of dyed and woven fabric brought to Japan from places like China, mainly from the Kamakura period to the early Edo period. They include fabrics such as kinran (gold brocade), donsu (damask), nishiki (Japanese brocade) and kando (striped textile), produced during the Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties. They were owned by daimyo or by temples and shrines and were used for a variety of purposes. For example, they were sometimes used as mountings for calligraphic works and paintings, or as bags for tea ceremony utensils such as tea caddies, bowls etc. The meibutsugire are being displayed in a series of four exhibitions, each exhibition featuring a different kind of design. In this, the third of the series, we will be shining the spotlight on treasure motifs. These motifs are rarely used just by themselves but can more often be seen combined with several other patterns. In this exhibition, there is only one example featuring treasure motifs by themselves (TI-190-7). Here the motifs have been scattered over an irikobishitasuki design (concentric diamonds in crossed diagonal lines) woven onto gold ground. Tokyo National MuseumThu, 12 Mar 2009 07:22:25 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#2d9a723d-6050-4f95-8778-dea5b60ee7d8http://www.tnm.jp/en/servlet/Con?pageId=B01&processId=01&event_id=5925Vietnamese white porcelain ware with underglaze blue decoration was produced under the influence of Chinese underglaze blue ware. During the Le dynasty (1428-1789), ceramic wares influenced by Ming Chinese wares from the Jingdezhen kiln were produced. They were exported to Japan and were popularly known as "Annamese ware" or "Annamese underglaze blue ware". Unlike Chinese underglaze blue ware, which is characterized by a beautiful contrast of blue and white colors and a sharp design sensitivity, Vietnamese underglaze blue ware, with designs painted on a white slip which covered the gray-colored semi-porcelaneous body, gives a simpler and warmer impression. Some of them are decorated with charmingly lively paintings of animals or plants. This exhibition also includes two Jingdezhen examples, Large dish with lotus flower bunch design and Jar with eight auspicious emblems, to give us the chance to compare the color of cobalt blue and the clay texture with those of Vietnamese wares, deepening our understanding and appreciation of Vietnamese underglaze blue ware. Tokyo National MuseumThu, 12 Mar 2009 07:22:25 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#bf228d06-a5fd-4edc-9d44-2c72ba78179ahttp://www.quaibranly.fr/en/programmation/exhibitions/currently/the-spirit-of-mingei-in-japan-folk-art-design/index.htmlThis exhibit is based on a specific case-that of thinker Yanagi Soetsu, promoter of the “Mingei” movement, and his son, Yanagi Sori, who was a premier post-war designer. The exhibit causes one to reflect on the relationship, established during the 20th century, between the rediscovery of certain traditional arts and international modern art through design. This dynamic comes out of a strictly ethnographic and anthropological perception of traditional folk art. Accordingly, it can be inscribed inside of a specific historical situation: that of Japan during the first half of the 20th century (until the end of the 1950’s). It also has to do with an aesthetic, moral and formal perspective that today is echoed by the “original forms” of certain contemporary designers. The word “Mingei” is an abbreviation for “minshuteki kogeï,” which means “folk art,” or “popular art, created by the people, for the people.”A thinker and man of action, Yanagi Soetsu campaigned his entire life for the promotion of folk art. He did this through writings, most notably in the monthly publication, “Kogeï (which means “folk art”), teaching and with exhibits. As a reflection of the spirit and traditional Mingei techniques, he constructed the “Nihon Mingeikan” in Tokyo, during 1936.Musée du quai BranlyThu, 12 Mar 2009 07:22:25 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#8e5019d9-f724-4609-bba9-18adcd5b1274National Museum of EthnologyThu, 12 Mar 2009 07:22:25 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#7dc6caec-f99c-48e1-a353-ba171bb92577http://www.tnm.jp/en/servlet/Con?pageId=B01&processId=01&event_id=6051Owners of cultural properties, including the Tokyo National Museum, are responsible for their protection as well as for displaying them. In order to disseminate this fact, the museum held a thematic exhibition last January featuring the Jinshin Inspection of 1872, which is known as the first governmental action related to cultural properties protection in Japan. This time, we highlight the Temporary National Survey of Treasures conducted in 1887. Based on the experience of the Jinshin Inspection, the Temporary National Survey of Treasures was the first nation-wide survey of cultural properties to include their present location, condition and evaluation as estimated by the national standard. It was the foundation for the later registration system of national treasures. This display features documents and records which demonstrate how widely the national endeavor was undertaken, as well as reproductions produced in conjunction with the survey by artists who later became great masters.Tokyo National MuseumThu, 12 Mar 2009 07:22:25 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#a4e9fe02-4e24-4229-871d-31d33d105b0ahttp://www.tnm.jp/en/servlet/Con?pageId=B01&processId=01&event_id=6048Celebrating the New Year 2009, the Tokyo National Museum will open from January 2. The New Year exhibition will feature the year's zodiac sign ox, and the museum will host various family events. At Honkan (Japanese Gallery), there will be a Feature Exhibition of the New Year - Celebrating the Year of the Ox: Images of Oxen in Art from January 2, 2009. Family events will be held on the 2nd and 3rd of January, including Shishimai dance performances, Taiko (Japanese drum) performances, and Yugei of Edo Traditional vaudeville entertainment. Ikebana (flower arrangements) installations for the New Year, by Yamane Yumi, Head of the Shinsei school of ikebana. Will also be installed at the Main Gate and Honkan entrance areas. Tokyo National MuseumThu, 12 Mar 2009 07:22:25 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#d899d4a5-3028-44a7-9730-b6262d61894dhttp://www.tnm.jp/en/servlet/Con?pageId=B01&processId=01&event_id=6048Introduces depictions of oxen in art from Japan and other parts of Asia.Tokyo National MuseumThu, 12 Mar 2009 07:22:25 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#4a97bd93-fa41-49f1-8e4b-84878cfaf93chttp://www.lcsd.gov.hk/CE/Museum/Arts/english/exhibitions/exhibitions01_oct08_03.htmlGuest Curator : Ms Valerie C. Doran Valerie C. Doran (Chinese name: Ren Zhuohua) is a critic, curator, and translator specializing in the field of Chinese art, with a special interest in cross-cultural currents and comparative art theory. The starting point for "Looking for Antonio Mak" is the artwork of the significant Hong Kong artist, Antonio Mak (1951-1994). Antonio's sculptures and paintings have made a deep and enduring impression on many who have encountered them. His figurative cast-bronze works, visually evocative and beautifully crafted, present a uniquely Mak-ian iconography that is stylistically Western yet integrally Chinese. To many, he is a quintessentially Hong Kong artist. Yet, over the past ten years Antonio Mak's artworks have all but disappeared from the public arena in Hong Kong. Taking the work of Antonio Mak as a starting point, this group exhibition will utilize a multi-layered approach to examine the questions of where and how the art of Antonio Mak exists today, physically, psychologically and metaphorically; and of how our own perceptions of his work and of ourselves might be changed by reencountering his art and his history in our own time.Hong Kong Museum of ArtThu, 12 Mar 2009 07:22:25 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#84ab867d-3896-4c5f-8695-57573ad3d59ehttp://www.muzeumazji.pl/htme/gal_a.htmlExhibition with artworks about life and death in Tibettan Buddhism. Explanatory text only available in PolishAsia and Pacific Museum in WarsawThu, 12 Mar 2009 07:22:25 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#ccb89b94-e87a-49a4-89cf-348c35fb14c6http://www.nus.edu.sg/museum/exhibitions_home.htmlThis work investigates the function and representation of domestic spaces and objects. How is a house to be expressed as a statement of community and history? What symbolic attributes are emphasised and why? What does the accumulation and consumption of material items reveal about the inhabitants of the house? Lee explores a plethora of Peranakan symbols and motifs, mostly auspicious in nature and provides plausible interpretations to their readily accepted symbolic values. Visitors are invited to explore the first two floors of the house with all its decorative iconographies intact and ascend the 3rd floor Gallery to make cross references within their personal observations and general experiences. What can we ascertain about the Peranakan’s innermost or expressed desires? What sort of anxieties built up during the course of elaborate celebrations, rituals and festival observances? A question of the real and imposed, the speculative and the imagined come to a head as the artist peels away the layers of iconographic values, rich colouration and confronts the bare truths. Using book craft, Lee carefully considers Peranakan preferred psycho taxonomies within nature, the animal world included, myriad mythological characters and deity within everyday domesticities of the home. NUS Museum, NUS Centre For the ArtsThu, 12 Mar 2009 07:22:25 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#15f73b23-0467-49eb-a0d2-233c8105ab9fhttp://www.lcsd.gov.hk/CE/Museum/Arts/english/exhibitions/exhibitions01_oct08_01.htmlJu Chao (1811–1865) and Ju Lian (1828–1904), or the Two Jus, were late-Qing painters native to Guangdong. Despite their roles in a military private secretariat, the cousins were by nature passionate painters. It was in painting that they found expression for their strong devotion to their native land, be they images of plants, insects and small animals or village scenes. Their keen perceptions and refreshing styles have made quite an impact on young pioneering Lingnan painters like Gao Jianfu (1879–1951), Gao Qifeng (1889–1933) and Chen Shuren (1884–1948). Featuring the finest selections from museums both local and in Guangdong, the touring exhibition is unprecedented for both the styles and subjects it encompasses. Hong Kong Museum of ArtThu, 12 Mar 2009 07:22:25 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#ecf4d481-eaf2-4442-bab0-784566255945http://www.museum.go.kr/kor/exh/exh_main.jspDaho-ri is an archaeological site site at Changwon, in the South of South Korea. Korea's oldest wooden coffin dating back some 2,000 years will go on public display for the first time 20 years after it was unearthed. The National Museum of Korea has the coffin preserved and restored, and it is on display as part of a special exhibition on Daho-ri. Excavation began in Daho-ri, South Gyeongsang Province in 1988 and resulted in finds of important relics including slim bronze daggers dating from the Iron Age in the second and first centuries B.C. National Museum of KoreaThu, 12 Mar 2009 07:22:25 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#359daf68-935d-4c22-9a33-3df1f3d0a4dchttp://www.acm.org.sg/exhibitions/eventdetail.asp?eventID=380In the late 19th to early 20th century, having a portrait taken in London was a tremendously fashionable luxury. Socialites, nobles and dignitaries – in short, anyone who was anyone - had their picture taken at the Lafayette Studio in London’s New Bond Street. This exhibition features portraits from the Lafayette collection including those of important Asian dignitaries who played a significant role in bridging the gap between East and West, as well as Europeans who were relevant to the development of Asia. The spirit of this exhibition reinforces the idea that differences in geography, race, religion and culture are of no consequence when individuals of different backgrounds come together peacefully. Asian Civilisations MuseumThu, 12 Mar 2009 07:22:25 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#c93d4615-f8dc-4450-b2d8-307b07c84748http://www.tnm.jp/en/servlet/Con?pageId=B01&processId=01&event_id=5959These works are part of a private glass collection on loan to the Tokyo National Museum since 2004. This exhibition, with the theme of cut glass, is the second display from the collection, after the 'Glass Vessels of the Near East' exhibition in winter 2007-08. "Cutting" is a decoration technique applied to glass and gems. The object's surface is partly faceted with a rotary grinder to make uneven patterns like lines, dimples and even more complicated designs. It was introduced to Achaemenid Persia in 4th - 5th century B.C. and developed greatly in Sasanid Persia. The Sasanian cut glass was exported to distant countries through the Silk Road and was much treasured by local people. Outside Persia, glass-cutting technology also developed in the Mediterranean and in Persia it continued to be used after the coming of Islam. A typical Sasanian cut-glass bowl dated to the 4th - 5th century is still housed in the Shosoin treasury of Todaiji temple in Nara, and another from the 6th century, which is said to have been unearthed at Emperor Ankan's tumulus, is permanently exhibited in our Japanese Archaeology Gallery (Heiseikan). * Please note: Japanese Archaeology Gallery, Heiseikan is closed November 17, 2008 - January 1, 2009 Tokyo National MuseumThu, 12 Mar 2009 07:22:25 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#b2a4e40f-aeb4-400b-af30-e713923cc13ehttp://www.tnm.jp/en/servlet/Con?pageId=B01&processId=01&event_id=5957Jizai Okimono are realistically shaped figures of animals made from iron, copper, shibuichi (copper and silver alloy) and shakudo (copper and gold alloy). Their bodies and limbs are articulated, and can be moved like real animals. Among these ornamental figures, models of birds, fishes, snakes, lobsters, crabs and insects, as well as imaginary beings such as dragons, are common. The bodies of the dragons can be made to undulate, and their limbs can bend and even their claws can be extended. Likewise, the birds can spread their wings and turn their heads. Typical insects include stag beetles, dragonflies and butterflies, which are able to imitate all the movements of their real life counterparts. Among works which bear dates, the earliest known is a dragon bearing a line-engraved signature of its maker Myochin Muneaki dated 1713. This is followed by a butterfly with a line-engraved signature by craftsman Myochin Muneyasu, dated 1753. From these dates, we know that jizai okimono were already in production in the first half of the 18th century, during the middle Edo period. The Myochins were armor makers who excelled in iron forging and hammer work, and are thought to have produced these okimono (ornamental figures) in the peaceful time of the mid-Edo period. Tokyo National MuseumThu, 12 Mar 2009 07:22:25 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#0171765e-022c-4d6d-a33e-ee4b8ba4ecbdhttp://www.tnm.jp/en/servlet/Con?pageId=B01&processId=01&event_id=6157Fragrant plum blossoms bloom earlier than any other flower, even in severe cold weather. In China, plum trees were often grouped together with pine trees and bamboo and referred to as the Three Friends of Winter. Bamboo and plum trees were also grouped with orchids and chrysanthemums and known as the Four Noble Plants. Since ancient times, plum blossoms have appeared in literature, and they have been favored as a painting subject by literati. During the Song dynasty (960-1279), in addition to the sophisticated paintings in delicate colors which were produced mainly by court academy artists, ink-only paintings of plum trees emerged and became popular. Ink paintings of plum trees are said to have originated with Zen monk Huaguang Zhongren, who was inspired by the silhouette of a plum tree through a window on a moonlit night. Later, Song Bojen produced Meifua Xishenfu, or "Album of the Joyful Spirit of Plum Blossoms" (Southern Song dynasty, 1238), which included a hundred paintings of plum blossoms in various stages - from budding to falling - with a poem attached to each. From the Yuan dynasty (1271-1368) onward, plum blossoms as a subject became increasingly popular among literati. Often used as an allegory for feminine beauty, plum blossoms have been depicted in a variety of ways over the centuries. This display features works, both in ink and color, by ink plum painters such as Wu Daisu from the Yuan dynasty, Liu Shiru from the Ming dynasty (1368-1644), and those painted by Qing dynasty (1644-1912) artists including Jin Nong, who was known as one of Eight Eccentrics of Yangzhou.Tokyo National MuseumThu, 12 Mar 2009 07:22:25 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#6dc96130-31d0-4965-b297-51581aeef5achttp://www.shanghaimuseum.net/en/index.jspThe Katherine and George Fan Collection. Bronzes are true monuments of the history of arts in China’s antiquity. The Shouyang Studio collection in New York, USA of over one hundred pieces of ancient Chinese bronze assembled over the years is a world-class private collection of its kind. ‘Shouyang Studio’ is the private hall name of Dr. and Mrs. George Fan, who are well-known Chinese American collectors, as well as generous benefactors to the Shanghai Museum. They fully recognize the role and importance of bronzes in the study of the culture and heritage of China. This exhibition displays seventy pieces/sets of bronze wares selected from the Shouyang Studio collection to illustrate milestones in the development of bronze art and technology in China. The selection includes quite a number of pieces with inscriptions that provide a wealth of information for academic study in addition to the aesthetic value. The bronze collection of the Shouyang Studio has never been featured in any exhibitions before. The exhibition provides a rare opportunity for bronze scholars from the Mainland to have a fuller picture of the quality, characteristics and other aspects of Chinese bronzes in overseas collections.Shanghai MuseumThu, 12 Mar 2009 07:22:25 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#46336577-11db-4f04-9aba-a7082b3ef731http://www.ostasiatiska.se/smvk/jsp/polopoly.jsp?d=1452&a=12390A meeting between contemporary Swedish and Chinese painting. Explanatory text only available in Swedish. Museum of Far Eastern AntiquitiesThu, 12 Mar 2009 07:22:25 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#32dc4dea-31da-4483-9069-65281df5f2c5http://www.tnm.jp/en/servlet/Con?pageId=B01&processId=01&event_id=6068Since 1998, the Tokyo National Museum has been organizing annual archaeological exhibitions featuring objects borrowed from local museums as part of its archaeological objects exchange program. This year, exchange has been conducted with the Fukushima Cultural Property Centre, Shirakawa Branch (Mahoron) and Nagano Prefectural Museum of History. This exhibition features repaired and restoratively reproduced copies of metal objects borrowed from Fukushima, together with objects from the Tokyo National Museum, including restorative copies made during the Meiji to the early Showa period (late 19th - early 20th century), and recently repaired or restored objects and copies. Visitors can make comparisons between restoration as part of repair work, copies made using molds taken from originals (for the purpose of recording the present-day condition of the originals), and restorative copies (which are considerably removed from the originals but are more effective for display). Tokyo National MuseumThu, 12 Mar 2009 07:22:25 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#4ddf9835-39e2-41fd-a149-91a703882049http://www.museum.go.kr/kor/exh/exh_main.jspThe National Museum of Korea has brought a collection of royal ceramics from the Goryeo Dynasty (918 – 1392) together. The ceramics are rare cultural relics that have been unearthed from royal tombs of the dynasty. About 290 highly valuable Goryeo celadon porcelain pieces, including four national treasures such as "Melon-Shaped Bottle" (National Treasure No. 94), are on display. This exhibition will provide you with a rare chance to relish the beauty and the excellence in the arts of Goryeo. The exhibition will especially feature all finds excavated from Jangreung, the tomb of Injong, the 17th king of Goryeo. These relics have never been shown to the public before. The archeological finds from this royal tomb are precious materials for research into the kingdom's society and culture, as well as its ceramics, in the 12th century. Moreover, many other royal celadon porcelain pieces of Goryeo dating back to the 12th century and the early 13th century are also on display. In addition, you can learn about how Goryeo celadon porcelain pieces were made, considering that the exhibition presents ceramics restored from broken shards found at old kiln sites in Sadang-li, Gangjin in Jeollanam-do (South Jeolla Province) and Yucheon-li, Buan in Jeollabuk-do (North Jeolla Province). Most ceramics for Goryeo royal household were made at these two kilns.National Museum of KoreaThu, 12 Mar 2009 07:22:25 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#cafc036a-3f93-45b0-9536-734b061240e3http://www.museum.go.kr/kor/exh/exh_main.jspExplanatory text only available in Korean National Museum of KoreaThu, 12 Mar 2009 07:22:25 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#d681151b-00dd-4f54-b3eb-18b97e591208http://www.tnm.jp/en/servlet/Con?pageId=B01&processId=01&event_id=6156According to the old lunar calendar, the third day of the third month is the date of the peach blossom festival. Families traditionally celebrate this occasion by displaying hina dolls, symbolizing their prayers for a healthy and safe childhood for their daughters. The origins of this tradition are unclear, but records reveal it had become an annual event by the early Edo period (1603-1868). The "Edo Kanoko" guidebook, written during the Jokyo era (1684-88), mentions hina doll markets being opened at several locations within Edo (present-day Tokyo), including Nakabashi, Owarimachi, Ningyocho, and Kojimachi. During the first half of the Edo period, the main type of hina were standing dolls made of paper, similar to the human-shaped paper charms used in magical rites during the Heian period. In the mid-Edo period, the seated posture type, adorned in courtly attire, emerged. Variations included Muromachi-bina dolls clothed in Muromachi fashion; Kyoho-bina, which represent an imperial couple and were the model for the popular Dairi-bina of later years; Kansai-style Jirozaemon-bina, with round white faces; and Kokin-bina, which were popular in Edo. Even after the spread of seated hina dolls, however, the old standing types continued to be displayed alongside their seated counterparts. While today it has become standard to display one set of Dairi-bina, in earlier times the manner of display was not restricted. Old pictorial sources show many different dolls being displayed liberally. The term hina derives from hina-gata the term for "miniature". Delicately crafted, these hina dolls show the affection and tastes of the maker as well as the customer, reflecting the Japanese people's characteristic love of minature objects.Tokyo National MuseumThu, 12 Mar 2009 07:22:25 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#c0073ec6-9d4e-44c6-8f1d-e3f4149a2a40http://www.guimet.fr/Treasures-of-Dunhuang-one-thousandThe Mogao caves (« unparalled eminence ») – also known as ‘the Caves of a thousand Buddhas » - make up a system of 492 cave-chapels near Dunhuang, a vast oasis in the Gobi Desert in the western Chinese province of Gansu. Hewn out of the cliff, today they house a collection of statues and mural paintings making up “the largest Buddhist art treasure in the world”. This outstanding world heritage site, listed by Unesco since1987, has brought the Guimet Museum and Chinese Cultural Centre together to present an exhibition solely devoted to Dunhuang art, in an original and complementary display. Reflecting a thousand years of Buddhist art, these Mogao grottoes are an invitation to come on a journey. Considered a premiere in France, this dual presentation associates two national institutions around one single event, and invites the visitor to two neighbouring venues. In the Guimet Museum, a new display will be enhanced in an original layout, identifying Chinese Buddhist works such as sculptures, liturgical and votive paintings as well as the statuary brought from the caves. As for the Chinese Cultural Centre, it will present life-size 3-D replicas of sculptures and mural paintings from the caves in a new construction which marks the reopening of the Centre, closed until very recently for renovation works.Musée National des arts asiatiques GuimetThu, 12 Mar 2009 07:22:25 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#0dbc9eeb-c49f-41a8-9789-32367d93a409http://www.museum.go.kr/kor/index.jspExplanatory text only in KoreanNational Museum of KoreaThu, 12 Mar 2009 07:22:25 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#86f7b8c6-c903-4b55-8906-acfd325fc004http://tmus.museum.go.kr/eng/PdsBoard.do?cmd=1004&bh_no=60001000&bc_no=375&RLP=news_list&RVP=news_viewThe National Museum of Korea presents the forth special exhibition of the year 2008, 'Echoes of Life: the Enduring Tradition of Unified Silla Sculpture'. The exhibition will illuminate the significance of Silla sculptures in the history of Korean art. After unifying Three Kingdoms and expelling Tang China from its territory, Silla established a threshold of a new era along with Balhae which ruled the northern territory of collapsed Goguryeo. Recognizing its international position in the global stage, it opened itself to the other culture while maintaining its own creative appreciation. Such stance of the kingdom was directly conveyed in its sculptures. Naturally carved, they embody transcendence and sublimity of the Dharma.Koreans praise those artifacts as one of the best cultural heritage and the objects gained a great deal of international attention as well. The exhibition is brought to renew public understanding of Korean Buddhist sculpture by presenting exquisite pieces from various collections. Also shown are comparable pieces of Japan and China, neighboring countries of Unified Silla, which had been rarely introduced in Korea but hold significant context to reveal the development of Unified Silla art from its beginning to the eventual completion of its aesthetics. The unprecedented gathering of the outstanding artifacts will provide an opportunity for visitors to appreciate the superiority and delicacy Silla sculptures have achieved. It could not have been possible without extensive supports from members of the museums and temples who generously loaned their collections for this event. Last but not the least, my deepest gratitude goes to the colleagues of Tokyo National Museum, Nara National Museum, and Kyushu National Museum for their collaboration to present their invaluable collections. National Museum of KoreaThu, 12 Mar 2009 07:22:25 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#8d98d5f0-e7be-4d25-bad6-9ef0325d81a8http://www.tnm.jp/en/servlet/Con?pageId=B01&processId=01&event_id=6071The term atsuita originally referred to high-class fabrics imported from China as bolts rolled around thick wooden boards (atsu-ita). In the Edo period, textiles called atsuita began to be produced in Japan. In the Muromachi period, warlords acquired the fabrics through private trade and presented them to Noh actors. The costumes made from such fabrics also came to be called atsuita. Usually, atsuita was worn under kariginu or happi coats by leading male actors playing roles such as warlords, gods and demons. Because only small portions of the atsuita garments were visible, their designs were mostly repetitive geometrical patterns such as checks, horizontal bands and stripes. After Tokugawa Ieyasu unified Japan under his rule and Noh became the Tokugawa government's official ceremonial performing art, various decorative atsuita motifs were created to suit different Noh roles. For noble warlords, elegant designs were required, such as family crests featuring paulownia, chrysanthemum and tomoe (comma-like shape) motifs on backgrounds of hexagonal or interlocked circle patterns. For violent gods and demon characters, powerful motifs including cloud-shaped flat gongs, dragons and clouds, and hammer-wheels on lightning or zigzag patterns were used. in synthesis with the development of textile techniques, atsuita designs became part of Noh culture and enhanced its dramatic effectsTokyo National MuseumThu, 12 Mar 2009 07:22:25 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#a423cd62-eb63-4374-a2f3-705449da3280http://www.tnm.jp/en/servlet/Con?pageId=B01&processId=01&event_id=5962Coins made of gold, silver and bronze have been used as currency throughout history. In western and central Asia as well as the Mediterranean region, round gold and silver coins were produced in ancient times. The majority of historical coins from China, however, are made of bronze and exhibit unique shapes. Chinese bronze coins developed during the Spring and Autumn / Warring States period (8th - 3rd centuries BC), and were produced in a variety of shapes. Round bronze coins with a square hole in the centre came into usage during the Qin and Han dynasties (3rd century BC - 3rd century AD), and remained in use until the modern period. This thematic display centres around Chinese bronze coins from the Spring and Autumn period to the Han dynasty, and the molds used for minting them. Also featured are coins representative of each dynasty from the Tang (618-907 AD) to the Qing (1644-1912) periods, giving an overview of Chinese currency from early times until the beginning of the 20th century. Tokyo National MuseumThu, 12 Mar 2009 07:22:25 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#71bde23b-926f-463a-a036-1c0770359ca1http://www.muzeum.torun.pl/portal.php?aid=12324538024975c0aa7c682Photos by Miroslaw Mizera show the beauty of this unique and exotic island. Shows unusual images depicting exotic animals surprisingly close to human settlements: monkey against the background of the old temple, or a lizard on a cemetery stone plate. In addition to the animals and landscapes, the heroes of photography Miroslaw Mizera are also human: children, women and men in their daily duties. The author tries to answer the question: what really affects the beauty and the picturesque culture of Ceylon.District MuseumThu, 12 Mar 2009 07:22:25 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#1eac7e9f-364e-462f-ae8a-219a9614b895http://www.tnm.jp/en/servlet/Con?pageId=B01&processId=01&event_id=5930Commemorating the 650th Memorial Year of the Founder, Muso Daishi Features art treasures from Myoshinji, one of the major Zen temples in Kyoto, and its sub-temples. The exhibition focuses on the flourishing Zen culture of each historical period, particularly from Kamakura (1192-1333) to Edo (1603-1868). It is held in association with the commemoration of the 650th memorial year of the founding priest, Muso Daishi.Tokyo National MuseumThu, 12 Mar 2009 07:22:25 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#862c32b5-9bd9-429e-9a3d-bf964e37d65fhttp://www.tnm.jp/en/servlet/Con?pageId=B01&processId=01&event_id=6157Fragrant plum blossoms bloom earlier than any other flower, even in severe cold weather. In China, plum trees were often grouped together with pine trees and bamboo and referred to as the Three Friends of Winter. Bamboo and plum trees were also grouped with orchids and chrysanthemums and known as the Four Noble Plants. Since ancient times, plum blossoms have appeared in literature, and they have been favored as a painting subject by literati. During the Song dynasty (960-1279), in addition to the sophisticated paintings in delicate colors which were produced mainly by court academy artists, ink-only paintings of plum trees emerged and became popular. Ink paintings of plum trees are said to have originated with Zen monk Huaguang Zhongren, who was inspired by the silhouette of a plum tree through a window on a moonlit night. Later, Song Bojen produced Meifua Xishenfu, or "Album of the Joyful Spirit of Plum Blossoms" (Southern Song dynasty, 1238), which included a hundred paintings of plum blossoms in various stages - from budding to falling - with a poem attached to each. From the Yuan dynasty (1271-1368) onward, plum blossoms as a subject became increasingly popular among literati. Often used as an allegory for feminine beauty, plum blossoms have been depicted in a variety of ways over the centuries. This display features works, both in ink and color, by ink plum painters such as Wu Daisu from the Yuan dynasty, Liu Shiru from the Ming dynasty (1368-1644), and those painted by Qing dynasty (1644-1912) artists including Jin Nong, who was known as one of Eight Eccentrics of Yangzhou.Tokyo National MuseumThu, 12 Mar 2009 07:22:25 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#7165c70f-8fb8-40a9-9ec2-f4f17728df7dhttp://www.khm.at/en/kunsthistorisches-museum/ausstellungen/laufende-sonderausstellungen/see-tibet-now/Barbara Krobath's fascinating black-and-white photographs offer unvarnished glimpses of twenty-first-century Tibet. Far from the touristy romanticism of the country's colourful monasteries, the images document tradition encountering modern consumerism in this Himalayan country. The exhibition shows a people torn between ancient pride and a new insecurity. The Carinthian artist captures this unease by recording her sitters in contemporary settings or situations photographed in the style of illustrations in old travel books. Museum of EthnologyThu, 12 Mar 2009 07:22:25 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#fe62f875-87d2-4c60-9b85-c39ab41b54dbhttp://www.khm.at/en/kunsthistorisches-museum/ausstellungen/laufende-sonderausstellungen/straps-and-bands/Enthralled by the optical and tactile qualities of textiles, the Austrian psychiatrist and neurologist, Dr. Gerhard Foitl, began to collect elaborately woven bands in the late 1970’s. His extensive collection includes bands to decorate animals and straps for bearing loads from Central Asia that feature depictions of humans and animals, yurt-straps from Turkmenistan, a magnificent silk belt from Safavid Persia, a woven pilgrim’s souvenir from the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem, raffia textiles from the Bakuba in Zaire, pre- Columbian bands from the Andes, decorative bands from South-East Asia, pearl embroideries from Gujarat (India), and women’s belts from southern Morocco. Today the Gerhard Foitl Collection comprises 737 objects whose materials, dyes and techniques have been comprehensively analyzed, researched and documented. This exceptional private collection will be presented to the Ethnological Museum after the end of the exhibition.The exhibition offers a bullet-point survey of the collection’s rich and varied holdings, as well as a portrait of three decades dedicated to collecting textiles. In addition to the bands and straps the show will also feature the collector’s original index-cards recording each object and the various aids employed by Gerhard Foitl to analyze the structure of flat-woven fabrics, or materials and colours.Museum of EthnologyThu, 12 Mar 2009 07:22:25 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#1e24a88c-62a7-4012-a3cf-eb25dd02eceehttp://www.khm.at/en/kunsthistorisches-museum/exhibitions/current-special-exhibitions/sri-lanka/Contemporary art in Sri Lanka stands in a tradition of visual expression which is not only based on a rich local cultural heritage, but – in the course of engaging with European art trends – early on developed an independent modernity. The exhibition Artful Resistance: Crisis and Creativity in Sri Lanka features paintings, graphic art, photography, sculptures, and installations by established artists as well as by emerging voices in the vibrant and diverse Sri Lankan art community. It focuses on works created within the last decade, a period characterized by the innovative experimentation with new genres, materials, and ideas. These contemporary artists are especially concerned with the difficulties of reconciling traditional values and personal as well as cultural identities with the challenges of the present, and in their artworks offer ways of coping with the resultant conflicts. Conceived as a travelling exhibition, this survey of Sri Lanka’s as yet little known contemporary art will present its range of creative expression and current themes to a broader audience and aims to include Sri Lankan art into a global discourse on contemporary art and culture.Museum of EthnologyThu, 12 Mar 2009 07:22:25 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#04e65cc8-9f08-48fc-b913-2cea722b227bhttp://www.tnm.jp/en/exhibition/regular/en_one_year.htmlThe 150th Anniversary of Keio University This exhibition commemorates the 150th anniversary of Keio University, showcasing the founder Fukuzawa Yukichi's active involvement across a wide range of fields and the history of his school, together with artworks collected by former pupils who went on to become successful leaders in the worlds of business and industry. Tokyo National MuseumThu, 12 Mar 2009 07:22:25 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#ddb1e3eb-f982-4d95-baa3-7c51bc1f0330http://www.tropenmuseum.nl/smartsite.shtml?ch=FAB&id=7501Tropenmuseum Junior is bringing Bombay to Amsterdam. The dynamic exhibition ‘Bombay Star’ plunges children and others into this Indian city with its millions of inhabitants. Through ‘Bombay tours’ they encounter the people of Bombay – from slum dwellers and incense makers to Bollywood stars, each with their own dreams, disappointments, successes and the ability to create something from nothing. There are tours for children aged 6 to 13, as well as for all age groups and for schools. The first tour starts on Saturday 30 September. All programs are in Dutch. In an experience lasting one and a half hours, the Bombay tour at Tropenmuseum Junior will plunge children into the life of the Indian metropolis, so rich in contrasts. It is a city of about 17 million people, with Bollywood stars in their chic apartments living alongside rubbish collectors in their humble alleys. The Bombay tour lets the people of Bombay tell their story – about their work, their families and their hopes for the future. Like Gauri, a girl with one leg, perseverance and a talent for dancing, who shines like a ‘Bombay Star’. Dancing on one leg, she symbolises the people of Bombay, whose enormous resilience allows them to keep going in spite of their problems. TropenmuseumThu, 12 Mar 2009 07:22:25 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#4b7e234a-611d-48fc-81b7-b801d477ffe1http://www.nba.fi/en/fus”I have decided to show the Finnish people that we are not a lonely people of the swamp, isolated from the rest of the world and its history, but part of a great ancestral lineage, related to at least one-sixth of humanity.” So wrote Matias Aleksanteri Castrén to the philosopher and statesman J.V. Snellman in 1846 during his research expeditions abroad. In Finland the poems of the national epic Kalevala had just been collected and assembled into a book and the Finnish national identity had been given a mythical foundation. Linguistic researchers were now eager to follow in the footsteps of M.A. Castrén and to set out to determine the origin of the Finnish language, the odd language among the other languages of the Nordic countries. The destination was Siberia, where peoples speaking Finno-Ugric languages were known to live. The museum exhibition celebrating the 125th-year anniversary of the Finno-Ugrian Society showcases Finnish expeditions through the years, extending from Lapland to Siberia, deep into Central Asia and Mongolia. Items, photos and recordings from the Kalmyk, Komi, Mari, Selkup and Udmurt peoples are on display.Museum of Cultures, National Museum of FinlandThu, 12 Mar 2009 07:22:25 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#4ce8706d-b82e-4f92-97cc-42609292da51http://www.ayalamuseum.org/index.php?option=com_ayala_content&task=viewexhibitpage&id=56Fernando Cueto Amorsolo (1892-1972) became known as the “painter of Philippine sunlight” because his works captured the brilliance and shimmer of the Philippine sun. Amorsolo also painted the glow from within—Filipino values, character, and soul. His genre paintings that feature women draw inspiration from the lives of ordinary folk, portraying their industry, integrity, and resilience. Many of the paintings of Amorsolo in pre-war years were dalagang bukid types, tangible expressions of the prevailing sentiments of optimism and hope-filled visions of the Philippines. Amorsolo’s early charcoal studies and bocetos (initial oil sketches) from the 1920s were extensions of his beaux arts training and evidence of a mastery of his craft. He continued to work with professional models and his post war sketches reveal him at his most spontaneous. The two-hour sessions a day that he earmarked for nude studies offered him respite from the numerous commissioned portraits and genre paintings that piled up in his studio. Interestingly, he kept these charcoal and pencil drawings mostly for himself and his family and reserved the painted nudes for select clients. Ayala MuseumThu, 12 Mar 2009 07:22:25 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#e3d5ac0d-6d60-44b0-b0b9-0b6f39926c74http://www.singart.com/current_exhibitions.phpModern and contemporary Korean art is a revelation of unique aesthetics and sensibility. When seen from a broad perspective, modern Korean art may be seen to be oscillating between two seemingly divergent approaches. On the one hand, there seems to be an effort to transcend traditional forms. Yet, on the other hand, many artists have been attempting to rediscover the spirit of traditional art. The exhibition examines Korean contemporary art development over the last five decades and features over 40 works by 12 artists. The show is held in conjunction with the Korean Festival in Singapore.Singapore Art MuseumThu, 12 Mar 2009 07:22:25 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#31b6293e-a3fa-42ca-aae0-2bbd36f1b987http://www.princessehof.nl/2007/persd.php?a=&p=27An exhibition about 90 years of collecting by the Association of Friends of Asian Art. Explanatory text only available in Dutch.Keramiekmuseum PrincessehofThu, 12 Mar 2009 07:22:25 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#15eac84b-e35e-456f-afc5-2794c3240110http://www.tnm.jp/en/servlet/Con?pageId=B01&processId=01&event_id=615603-02-2009 - 15-03-2009 According to the old lunar calendar, the third day of the third month is the date of the peach blossom festival. Families traditionally celebrate this occasion by displaying hina dolls, symbolizing their prayers for a healthy and safe childhood for their daughters. The origins of this tradition are unclear, but records reveal it had become an annual event by the early Edo period (1603-1868). The "Edo Kanoko" guidebook, written during the Jokyo era (1684-88), mentions hina doll markets being opened at several locations within Edo (present-day Tokyo), including Nakabashi, Owarimachi, Ningyocho, and Kojimachi. During the first half of the Edo period, the main type of hina were standing dolls made of paper, similar to the human-shaped paper charms used in magical rites during the Heian period. In the mid-Edo period, the seated posture type, adorned in courtly attire, emerged. Variations included Muromachi-bina dolls clothed in Muromachi fashion; Kyoho-bina, which represent an imperial couple and were the model for the popular Dairi-bina of later years; Kansai-style Jirozaemon-bina, with round white faces; and Kokin-bina, which were popular in Edo. Even after the spread of seated hina dolls, however, the old standing types continued to be displayed alongside their seated counterparts. While today it has become standard to display one set of Dairi-bina, in earlier times the manner of display was not restricted. Old pictorial sources show many different dolls being displayed liberally. The term hina derives from hina-gata the term for "miniature". Delicately crafted, these hina dolls show the affection and tastes of the maker as well as the customer, reflecting the Japanese people's characteristic love of minature objects. Tokyo National MuseumThu, 12 Mar 2009 07:22:25 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#1bc890bb-66af-419a-bcf8-048323fdd595http://www.amm.lv/izstades.php?l=1The subject of the exhibition includes numerous love affairs of Prince Genji, depicted in the 19th century novel Nise Murasaki Inaka Genji (The False Murasaki and Rustic Genji) by Ryutei Tanehiko. The novel follows the story-line of the original novel Genji monogatari (The Tale of Genji) by Lady Murasaki Shikibu ( 978 – 1014 ). The novel became a series that were published from 1827 till 1841 and due to its large popularity became the first Japanese bestseller. Its publicity was promoted by picturesque illustrations that were made by Kunisada ( Utagawa Toyokuni III, the artistic leader of the Utagawa School since 1844 ) after Tanehiko’s sketches. The result was that Toyokuni III and his students became the official designers pf Genji prints. After Ryutei Tanehiko’s death Toyokuni III continued working on Genji theme, often producing his own plot. These Genji illustrations set background for a new Genji-e genre in the traditional Japanese Ukiyo-e woodblock printing art which concentrated on reflecting upon contemporary plots and casual life. As the novel’s fame spread century after century to an ever wider public, some of its scenes became set-pieces for artists working in a variety of different forms ranging from huge, twelve-fold screens down to tiny netsuke. The exhibition comprises works by various artists of the Utagawa School in order to make acquainted with different artistic manners of the same school. The exposition consists of 25 triptychs and 11 separate pages. Accordingly to the seasonal theme of the Japanese art, the works are arranged upon their reference to a particular time of the year. Museum of Foreign ArtThu, 12 Mar 2009 07:22:25 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#aba9b074-309e-498e-9a78-6f6598363bc7http://www.tnm.jp/en/servlet/Con?pageId=B01&processId=01&event_id=6241Kano Tanyu, Maruyama Okyo, Sakai Hoitsu and Tani Buncho are known as master painters of the Edo period. However, compared with their works and their names themselves, there have been few opportunities for their writings receive attention. Daily writings are expendable. Ordinary letters, in particular, lose their significance once their contents have been delivered. Because of this, they are mostly destined to be discarded collectively at certain intervals or scattered and lost with time. Therefore, the fact that letters by these painters have been handed down through various owners who were not related to the writers and, many years after, have ended up in museum display cases must be beyond their writers' imagination. Painters' letters, which allow readers to glimpse their daily lives, often reveal the fact that they did not live solely as painters. They were also poets and scholars who may be regarded as individuals with keen curiosity, who were endowed with many talents including - but not limited to - painting. Their letters are evidence of their real lives. Portrayals of pre-modern painters often focus primarily on their works. In contrast, we hope that this exhibition of painters' letters will shed light on some aspects of their inner selves and help to enrich their personal profiles.Tokyo National MuseumThu, 12 Mar 2009 07:22:25 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#4c282517-3acf-4a7b-815c-eebe35400621http://www.vam.ac.uk/collections/asia/ukiyo_e/index.htmlThe V&A's collection of ukiyo-e is one of the largest and finest in the world, with over 25,000 prints, paintings, drawings and books. It is not since 'The Floating World' exhibition of 1973 that a substantial number of ukiyo-e have been displayed at the Museum. The return of this exhibition, which has been touring in Japan since 2007, provides a perfect opportunity to rectify this. Ukiyo-e means 'Pictures of the Floating World'. Images of everyday Japan, mass-produced for popular consumption in the Edo period (1615-1868), they represent one of the highpoints of Japanese cultural achievement. Exploring the strengths of the V&A's unique collection, the display includes glorious full-colour prints, fan prints, illustrated poetry books, and artists' sketches and copyists' drawings.Victoria and Albert MuseumThu, 12 Mar 2009 07:22:25 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#fe22b13a-958f-4588-8d66-e34cf60a1497http://www.tnm.jp/en/servlet/Con?pageId=B01&processId=01&event_id=6109This display features elaborate designs which Ainu people used to decorate their garments and daily utensils. Designs on garments were rendered in threaded cotton cloth appliqué and colored embroidery. Wooden objects such as trays, Iku-pasui (conveyer of wine and prayer to god), and tobacco cases are decorated with minute engraved patterns. Women decorated using cloth and needles, and men engraved designs with makiri knives. The Ainu designs include whirl patterns called morew and brace-like patterns known as ayus. When the Ainu people held rituals and dances wearing garments and holding objects with these designs, their movements must have looked fabulous.Tokyo National MuseumThu, 12 Mar 2009 07:22:25 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#1da29b77-1e11-4c67-9ca8-89af4c319049http://www.tnm.jp/en/servlet/Con?pageId=B01&processId=01&event_id=6242Since its beginning in 2000, the role of this annual exhibition series?now in its ninth year?has been to introduce the wide variety of conservation and restoration activities that take place at the Tokyo National Museum. This year's exhibit includes 20 items of recently restored works with accompanying pictures, chosen either as representative examples of various fields such as painting, sculpture, the decorative arts, archaeology and historical objects, or for the uniquely specialized techniques which have been utilized in their restoration. The Tokyo National Museum's mission is to provide the public with opportunities for viewing cultural properties while also preserving its collection so that it can be enjoyed in perpetuity. In order to fulfill this mission, maintenance of exhibition and storage areas, improvement of transportation methods and treatment of the objects, and both minor and full-scale repairs are required to preserve or restore the items. In addition, solving problems posed by materials or technology plays an extremely important role. There is an inherent contradiction between storing the items for preservation and making them available for the public to enjoy. However, in order to have these items passed on to future generations, we feel it is necessary and take both of these into account in our daily activities. Through this exhibition, we hope to deepen your understanding of the preservation techniques necessary for these important cultural objects.Tokyo National MuseumThu, 12 Mar 2009 07:22:25 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#d4e8c3ae-80ef-4605-9b86-b1aa46873974http://www.lcsd.gov.hk/CE/Museum/Arts/english/exhibitions/exhibitions01_jul08_02.htmlFocusing on the horse in Chinese art and culture, the exhibition showcases around 40 exhibits selected from the collections of the Hong Kong Museum of Art. The exhibits include Chinese ceramics, bronzes, bamboo carvings, Chinese paintings, historical pictures and modern works. Based on this wide range of art forms, the exhibition sets out to explore the various roles and symbolic meanings of the horse through its depiction in Chinese and modern Hong Kong art from four perspectives: the role of the horse in ancient China; the literati essence in Chinese horse paintings; the horse as decoration and symbol; and the horse in modern art. Hong Kong Museum of ArtThu, 12 Mar 2009 07:22:25 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#56721d17-2187-4a87-bc47-3c9da1580160http://www.lcsd.gov.hk/CE/Museum/Arts/english/exhibitions/exhibitions01_oct08_02.htmlJointly presented by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department and the Alumni Association of Fine Arts Department, The Chinese University of Hong Kong Jointly organized by the Hong Kong Museum of Art and the Alumni Association of Fine Arts Department, The Chinese University of Hong Kong. In the 1920s, Ding Yanyong left his hometown in Guangdong for Japan and enrolled in the Tokyo Fine Arts School. He adopted the styles of Matisse and those espoused by Fauvism as the basis for his own art. Upon his return to China, he became an active promoter of modern art and art education. In the 1930s, he began studying Chinese painting through the artwork of Qing masters Bada Shanren, Shi Tao and Jin Nong and by collecting ancient implements of the craft. It was at this point that he inaugurated his life-long exploration of a synthesis of Chinese and Western art. In 1949, he moved to Hong Kong. In 1956, he helped found a special art course at the New Asia College, the predecessor of the Department of Fine Arts at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, and taught there until his passing in 1978. Over the years, he faced adverse situations with a strong sense of will and continued his artistic pursuits. With diverse media at his creative disposal — from oil to ink painting, then to calligraphy and sealengraving — he formulated an original and personal style based on his creative interplay of these media.Hong Kong Museum of ArtThu, 12 Mar 2009 07:22:25 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#8312c540-0e52-4380-86b2-7c0f144b0c31http://www.singart.com/current_exhibitions.phpA collaboration between the Singapore Art Museum and Angkatan Pelukis Aneka Daya (APAD), this exhibition showcases works by current and former members of APAD, ranging from established artists like S Mohdir, A Ghani Hamid, Iskandar Jalil, Sarkasi Said and Tumadi Patri, to young promising artists like Rofizano Zaino, Harman Hussin, Amin Yasin, Sazali Rahmat and Rudy Djoharnaen. Inspired by APAD's 46 years of history and tradition, this exhibition reflects the group's diversity in art practices which straddle both the old and new. Singapore Art MuseumThu, 12 Mar 2009 07:22:25 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#184b0c83-25a3-4af2-abe1-705ec8399ecdhttp://www.tnm.jp/en/servlet/Con?pageId=B01&processId=01&event_id=6114The history of Indian painting can be traced back to more than 2000 years ago, however the earliest examples of miniature painting are illustrations for Jainist and Buddhist scripture from the 11th century, painted on hemp palm leaves. The works in the museum's collection were mostly produced during the Mughal dynasty (16th - 19th centuries). They include illustrations of stories from Mahabharata, Ramayana and other ancient Indian mythology, as well as Hindu deities such as Shiva and Vishnu, portraits of kings, historical stories, love affairs, animals, and visual interpretations of music known as raga mala, demonstrating the wide variety of subjects in Indian painting. Mughal miniature paintings can be divided into two major groups: Mughal paintings, which developed in Islamic culture, and Rajput paintings, which belong to Hindu culture. They can also be classified by provenance into five different groups: Mughal, Provincial Mughal, Deccan, Rajasthan and Pahari. Covering a wide variety of subjects and styles, the works on display offer a glimpse of the wealthy life of the aristocrats and religious beliefs at the time.Tokyo National MuseumThu, 12 Mar 2009 07:22:25 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#e20cf9a9-e9dd-459e-b494-70267cc04199http://www.tnm.jp/en/servlet/Con?pageId=B01&processId=01&event_id=6116The term meibutsugire (celebrated fabrics) describes a type of dyed and woven fabric brought to Japan from places such as China, from the Kamakura to the early Edo periods. They include fabrics such as kinran (gold brocade), donsu (damask), nishiki (Japanese brocade) and kando (striped or checked textiles), produced during the Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties. These were owned by daimyo or by temples and shrines and were used as mountings for calligraphic works and paintings, and as bags for tea ceremony utensils such as tea caddies and bowls, as well as a variety of other purposes. In this, the last of four exhibitions which each showcases a different genre of meibutsugire design, we will focus on geometric patterns, including triangles, hexagons, interlocked circles and squares, vertical and horizontal stripes as well as stripes with raised motifs of plum flowers and rabbit roundels. Although large motifs were seldom used in these fabrics, the striped kinran with floral and geometric designs, which is covered almost entirely with shiny gold leaf threads, is a spectacular exception. Other examples of kinran which employ gold threads over a striped base are comparatively less luxuriant, due to the fact that their smaller gold motifs (including stylized plum flowers and rabbit roundels) are overshadowed by the vertical stripes. In contrast to the brilliance of kinran, the term kando refers to textiles with a stripe or check pattern. Basically plain weave cloth, their designs in various combinations of colors and width of stripes exhibit a sophisticated beauty. An unusual example is Hino Kando, decorated with staggered horizontal bands. We hope you enjoy the simple beauty of geometric patterns and stripes in this selection of fabrics. Tokyo National MuseumThu, 12 Mar 2009 07:22:25 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#bc5b5849-a0c5-4117-9c5d-16317a95a5a9http://www.mfea.se/smvk/jsp/polopoly.jsp?d=146&a=14266Onishi is an artist with a world reputation, besides being himself a veritable institution, in the Japanese art of lacquer. Simplicity, stringency, harmony and balance are words which characterise the central elements of Onishi´s art. Nagatoshi Onishi (born 1933) is an artist with a world reputation, besides being himself a veritable institution, in the Japanese art of lacquer, both as a practising lacquer artist and as a scholar and author on the subject. In 1998 Onishi opened his own studio and lacquer centre, GANSEN, in Moroto, outside Tokyo, because he wished to work in harmony with nature, which is his greatest source of inspiration. Here he teaches a small, select group of students, while at the same time working with his personal, demanding expression in lacquer works which, while continuing to be based on traditional Japanese techniques, have developed, in Onishi´s hands, in utterly new directions and into a highly clarified and serene expression. From 1982 to 2000 Onishi was the leading professor and teacher in the art of lacquer at the Tokyo Academy of Art, where, many years ago before, he himself had been taught. There he instructed the students in all aspects of urushi, the more than one thousand-year old techniques and tradition of Japanese lacquer work. Now he conducts his academic efforts as President of the World Urushi Culture Council, WUCC, as well as holding a number of posts of honour on Japanese and international committees. In addition he has continued to write on the subject and teach at his own lacquer centre, GANSEN, outside Tokyo. Over the years, Professor Onishi has exhibited extensively, initially in Japan and other parts of the Far East, and also, from 1995 onwards, in other parts of the world: Europe, the USA and Australia. Now he is presented in Scandinavia, first in Copenhagen (2008) and now in Stockholm.Museum of Far Eastern AntiquitiesSat, 04 Apr 2009 09:43:50 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#ba637937-14de-49dd-b7aa-fbb968cb59a4http://www.tnm.jp/en/guide/map/garden.html#teienThe Museum Garden will be open to the public during springtime. 10 different species of cherry trees blossom one after another every year. Enjoy strolling among the cherry trees and the five teahouses. Tokyo National MuseumThu, 12 Mar 2009 07:22:25 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#7846b745-592e-4373-ae99-1835d50bc4dehttp://www.tnm.jp/en/servlet/Con?pageId=B01&processId=01&event_id=6257Included in Otogi Zoshi, a collection of ancient tales, the story of Shutendoji features the warrior Minamoto no Yorimitsu and his four etainers Watanabe no Tsuna, Sakata no Kintoki, Usui Sadamitsu and Urabe Sukesue (known together as Shitenno, or the Four Heavenly Kings). Legend holds that Yorimitsu and his men, along with Fujiwara no Yasumasa and under the protection of the Shinto gods Hachiman, Sumiyoshi and Kumano, defeated a goblin known as Shutendoji, who abducted young women fom the capital to use as slaves or to eat. The story is said to have been formed from the Nanbokucho (1333-1392) to Muromachi (1392-1573) period, and many narrative pictures based n the legend (known as "Shutendoji pictures") were produced in the Muromachi period. The work Fans with Shutendoji Pictures (private collection), featured in this exhibition, was formerly pasted onto a pair of six-fold screens. Although the individual pictures are fan-shaped, they bear no fold lines, indicating that they were originally meant as works for appreciation, not for practical use. This set is a precious work consisting of 36 fans depicting scenes from the beginning of the story to Yorimitsu's return to the capital after defeating the goblin. Each scene is accompanied by a serial number, allowing the viewer to follow the story. This exhibition also includes an Azuchi-Momoyama period narrative picture scroll by a Kano school artist, copies of Muromachi-period work by Kano Motonobu and Edo period work by Kano Tan'yu, as well as woodblock prints by Hishikawa Moronobu for comparison.Tokyo National MuseumSun, 05 Apr 2009 11:37:01 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#24a62958-fe07-45ce-ba31-0d31b5698209http://www.tnm.jp/en/servlet/Con?pageId=B01&processId=01&event_id=6376Modern Japanese cuisine is a result of customs which developed in Japanese culture over many centuries. Narrative picture scrolls from the middle ages show that court nobles and warriors historically ate rice as their main dish, accompanied by dried seafood and salt-preserved dishes. The refinement of the dishes which traditionally accompanied rice resulted in the Japanese cuisine we know today. While little is known about the daily meals of common people, we do know that skilled knife handling and the appearance of served food were important for dishes served on ceremonial occasions. The Muromachi period (1392-1573) saw the emergence of schools of cooks who worked exclusively for the imperial court or shogunate, and developed secret techniques which were transmitted through generations. The development of tea ceremony in turn led to the creation of kaiseki cuisine, where serving food hot come to be viewed as a form of hospitality. In the Edo period (1603-1868), practical cooking books (including Practical Narrative of Food Preparation) began to be published, and the influence of foreign cuisine resulted in the use of cooking oils and the inclusion of chicken and fried food in culinary repertoires. The spread of cooking techniques and utensils as well as the full scale production of soy sauce further enriched the variety of Japanese cuisine. The publication of commercial cooking books rapidly increased in the Bunka (1804-1818) and Bunsei (1818-1830) eras of the late Edo period, thus adding to these developments. This exhibition looks at the history of Japanese food culture, as seen through some of these early cooking books.Tokyo National MuseumSun, 05 Apr 2009 11:26:40 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#d77c6f2a-eebe-4cd7-bdd2-441a3a974c47 http://www.nus.edu.sg/museum/exhibitions_jendela.htmlThe meteoric rise of Jendela that began in the mid-1990s is both fascinating and confounding. Starting from the mundane, Handiwirman Saputra, Jumaldi Alfi, Yusra Martunus, Rudi Mantofani and Yunizar produce works that are visually seductive and clinical in their articulation, absent of the strident social imageries typical of Yogyakarta art. Is this a reaction against political art? A turn towards formalism? Or can we release them from the burden of reductive interpretations? This exhibition stages an encounter with Jendela’s play of the ordinary, invoking a crisis of signification, one that oscillates between irrational fascination and context.NUS Museum, NUS Centre For the ArtsFri, 03 Apr 2009 10:00:21 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#129905d1-5249-42ed-a453-627120f8502ehttp://www.lcsd.gov.hk/CE/Museum/Arts/english/exhibitions/exhibitions01_jan09_01.htmlGuest Curator: Ms Grace Cheng currently works as an independent curator and the Director of Art in Hospital, Grace Cheng was the Exhibition Manager of the Hong Kong Arts Centre from 2001 to 2005. She has been curating and presenting exhibitions and different art projects showing the diversity of her interests. The premise of this exhibition is that a true appreciation of Art can be achieved through experiencing the synergy of Artwork, Environment and Audience alike. By way of introduction, imagine this exhibit as satisfying the individual's pursuit of moments in daily life when one truly appreciates being alive and enjoying life for its own sake. The exhibition invites everybody, literally every "body", of different ages, education, race, gender, background and abilities to participate in this experience. The experience is designed to challenge the concept of displaying and viewing art in an exhibition setting, some of the artworks in this exhibition will provide an anticipative audience with the opportunity to grasp the fundamental inner essence of the artwork through tactile and direct participatory experience. The exhibition's design for the viewer is two-fold: participation and experience. Through an exchange of ideas, questions and answers, and most importantly through audience participation, the exhibition fully blossoms. Not merely the presentation of art, it offers a living community-related art experience. The interlaying relationships within the exhibition serve as starting points that raise the conventional sense of a museum experience to a new level and will hopefully inspire a pleasant experience of art for the community. Local artists working in various media were invited to contribute artworks that defy conventional ways of viewing art through interactive means. Planned for the exhibition is a series of workshops offered by the artists that feature interactive activities and guided tours. Hong Kong Museum of ArtThu, 12 Mar 2009 07:22:25 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#06b67247-5101-4855-98e5-9c3ae9e970c5http://www.tnm.jp/en/servlet/Con?pageId=B01&processId=01&event_id=6246Although Kuroda Seiki initially made his passage to France as a law student at 17 years of age, it was as a painter that he returned to Japan nine years later. Kuroda's identity as a painter emerged and took shape entirely in France. Notes in Kuroda's diary reveal that it was painters Yamamoto Hosui and Fuji Gazo, and art dealer Hayashi Tadamasa, who recognized artistic talent in the pictures he drew for pleasure and encouraged him to become an artist. Yamamoto was a student of salon painter Jean-Leon Gerome, whilst Fuji studied under Louis-Joseph-Raphael Collin. Kuroda, who initially accompanied Fuji to his lessons with Collin in the capacity of translator, eventually also became a student of Collin's. Together with Kume Keiichiro, another Japanese student under Collin, Kuroda rented an apartment with an atelier, and there began to pour his energy into painting. This exhibition, the museum's third thematic display centred around Kuroda Seiki, showcases works produced during his time spent in France. Following Kuroda on his journey towards becoming a painter, it features a variety of works from his student days, including "Reading" (which was accepted for exhibition at the Salon) and a selection of early sketches. In addition, works of Collin and fellow Japanese artists who spent time with Kuroda in France as students have also been made available for display, with the kind assistance of The University Art Museum - Tokyo University of the Arts.Tokyo National MuseumThu, 12 Mar 2009 07:22:25 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#657a9c31-f772-404a-8ac4-ab5a2d4cda05http://www.museum.go.kr/kor/index.jspExplanatory text only available in KoreanNational Museum of KoreaThu, 12 Mar 2009 07:22:25 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#9181c819-c486-4f5c-b4e9-4993dc9c9a16http://www.tnm.jp/en/servlet/Con?pageId=B01&processId=01&event_id=6256In ancient China, before the existence of modern printing technology, the technique of taking rubbings from stone and metal inscriptions was invented and used for the appreciation and practice of calligraphy. The oldest extant example of rubbing, dating from the Tang dynasty (618-907), indicates the technique was invented during this period or earlier. Drawing on this tradition, calligraphic masterpieces were replicated in engravings on wood or stone blocks, and rubbings taken from them were bound into books known as fatie (model-letters compendia). These books included anthologies of works by several calligraphers, collections of single artists' works, and reproductions of single calligraphic works. In 992 during the Northern Song dynasty, the emperor Taizong ordered that a fatie be compiled to include outstanding works from each period, selected from the imperial collection. This compilation is known as Chun Hua Ge Tie. The oldest imperial anthology of calligraphy rubbings, Chun Hua Ge Tie contained works in running-cursive script by Wang Xizhi and Wang Xianzhi (The Two Wangs) as well as works by their followers, and had great influence on later generations. The Ming dynasty saw the emergence of many famous collectors who published private editions of fatie as if to show off their collections, a trend which continued into the following Qing dynasty. From the Song to the Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties, fatie were treasured as basic manuals for learning calligraphy. Many masters in the history of Chinese calligraphy learned their skills from these fatie, practicing the styles represented in works by the two Wangs and their followers, and developing their own styles.Tokyo National MuseumThu, 12 Mar 2009 07:22:25 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#176a95e7-01b3-4dca-993b-e9e7d7e6cbfehttp://www.voelkerkundemuseum-muenchen.de/inhalt/html/vorschau.htmlExplanatory text only available in GermanState Museum of EthnologyThu, 12 Mar 2009 07:22:25 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#c9099e20-3845-4bab-8db6-e1c92f8f71e7http://www.singart.com/upcoming_exhibitions.phpThe Singapore Art Museum will showcase the first exhibition of drawings from Malay artist Latiff Mohidi. A selection of 90 artworks will be presented as a retrospective of Latiff Mohidin's works on paper from 1960's to 2003. The exhibition will be complemented by the launch of the book "Latiff Mohidin: The Journey to Wetlands, and beyond".Singapore Art MuseumThu, 12 Mar 2009 07:22:25 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#2ede7fb8-8f8d-4a85-bb61-6dca62a0ab2ehttp://www.quaibranly.fr/en/programmation/exhibitions/currently/mangareva/index.htmlThe exhibition brings together the only known works to date from Mangareva, a small island in the Gambier Archipelago. There are a dozen statues, anthropomorphic or not, that have never been shown to the general public. The exhibition is also the opportunity to view a society that is mainly unknown and to make the world aware of the richness and uniqueness of this island culture. For the Mangarevian people, it is also a way of finding its original gods and to revive its history. Musée du quai BranlyThu, 12 Mar 2009 07:22:25 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#7b7ca55b-4e38-47f6-9f7d-d82460d58952http://www.lcsd.gov.hk/CE/Museum/Arts/english/tea/tea03_200807_01.htmlFeaturing over 110 artefacts of refined tea ware from the Tang dynasty (618-907) to the 20th century, this exhibition introduces the history of tea accompanied by a bountiful collection of Chinese tea vessels and export ware. Education corner has been set up to enhance an enlightening and fascinating experience.Hong Kong Museum of ArtThu, 12 Mar 2009 07:22:25 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#6a7a2471-3275-4d89-8abb-71b34bdf1441http://www.amm.lv/izstades.php?l=1The inhabitants and guests of Riga are welcomed to explore the sumptuous traditional culture of Indonesia. The emphasis of the Indonesian art exhibition will be set on the famous batiks of Yogyakarta and Solo. The batik process will be revealed by one of the most prominent batik artists of the Sleman Regency (Java). Furthermore, dancers from the Prambanana temple are coming to Riga with their ritual Hindu dance performances that will be performed every day during the exhibition at repeated shows. Alongside with the exhibition, films about the culture and nature of Indonesia will be projected; there will be available photographs about the temples, sultanats and casual life of Indonesia, the lectures about Indonesia will be held by Prof.Taivans (The University of Latvia), and Ingmārs Līdaka, Daiga Upeniece and Vita Ozoliņa will reveal their travel impressions of Indonesia. For this unique opportunity to manage this project that for the first time is gives an embracing insight into the rich art and culture of Indonesia, the museum team thanks the supporters RIETUMU BANKA and participation of the Museum of Foreign Art at the exchange program for the education and culture of the Asian / European Foundation ASEF, that is arranged by ASEMUS - an organization that joins the Asian and European museums.Museum of Foreign ArtWed, 13 May 2009 10:11:14 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#97addce0-5ab0-40c6-98a8-1c8928692b79http://www.tnm.jp/en/servlet/Con?pageId=B01&processId=01&event_id=6259In the Hakuho period (672-710), after the death of Emperor Tenji (r. 627-671), his eldest son Prince Otomo succeeded to the throne. Some people objected to the prince's enthronement, however, revolting against their new ruler in 672 and championing Emperor Tenji's younger brother, Prince Oama (later, Emperor Tenmu) in his place. The Noh play Kuzu narrates a legend based on this revolt, during which Emperor Tenmu escaped an attack sent by Prince Otomo by fleeing to Mt. Yoshino in Nara. The play's story begins with Emperor Tenmu hiding from the enemy in the mountains. Two elderly local mountain dwellers, fishing from a boat on the Yoshino River at the time, notice purple clouds and an omen star shining above their hut. Wondering how purple clouds, believed to mark the presence of a noble figure destined to rule the world, could appear over their dwelling, the couple hurry back to their home to discover Emperor Tenmu hiding there. (In Noh theater, noble individuals were often played by children to illustrate purity of character, and hence the role of Emperor Tenmu was also performed by a child.)Learning that Emperor Tenmu had not eaten for days during his flight, the old couple prepare him a meal of edible leaves and roasted kuzu fish (sweetfish) caught in the Yoshino River. Emperor Tenmu returns one half of the roasted fish, upon which it turns back into a live fish, reviving and swimming away when released back into the river by the old man. Soon after, Emperor Tenmu's pursuers arrive, and the couple hurriedly hide him in the bottom of the boat while the old man fools them into leaving and searching elsewhere. Here, through the quiet of midnight, koto music is heard and a heavenly woman wearing a zo-onna mask (a symbol of cool beauty), a crown and maiginu garment emerges and begins to dance. Lured from his shrine by the music, the Shinto God Zao Gongen appears. Tokyo National MuseumSun, 05 Apr 2009 11:50:52 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#9efd6757-d932-4116-ad60-d5223cb6bee3http://www.guimet.fr/The-origins-of-Buddhism-inFor the first time in France an exceptional collection of works of Art will be brought together evoking the most ancient Buddhistic art, from the central plains of present day Thailand, from the 6th to the 11th century, as well as its extensions in the north of the country up until the 13th century. 145 works housed ou preserved in twelve of the principal Thai National Museums, completed by 19 pieces belonging to the Guimet Museum, illustrate the richness and precision of the iconography of the Dvaravati “kingdom” as well as the stylistic originality and technical particularities of an art unfamiliar to the general Western public.Musée National des arts asiatiques GuimetThu, 12 Mar 2009 07:22:25 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#bff244c3-f56f-4040-b579-0f62e61c1858http://www.rijksmuseum.nl/tentoonstellingen/holland-en-japan?lang=enThe exhibition examines the privileged position Dutch traders enjoyed on the isolated island of Deshima and the artistic and cultural interchange that resulted from their commercial contacts. Among over 20 works presented in the show are lacquerware, porcelain, a screen and paintings from the Rijksmuseum collection. The centrepiece is a scroll painting of over 6 metres in length, depicting scenes of everyday life on Deshima. For centuries, the Dutch on the Japanese island of Deshima were the only window between Japan and the West. It was through Dutch traders that the Japanese learned about Western technology and culture, just as it was through Dutch contacts that the West gradually discovered more about Japanese society. This exchange of information created a special bond between the two countries. A number of unique Japanese paintings, such as the wonderful screen portraying a Dutch ship, a view of Nagasaki Bay and the island of Deshima, and a scroll painting over 6 metres long showing how the Dutch passed their time in their commercial enclave, provide a glimpse of Deshima and its Dutch inhabitants in the 18th and 19th century. Also displayed in the exhibition is an early Dutch imitation lacquer box, an extremely rare and exceptional object. Another more recent acquisition is the spectacular portrait of the Cock Blomhoff family. This huge silk painting shows the senior merchant Jan Cock Blomhoff with his wife Titia, their son and servants. Titia was the first European woman in Japan and was soon forced to leave Deshima. RijksmuseumThu, 12 Mar 2009 07:22:25 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#724f5daa-409c-4407-8751-773b991107e6http://www.acm.org.sg/exhibitions/eventdetail.asp?eventID=393Hailed as one of China's greatest emperors, the Kangxi Emperor, XuanYe, succeeded his father, Emperor Shunzhi, at the tender age of eight. During his reign (1662 to 1722), the Manchus consolidated rule over China and the Chinese empire expanded. The Kangxi Emperor's many achievements can be attributed to his passion and competence in his various roles. He was an astute ruler, skilled warrior, keen scholar and patron of the arts. His intellect, political acumen, diverse talents and civic virtues won him the admiration and support of his subjects. This exhibition showcases treasures from The Palace Museum, Beijing and offers visitors a rare glimpse into the Forbidden City - right here in SingaporeAsian Civilisations MuseumThu, 12 Mar 2009 07:22:25 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#faa2578a-6a6a-4524-9f8b-b444845b3056http://www.nus.edu.sg/museum/exhibitions_pp.htmlForming an attempt at understanding modern and contemporary craft practices in the major urban centres of India, the exhibition traces continuity in practices, ideas and concerns surrounding the livelihood of craft communities and the larger postcolonial politics of heritage management. Exhibited artifacts are drawn from the NUS Museum's South Asian Collection and a recent study trip undertaken by a group of students from the University Scholars Programme, National University of Singapore.NUS Museum, NUS Centre For the ArtsFri, 03 Apr 2009 09:59:00 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#bcb543fa-954d-4c31-a723-769f5059cd09http://www.museu.gulbenkian.pt/exposicoes.asp?lang=enThe "Stations of the Tokaido" series of prints acquired by Calouste Gulbenkian is part of a set of about 200 Japanese woodblock prints from the 18th and 19th centuries which is usually kept in storage due to conservation reasons. Signed by three great masters - Hiroshige (1797-1858), Kunisada (1786-1865) and Kuniyoshi (1797-1861) -, the 55 prints, published circa 1845 by different publishers, depict legends and tales related to the stations of the Tokaido. The Tokaido (Eastern Sea Road) was feudal Japan?fs main land route. It ran for about 500 km between the old imperial capital, Kyoto, and the then-capital - Edo (Tokyo), military capital of the Tokugawa. The 53 stations (excluding the first and the last ones), situated along the way, sheltered not only the delegations of feudal lords but also all kinds of travellers, merchants, pilgrims and peasants. To travel through this sought after road was an adventure, due to its surprises, risks and difficulties, and also to the unfavourable weather conditions that ravaged the region, especially during the winter. The Tokaido road would probably have sunk into oblivion had it not been immortalized by the greatest masters of Japanese printmaking. The complete, sequenced presentation of this famous series must be carried out rotatively due to conservation reasons although the public will be able to view the missing prints in a interactive multimedia presentation. Therefore, every month each set of 18 prints will be replaced by a new one until the end of the exhibition. The first print, the Nihonbashi station, marks the starting point at the Nihon bridge in Edo (Tokyo) and the last one, the 55th, the Kyoto station, in the city's bridge. Calouste Gulbenkian MuseumThu, 12 Mar 2009 07:22:25 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#d58c1606-6933-4453-9aad-67260c5348d5http://www.tnm.jp/en/servlet/Con?pageId=B01&processId=01&event_id=6377Writing boxes were used to store writing equipment, a set of which traditionally included an ink stone, a water dropper, brushes, an ink cake and a knife. Indispensable in daily life, writing boxes were always kept at hand in the living quarters of literate households. Along with cosmetics boxes, which contained toiletries and other personal articles, writing boxes were standard functional household items which also served a decorative purpose. Most extant maki-e lacquerware masterpieces from the middle ages are in fact either cosmetics boxes or writing boxes, and it was most probably their decorative role which led to them becoming representative of the maki- e lacquerware genre. In pre-modern times, writing boxes were the primary vehicles for expression of maki-e techniques. When artists such as Hon'ami Koetsu, Ogata Korin and Ogawa Haritsu emerged in the Edo period (1603-1868), they fathered a rich variety of writing boxes which differed from conventional maki-e work to embody the novel and unique styles of their creators. Informed by the objets' function, the designs which decorated writing boxes often featured poetry and other literary works. This exhibition showcases the minute detail of maki-e decoration, while highlighting the diversity of styles among writing boxes and drawing attention to their depiction in paintings. We hope this exhibition provides viewers with a deeper understanding of the breadth of styles found among writing boxes, and the role they played in traditional daily life.Tokyo National MuseumSun, 05 Apr 2009 11:15:44 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#2b8f94ed-f06f-45d3-96ec-6bbc40717227http://www.nus.edu.sg/museum/exhibitions_pramuhendra.htmlEmerging from various explorations linked to conceptions of the philosophical “Self”, J. Ariadhitya Pramuhendra in his most recent series dissects the seemingly monumental appeal of Spacing Identities. Informed mostly by the artists’ biographical interests, the charcoal works present momentary petitions for recognition by constantly emphasizing on re-assessing the Self in relation to what constitutes identity, the moral and the social in contemporary Indonesia. The Self simultaneously becomes a subject and object of observation and study for the artist, a liminal philosophical category, developed through investigations into artifactual constituents of memory and placed conjunctive to idealizations of artistic labour and its accompanying predicaments.NUS Museum, NUS Centre For the ArtsMon, 11 May 2009 08:59:00 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#3acfda42-a2ff-405c-b4db-cc4ddc81b4achttp://www.lcsd.gov.hk/CE/Museum/Arts/english/exhibitions/exhibitions01_apr09_03.htmlIt isn't an art organization with a defined manifesto. Nor is it a regional school with a distinctive style. "New Literati Painting" can be described as a convergence of artists with common goals that coincided with various cultural movements against the background of the rapid changes in the 1980s and 1990s that marked the "open door" policy and reforms in China.Hong Kong Museum of ArtTue, 31 Mar 2009 12:58:53 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#3061ec97-667c-47ce-a16c-ed98e150e0aehttp://www.lcsd.gov.hk/CE/Museum/Arts/english/exhibitions/exhibitions01_apr09_02.htmlCollecting paintings and calligraphy not only reflect a literati's taste, but his grounding in cultural heritage. Following the establishment of a number of museums throughout China in the twentieth century, the availability of ancient artworks in the art market further declined. At this time it was nearly impossible to establish a large-scale and fully representative collection of ancient artworks by private collectors comparable to those achieved by their counterparts in earlier periods. Set against this backdrop, Hong Kong has by contrast played an important role in the art market since the last century due to special historical and political reasons.The Xubaizhai Gallery of Chinese Painting and Calligraphy was built in 1992 to provide a permanent home for internationally acclaimed Xubaizhai Collection donated to the Hong Kong Museum of Art in 1989 by Low Chuck Tiew (1911 – 1993). The inauguration of the Xubaizhai Gallery is also a tribute to the generous gesture of an eminent connoisseur in turning an important private collection into a valuable public one.The Xubaizhai Collection encompasses works dated from the Northern Dynasties (386 – 581) through to the twentieth century and is particularly strong in works by the masters of the major schools of the Ming (1368 – 1644) and Qing (1644 – 1911) dynasties, including the Wu School, the Songjiang School, the Four Monks, the Orthodox School and the Eight Eccentrics of Yangzhou. The present exhibition features works of painting selected from these two periods. Additionally, this selection of the Xubaizhai Collection provides the viewer with an opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of the characteristics of the collection and Mr Low's aesthetic leanings.Hong Kong Museum of ArtTue, 31 Mar 2009 12:57:07 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#de380ddd-97db-4187-a128-0f6919b854efhttp://www.nus.edu.sg/museum/exhibitions_NatureMenIncluded.htmlHow do we contemplate Nature and Man’s place in it? What are the issues in the representations of Nature reflecting contemporary social and cultural values, the self and community and their relationships with the natural landscape? Does the environment and its conditions reflect the economic and political dynamics? Should we highlight spatial domination or explore the boundaries between the natural and cultural, the urban and the undeveloped? Or can we reflect on the philosophical ideas on Human Nature? Drawing from the diverse intellectual disciplines and interests within the University, this exhibition which is held in conjunction with NUS Arts Festival 2009 presents a range of perspectives by NUS students, staff and alumni that allows us to reflect Man's place and role in Nature through photography.NUS Museum, NUS Centre For the ArtsFri, 03 Apr 2009 10:06:33 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#754199fd-9434-4ca2-a1e0-7ee603cc1a21http://www.tnm.jp/en/servlet/Con?pageId=B01&processId=01&event_id=5964This display features representative examples of ancient Chinese bronze mirrors from the Museum collection. Bronze is an alloy of copper, tin and lead, and appear either gold or silver in color. When polished, it is highly reflective, which led to its worldwide use as a material for making mirrors prior to the development of glass. Bronze mirrors were usually decorated with a variety of designs. In China, bronze mirrors became widely used during the Warring States period (5th century BC - 3rd century BC). The designs on ancient Chinese mirrors were often of an auspicious nature, and were believed to bring good luck. From the Han dynasty (3rd century BC - 3rd century AD) onward, mirrors often featured inscriptions of auspicious words.Tokyo National MuseumThu, 12 Mar 2009 07:22:25 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#0d9ab592-0cc1-42c7-8113-b175d5db351chttp://www.tnm.jp/en/servlet/Con?pageId=B01&processId=01&event_id=6113This exhibition commemorates the 1300th anniversary of Kohfukuji Temple, Nara, featuring the sculpture of Ashura, one of the most treasured sculptures made during the beginning to mid-7th century. Ashura and other statues consisting the Devas of the Eight Classes and the Ten Great Disciples of Buddha, among which 14 survive until now, will be exhibited outside the temple together for the first time. Another highlight is the objects excavated from the Chukondo (Central Golden (Main) Hall) site, where its restoration project is underway, originally buried to pacify the gods and the land to pray for the safety of the Hall and Buddhist statues for which it was built. Tokyo National MuseumThu, 12 Mar 2009 07:22:25 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#bf81c51b-3bbe-459d-8e74-b90308b9e7e7http://www.tnm.jp/en/servlet/Con?pageId=B01&processId=01&event_id=6492Yan Zhenqing (709-785) was born in Linyi, in the Langya region (present-day Shandong Province) of China, to a prestigious family of scholars traditionally specialized in linguistics and calligraphy. In 734 (Kaiyuan 22), during the reign of the Tang emperor Xuanzong, he passed the higher civil service examination at the age of 26, and served as a bureaucrat under four generations of emperors: Xuanzong, Suzong, Daizong, and Dezong. His style name was Qingchen, and was also known as Yan Pingyuan and Yan Lu Gong, due to his respective appointments as governor of Pingyuan and later, the duke of the Lu Region. In 755 (Tianbao 14), when the An Lushan Rebellion erupted, Yan Zhenqing (then governor of Pingyuan) and his clan bravely formed an army and saved the Tang Dynasty from crisis even as the lords of Hebei Province surrendered. Zhenqing lost many relatives in this struggle, including a nephew who was beheaded by the insurgents. His "Draft Eulogy for a Nephew" is a renowned masterpiece that tells the intensity of his sorrow and anger at this incident. In 783 (Jianzhong 4), in the midst of another conspiracy, this time led by Li Xilie, Yan entered the hostile territory to convey imperial orders to Li, knowing all the while that this was part of a deceptive plan by the minister Lu Qi, and was trapped and killed at Longxing Temple in Caizhou, present-day Henan Province. He was 77 years old. His loyalty and courageousness were admired for times to come, and his calligraphy significantly influenced many later practitioners of the art. Even in present times, Yan Zhenqing's writings are studied as ideal models of standard script. This exhibit, provides a comprehensive overview of his works to commemorate the 1300th anniversary of his birth.Tokyo National MuseumWed, 13 May 2009 09:23:07 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#8566474c-3281-4447-892e-8edd026d6588http://www.tnm.jp/en/servlet/Con?pageId=B01&processId=01&event_id=6493This exhibit introduces fashion and accessories, together with cosmetic, writing, and sewing implements which provide insights into the lives of upper class women living on the Korean Peninsula from the end of the 19th century through the first half of the 20th century. Confucian ethics were important for the people of Joseon dynasty, and based on its philosophies, the living spaces of women and men were kept completely apart. Outings were strictly limited for daughters of the royal family and the yangban noble class in particular, and these women consequently spent most of their day in their chambers, known as an- bang. In contrast with the sobriety of their everyday lifestyle, however, many of their outfits, along with their accessories and implements, are characterized by brilliant colors. The coloring is based on the Yin- yang and Five Elements theories, but must have brought pleasure to the lives of these women who spent most of their time indoors.Tokyo National MuseumWed, 13 May 2009 09:21:32 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#890121f3-3f17-446c-a510-9a92a5a7a043http://www.tnm.jp/en/servlet/Con?pageId=B01&processId=01&event_id=6439While the islands of the South Pacific are well known among Japanese as resort locations, many people are still unfamiliar with their native cultures. Until contact with Europeans in the 16th-18th centuries, many South Pacific islanders of Asian ancestry were maritime people whose lifestyles were characterized by primitive cultivation practices and neolithic technologies. Home to a significant number of cultures, the South Pacific islands are linked by many similarities, just as they are distinguished by many differences.The South Pacific region is subdivided into three major island groups: Micronesia, Melanesia and Polynesia. A variety of terrains are represented among the individual islands, and environmental differences such as the abundance of stone (volcanic islands) or the lack thereof (reef islands) Played an influence in ilanders' traditional lifestyles. The Tokyo National Museum collection houses numerous objects originating from the South Pacific region, which were brought to Japan from the Meiji (1868- 1912) to the early Showa (1926-89) periods. This exhibition introduces a selection of these objects, which narrate both the similarity and rich diversity of South Pacific island cultures.Tokyo National MuseumTue, 07 Apr 2009 14:33:02 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#9860a243-6e84-40dd-a8bd-9acaaef511cf http://www.tnm.jp/en/servlet/Con?pageId=B01&processId=01&event_id=6477The "Travelling Japan" subseries draws upon historical travel accounts and famous or historical sites to take viewers on a journey through Japan from north to south. This installment focuses on the Koshinetsu region, which spans the present-day Yamanashi, Nagano, and Niigata prefectures. The name "Koshinetsu" has its origins in geology rather than history, as the region is distinguished by an absence of significant unifying political or economic centres, despite a history of intra-regional exchange. Koshinetsu was historically comprised of three separate provinces - Kai (Koshu), Shinano (Shinshu), and Echigo - which were established according to Japan's ancient ritsuryo codes set by the central government. These divisions largely correspond to the regional subdivisions seen in Koshinetsu today. Its geographical features are multifarious, ranging from the basins of Koshin's rugged terrain to the fertile fields of Echigo. While the mountains divided individual areas and posed an obstacle to trade, the people of Koshinetsu made use of rivers and roads to enable their comings and goings throughout the region. This exhibition examines the three provinces of Koshinetsu, including the island of Sado.Tokyo National MuseumWed, 22 Apr 2009 09:17:13 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#02d9f160-5f72-448c-b968-254d2cdc6cf8http://www.nus.edu.sg/museum/exhibitions_ahmadzakii.htmlAhmad Zakii Anwar's most recent series, Being, presents a sustained encounter with the body as an intertwined metaphor of the contemporary Self based on the Sufi premise of "knowing oneself and then knowing God". Zakii does not position Islam as a counterpoint to Western thoughts and ideas. Rather, he recognizes the contingency of history and ontology in opening an inquiry on the body, subjecting it to the vexing discourse of the contemporary, and the emancipatory nature of Sufi spirituality as productive acts of remembrance and communion. The lone figures allude to the body as a site which brings together physicality, mentality and cosmology, constantly transacting with rationalist positions on the question of body and mind. As a result, Being, stands as an ambivalent response to narrow assertions that Islam is essentially a rigid and ascetically rigorous religion, uniquely disengaged from the flesh.NUS Museum, NUS Centre For the ArtsFri, 08 May 2009 11:02:37 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#d493784c-7d79-43cc-b302-58ea8c8c8432http://www.tnm.jp/en/servlet/Con?pageId=B01&processId=01&event_id=6682Examples of antique Japanese art in overseas collections have long played the role of "Japanese cultural ambassador" to other countries and cultures. However, quite a few of these works are in bad repair, due to climatic conditions in their overseas homes that differ from those of Japan or damage that has occurred while on public display. In 1991, the Japanese Agency for Cultural Affairs began The Cooperative Program for the Conservation of Japanese Art Objects Overseas in order to bring such art works in need back to Japan for conservation treatment. The Program began with paintings as its focus, and in 1997, this was expanded to include decorative art works, such as lacquer ware. In 2001, the National Research Institute for Cultural Properties, Tokyo, became the principle Japanese organization handling the actual conservation work involved. While this Program has always involved bringing Japanese art works back to Japan for conservation, in 2006, a lacquer ware conservation studio was established in the Museum of East Asian Art in Koln, Germany, and similarly in 2008, a painting conservation studio was established in the German Museum of Technology in Berlin. Japanese conservation specialists have been dispatched to these two studios to carry out conservation work onsite. This display features three paintings and two lacquer works whose conservation work has been completed under the Fiscal 2008 installment of this Program. These works were brought back to Japan for treatment in Japanese conservation studios. It is our hope that viewers of this display will gain an understanding of one aspect of the National Research Institute for Cultural Properties, Tokyo's efforts in the field of international cooperation.Tokyo National MuseumFri, 22 May 2009 17:19:48 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#e0c9a041-c629-4fed-844f-ea69342c9c43http://www.ayalamuseum.org/index.php?option=com_ayala_content&task=viewexhibitpage&id=71Born and raised in the Philippines, Vancouver-based artist Marissa Lopa launches her first one-woman show in the country this 29 May 2009. Art a l’Orange reflects the artist's experiences here and in Canada, expressed through warm hues of orange. Lopa's fascination with painting began when she was 12 after she received a set of oil paints for her birthday. Inspired by the brilliant colors of Van Gogh, Monet and Cezanne, she sat down to enthusiastically study and copy their works. Her supportive parents sent her to a private art teacher and the young Lopa knew she would someday become an artist. Growing up, however, lead her to pursue other interests. Marissa Lopa eventually pursued a career in dentistry, inpired by her own dentist father. She practiced dentistry for fifteen years before moving to Canada and it was there that art would once again call out to the artist in Lopa. "Painting is a way for me to convey the sense of joy, wonder, and sentimentality that I feel as I come into contact with the beauty of nature around us," Marissa says. Since moving to Canada, Lopa has joined the Federation of Canadian Artists and the South Delta Arts Guild. The rising artist's first exhibit was in 1997, as part of the Vancouver Saturday Painting Group exhibit at a Steveston gallery in Richmond. Since then she has been actively and regularly exhibiting her works in galleries in Canada and even had a mother-daughter show at the Mezze in Greenbelt in 2007. Established in 2004 and formerly known as MuseumSpace, ArtistSpace is a commercial-run gallery owned by the Ayala Museum. ArtistSpace dedicates itself to the promotion of Philippine contemporary art and talent. By featuring a wide range of styles and media and a different artist every two weeks, ArtistSpace aims to cultivate curiosity about new art and encourage viewership by young professionals, students, and other adults.Ayala MuseumTue, 02 Jun 2009 10:09:36 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#84c0d92c-0e51-4261-bd33-f7393607f502http://www.britishmuseum.org/whats_on/future_exhibitions/shah_abbas.aspxThis major exhibition explores seventeenth-century Iran through the reign and legacy of one of its most influential rulers, Shah 'Abbas I (reigned AD 1587–1629). Shah 'Abbas was a stabilising force in Iran following a period of civil war and foreign invasion. He strengthened the economy by establishing global trade links between Asia and Europe and revitalised the state religion Shi’a Islam which is still practised today. The exhibition will demonstrate Shah 'Abbas’s social, religious and artistic influence on Iran through the gifts he endowed to major shrines in Mashhad, Ardabil and Qum, and his magnificent new capital at Isfahan. The objects, many of which have not been seen outside Iran, will include exquisite Qur'ans, mosque lamps, paintings, carpets, calligraphy, porcelain and silks.British MuseumThu, 30 Apr 2009 20:41:27 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#128c3b76-e143-4ec4-9995-5a7f46aad7cchttp://www.tnm.jp/en/servlet/Con?pageId=B01&processId=01&event_id=6553To preserve and exhibit irreplaceable cultural properties in an appropriate environment is an important task of museums. The Tokyo National Museum, as a representative museum of Japan, has a collection of high-quality objects and makes them widely available to the general public. Ranging in date from ancient to modern periods, they include Japanese works as well as those from other Asian countries which are deemed important for considering Japanese culture from multiple viewpoints. However, the current collection is not sufficient for a systematical display of the entire fields it covers, and it must be further enriched as necessity requires. For this reason, the Museum has been making efforts to collect high-quality, cultural properties every year. Last year, a total of 90 cultural objects were added to the Museum's collection; 7 were purchased and 81 received as donations, with 2 arriving as transfers from Kuroda Memorial Hall and other collections. They are all of remarkable importance for the study of Japanese and other Eastern cultures. This thematic exhibition features 41 new pieces from last year's acquisitions. We hope that through these works the visitors will understand part of the Museum's undertakings, as well as enjoying the charm of the various objects that reflect the old cultures. Tokyo National MuseumWed, 20 May 2009 13:14:20 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#d17944b7-998a-483f-b832-75a79c27957fhttp://www.tnm.jp/en/servlet/Con?pageId=B01&processId=01&event_id=6381During the middle ages, many of the furnishings and utensils used in temples and shrines were coated with red lacquer. These objects are known today as negoro-nuri. Whilst one theory suggests that negoro-nuri was first produced during the Kamakura period (1192-1333) by priests who had transferred from Mt. Koya to Negoroji temple in Kii province (present-day Wakayama prefecture), it is known that red lacquerware was actually already in use during the Heian period (794-1192). Hence, it is more probable that the term "negoro-nuri" itself, originally used to refer to red lacquerware produced at Negoroji temple, gradually evolved to refer to red lacquerware in general. Negoro-nuri wares are characterized by coatings of black lacquer beneath their red-lacquered surface. Over many years of use, the red lacquer wears away, partially exposing the black lacquer underneath. As the lacquer deteriorates, fine cracks additionally appear in the surface, resulting in a unique weathered appearance that can only be achieved with time. As practical tools crafted with their usage in mind, the simple, clean shapes of negoro-nuri wares paradoxically exhibit a modern sensibility.Tokyo National MuseumSun, 05 Apr 2009 11:38:55 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#372d2d6f-6b9b-48e4-93de-7705d2bb496ahttp://www.ayalamuseum.org/index.php?option=com_ayala_content&task=viewexhibitpage&id=70In celebration of National Heritage Month, Ayala Museum, the Filipino Heritage Festival, Inc., and the Philippine Embassy in Mexico present this exhibition. It features selected recent works from several local private collections, including recent serigraphs done in Mexico to be shown expressly in this exhibition. Tabuena lives in San Miguel de Allende in Mexico, where he has been recognized by the Mexican government as a prominent painter. Romeo Tabuena was born in Iloilo City in 1921. He was one of the members of the Neorealist group in the postwar Philippine art scene. In 1955, he left the Philippines and eventually settled in Mexico. Although he remains a Filipino citizen, he has never returned to this country since he left more than half a century ago. As one of the groundbreaking modernists in the late 1940s to 1950s, Tabuena transformed pictorial rural scenes into mist-covered landscapes that resemble Chinese traditional paintings. His early paintings in the 1950s to the more recent work done after 2000 has enriched Philippine landscape genre paintings had contributed significantly to the character of Asian modernism. Additional support for the exhibition is provided by Globe Platinum and Japan Airlines. Filipino Heritage Month was born out of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s Proclamation No. 439 on 11 August 2003, “declaring the month of May of every year as National Heritage Month. The event is in recognition of the need to create among the people a consciousness, respect, and pride for the legacies of Filipino cultural history, and love of country."Ayala MuseumTue, 02 Jun 2009 10:07:23 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#9cb4c088-7854-4e91-9f99-b841017750echttp://www.museum.go.kr/kor/inf/inf_all_01.jsp?orgmenu=1Explanatory text only available in KoreanNational Museum of KoreaThu, 12 Mar 2009 07:22:25 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#d6636e9b-7fb3-49ba-aa04-a2f64287a128http://www.vam.ac.uk/exhibitions/future_exhibs/The%20Photographer's%20Pilgrimage/index.htmlDiscover the beauty of Buddhist sites in this display of sepia-toned photographs. The historical and architectural significance of ancient rock-cut caves, monumental sculptures, brick-built stupas and wooden monasteries is explored. The photographs seen here have captured picturesque ruins in remote places and unusual aspects of familiar Buddhist sites, creating aesthetically powerful images. At the same time, they perform an important documentary function, showing structures before they were restored and recording those that no longer exist. When these images were taken, during the later decades of the 19th century, they were valued for their realistic and precise representations of architecture. They enabled scholars to study, categorise and write about Buddhist sites in a more comprehensive manner than had yet been possible. Our knowledge of Buddhist architecture is a result of this documentary process. The display uncovers some of the highlights of the V&A's collection, showcasing the work of the photographers Linneaus Tripe in Burma and Joseph Lawton in Sri Lanka. Also included are souvenir photographs of the Longmen caves in China and a hand-tinted image of the Golden pavilion (Kinkakuji) in Japan.Victoria and Albert MuseumSun, 07 Jun 2009 10:00:31 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#ca72ecd7-9af1-4c9c-a676-a1b22e83f8c7 http://www.tnm.jp/en/servlet/Con?pageId=B01&processId=01&event_id=6408The northern territory of Hokkaido and its surrounding islands was the living environment of the Ainu people. Their culture venerated and co-existed with the harsh natural environment and hunting, fishing, gathering and farming was their source of livelihood. They hunted grizzly or brown bears, Hokkaido deer, hares or rabbits, foxes, raccoon dogs, white-tailed eagles and Steller's sea eagles using arrows and spears. The point of the arrows or spears were usually coated with poison, which varied according to household. The feathers of the eagles were precious trading goods. For fishing, they employed grapnels called marek, fish pounds, or basket net traps to catch salmon and trout. For ocean fishing, harpoons were used to catch larger fish and marine mammals. This exhibition focuses on the hunting and fishing culture of the Ainu, introducing their art of hunting and fishing through a variety of utensils, weapons, and clothing, as well as items of daily life that reflect their actual living conditions.Tokyo National MuseumSun, 05 Apr 2009 11:44:26 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#7b0343a9-9354-4bbc-9ba9-861d8125c1c8http://www.nus.edu.sg/museum/exhibitions_reclaiming_heritage.htmlCommonly found in the historic districts of Malaysia and Singapore, shophouses and row houses form unique townscapes. Diverse in form and style, they represent different periods of development and are architectural manifestations of multicultural influence. The exhibition showcases this versatile vernacular built legacy from Kuching in Sarawak and from Kuala Terengganu, East Coast Peninsular Malaysia. Student participants of the UM-NUS Joint Studio Programmes of 2008 and 2009 carried out field investigations of the shophouses, rowhouses and their historic urban contexts. Their findings are presented through mapping, measured drawings, sketches and photographyNUS Museum, NUS Centre For the ArtsWed, 17 Jun 2009 11:43:09 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#5c368c41-d4d2-4dc3-9b8e-4c6339663212http://www.acm.org.sg/exhibitions/eventdetail.asp?eventID=393Hailed as one of China's greatest emperors, the Kangxi Emperor, XuanYe, succeeded his father, Emperor Shunzhi, at the tender age of eight. During his reign (1662 to 1722), the Manchus consolidated rule over China and the Chinese empire expanded. The Kangxi Emperor's many achievements can be attributed to his passion and competence in his various roles. He was an astute ruler, skilled warrior, keen scholar and patron of the arts. His intellect, political acumen, diverse talents and civic virtues won him the admiration and support of his subjects. This exhibition showcases treasures from The Palace Museum, Beijing and offers visitors a rare glimpse into the Forbidden City.Asian Civilisations MuseumThu, 11 Jun 2009 10:59:27 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#d83f2e8c-1245-442c-8519-fd3823652afbhttp://www.vme.org.vn/news_detail.asp?ID=815This is a thematic exhibition that introduces the life of Catholic Vietnamese through the life-cycle rituals, annual rituals as well as handicraft traditions such as: Saint-statue making, embroidering, bass-trumpet making. The contents of the exhibition mainly introduce the life of the Catholic communities in the North of Vietnam: Nam Dinh, Ninh Binh, Hai Duong and Hanoi, and also mentions some aspects from other areas such as Ha Tinh, Thanh Hoa and Catholic overseas Vietnamese. This exhibition is an opportunity for Catholic Vietnamese to share their conceptions and belief with the visitors and help the visitors understand more about the life and culture of the Catholic Vietnamese as a part of the Vietnamese culture.Viet Nam Museum of EthnologyThu, 12 Mar 2009 07:22:25 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#76fa3f2e-c4ac-4041-816d-b777e8a67d10http://baotanglichsu.vn/Search.aspx?key=echo&lang=enThe culture of Dong Son – Vietnam has been discovered by French archaeologists for the first time in 1924 on the Ma riverside, in the commune of Dong Son, huyen of Dong Son (now quarter of Ham Rong, Thanh Hoa city). This is also the place where for the first time the collection of vestiges of the age of metals in Vietnam and in South-East Asia was discovered. So far, the domain of distribution of this culture has been determined from the northern to the southern frontier of Deo Ngang (a mountain pass of Vietnam) to the province of Quang Binh, with a concentration in the valléys of three big rivers: the Red River, the river Ma and the river Ca. During nearly one century of exploration, archaeologists from Vietnam and all over the world have irrefutably proven the local origin of the culture of Dong Son, through the results of study, discovery, archaeologic excavations and conservation and exhibitions in the service of visitors. At the occasion of the 85th anniversary of the discovery and study of the culture of Dong Son (1924-2009), of the liberation of the South 30/4 and of the World Labour Day 1/5/2009, the National Museum of Vietnemese History organizes an exhibition on an interesting theme entitled “Echo of Dong Son – Newly discovered objects”. With more than 100 objects of copper, ceramic, stone and of various forms: working tools, domestic instruments, musical instruments, ornaments… we bring to visitors new knowledge about the potential in ancient objects and about the cultural and historical values of the collection of the culture of Dong Son that the National Museum of Vietnamese History has just discovered.National Museum of Vietnamese HistoryTue, 05 May 2009 09:46:00 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#983fc4e0-d05a-4e97-9d4b-abcd9114cb38http://www.britishmuseum.org/whats_on/all_current_exhibitions/coins_from_iran.aspxThe exhibition features coins, images and other objects illustrating Isfahan’s rich history, from its pre-Islamic foundation until the present day. The beautiful city of Isfahan in central Iran has been described as ‘Isfahan nesf-e jahan’ (‘Isfahan is half the world’ in Persian). Shah 'Abbas I of the Safavid dynasty made it his capital in 1598. The coins on display show the development in styles throughout Isfahan’s history. Safavid era coins reflect the dynasty's adoption of Shiism as Iran’s state religion. They have Arabic inscriptions stating the ruler’s allegiance to Imam 'Ali and his family. From the first quarter of the 16th century, coins introduce Persian phrases on the back, and by the time of Shah Sultan Husayn (AH 1105–1135/1694–1722 AD) Persian couplets in beautiful calligraphy dominate the coin inscriptions.British MuseumThu, 30 Apr 2009 20:49:01 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#bc8bd129-9422-4579-82c0-f77ab8701ad1http://www.museum.go.kr/eng/Special.doTwo - hundred odd pieces of donated cultural properties have been selected for display here. The exhibition includes a variety of cultural assets reflecting Korean culture and history, including ceramics, ancient documents, musical scores by Ahn Eak-Tai, and the oldest known Korean dictionary.National Museum of KoreaTue, 23 Jun 2009 12:42:08 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#28e42167-324d-41ad-8529-44ba85446fb9http://www.britishmuseum.org/whats_on/all_current_exhibitions/gamelan_music_of_java.aspxThis display shows the ornate great gong from a Javanese gamelan (an ensemble of musical instruments) which was brought back from Java in present day Indonesia by Sir Stamford Raffles. It explores the historical and cultural context of the instrument and the role of gamelan music in Java.Gamelan ensembles are sets of wooden and metal instruments which are used to accompany ceremonies, feasts, dance and shadow puppet performances. Gamelan music has a long history in Java and remains central to ritual and cultural performance today.The gong on display is decorated with winged snakes and mystical birds. It is lacquered in black and red and is richly embellished with gilded detail. It is likely that Raffles himself commissioned this gamelan between 1811 and 1816 when he was Lieutenant-Governor of Java.British MuseumTue, 23 Jun 2009 12:11:27 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#1fd1f11e-651c-49f0-8dcf-58a2b817ce9ahttp://www.acm.org.sg/exhibitions/eventdetail.asp?eventID=442Get ready for an exciting safari of mythical animals - fantastic creatures from all over Asia are waiting to meet you! Curated specially for children, Fantastic Creatures! will introduce young visitors to the symbolism of some of the weird and wonderful creatures from the museum's collection. The exhibition brings together colourful delights ranging from fabulous flyers and mythical monsters, to watery wonders like the Makara - an animal made up parts from a crocodile, elephant, fish and goat! Also, see if you can spot the oldest artefact in this exhibition - a Chinese winged dragon that is more than 2000 years old.Asian Civilisations MuseumFri, 24 Apr 2009 14:38:13 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#fd97cc53-fe2c-4041-ba65-349ed1eabc50http://www.nus.edu.sg/museum/exhibitions_site_situation_spectator.htmlMediating around the conceptual elements of ‘site’, ‘situation’, and the ‘spectator’, this exhibition will present a discursive insight into how these elements are interplayed in relation to preserved narratives of Singapore history. Presented through mixed media and undertaken by four students from the Department of Architecture and University Scholars Programme, this exhibition aims to offer alternative articulations to seemingly “institutionalized” narratives by relying on fragmentary sources often neglected by orthodox historians.NUS Museum, NUS Centre For the ArtsFri, 15 May 2009 09:08:52 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#99622164-afe1-4851-8b18-009676ff8cc6http://www.quaibranly.fr/en/programmation/exhibitions/currently/planete-metisse-to-mix-or-not-to-mix/index.htmlCROSSING OF CULTURES, COLONISATION, GLOBALISATION, "SHOCK OF CIVILISATIONS"... The idea of métissage takes account of the contact between peoples and traditions, of the coexistence of mixed identities, and reflects ways of bridging the gaps between different cultures. The Planète métisse exhibition aims to stimulate the visitor's imagination by juxtaposing objects along the way, from the 15th century to the present day. It analyses the repercussions of European, mainly Iberian, expansion on the other civilisations and the exchange of influences between East and West in the wake of the great expansions, notably the Chinese and Muslim. This exhibition of cross cultural objects and arts highlights the richness of artistic productions stemming from the blending of ways of doing and believing, of creating and designing. Musée du quai BranlyThu, 12 Mar 2009 07:22:25 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#37519fbf-2eac-449b-80c2-c136b5328ae7http://www.museum.go.kr/eng/Special.do?cmd=1001&gc_no=559The Mongolian Plateau has been called a “quiet battlefield” in the world of archeology because of its unique relics. In 2007, the National Museum of Korea discovered a large group of tombs from the Xiongnu period at a site about four hundred kilometers to the northeast of Ulan Bator, after more than ten years of work with its Mongolian counterpart.This exhibition promises to shed new light on the Xiongnu empire.National Museum of KoreaTue, 23 Jun 2009 12:40:31 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#ad3f8989-bef4-4d06-99f6-ed6873ce8e86http://www.acm.org.sg/exhibitions/eventdetail.asp?eventID=506As a photographer, Steve McCurry is sustained by the rhythms of everyday life: the routines of herding and fishing; the chanting of prayers and the hawking of wares. His first solo exhibition in Singapore, The Unguarded Moment is suggestive of the vast tapestry of human experience and his chance encounters with silhouette and shadow, water and light, spire and sky. This exhibition hopes to create a visceral sense of the beauty and wonder he is confronted with during his travels of over 30 years throughout Asia, when the shock of the strange rubs against the delight of the familiar. The Unguarded Moment presents a selection of Steve McCurry’s iconic photographs such as the “Afghan Girl” alongside unpublished, never before seen photographs captured throughout his photographic career.Asian Civilisations MuseumThu, 11 Jun 2009 10:57:29 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#600ef575-3719-446b-b949-0f4881c5ad55http://www.tnm.jp/en/servlet/Con?pageId=B01&processId=01&event_id=6556Kanehira is a play about Heian period warlord Kiso Yoshinaka and his retainer Imai Kanehira, the story of which goes as follows. A monk on a journey from Kiso in Shinano province (present-day Nagano prefecture) to Awazu in Omi province (present-day Shiga prefecture) reaches at last the Yabase shore of Lake Biwa, where he meets an old man who appears from out of nowhere in a row boat, to whom the monk asks for a ride over to Awazu. Once they arrive at Awazu, however, the old man disappears, leaving the monk puzzled. The monk talks about his experience to a boatman nearby, who tells him that long ago, Kiso Yoshinaka and Imai Kanehira were cornered at this shore by their enemies and were driven to a tragic death. As the monk begins to pray, Kanehira's ghost appears as a warrior in arms, uttering the scene of his defeat in vivid verse: "The torturous pain of shining blades shattering the bones breaks through the eyes, the blood flows over the shield to color it over, leaving splatters like flower petals on the arrow case..." The ghost continues the old man was himself, and telling of his lord Kiso Yoshinaka's death and asking the monk to pray and pacify the spirit of his lord. After ending the dreadful tale with the scene of his own suicide, Kanehira's ghost vanishes. On stage, rule has it that the costume of the monk should consist of sumieboshi, a hat with a pointed top, and mizugoromo, a robe made from thin fabric. The ghost of Kanehira, instead of wearing armor, should appear in a happi robe made from gold brocades along with hangire trousers - an elegant outfit befitting the Noh stage. This character also wears the Heita mask, which depicts the features of a warrior sun-tanned from many battles.Tokyo National MuseumTue, 02 Jun 2009 10:14:44 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#a501b410-0711-4611-ac8d-b526cf23df0ahttp://www.nus.edu.sg/museum/exhibitions_ratnadeep.htmlFrom pithy statements that condense common experience into memorable form and ponderings on the dilemmas of postcoloniality – Proverbial In(ter)ventions – attempts to dislodge the classical project of producing precise meaning out of nebulous chronologies. Revealed in the artworks is the contention that man is not only made human by the curricular content of humanity’s knowledge and education but also by its inadequacies, ruptures and paradoxes.Singapore Art MuseumTue, 02 Jun 2009 10:11:00 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#64e9680b-372c-4d74-9b20-917d89330b74http://www.singart.com/current_exhibitions.phpWorking with five artists - Choy Ka Fai, Ming Wong, Zulkiflie Mahmod, Jason Lim and Ang Soo Koon - this exhibition will feature artworks that were previously shown and produced for international audience, and serves as an opportunity to "bring" these works home. In doing so, it informs on the site-specificity in the nature of contemporary art practices, the sensitivities of these artists to their ethnic and national identities as well as the cultural richness of local audiences in the international venues that these works were staged. Singapore Art MuseumThu, 12 Mar 2009 07:22:25 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#cce2374a-ee96-442d-8e00-a8c79b98af17http://www.museum.go.kr/eng/Special.doThe hanging scroll of Buddha in Cheoneunsa temple is a painting of "Preach at the Vulture Peak" painted in 1673 with a magnificent screen of 8.94 height and 5.67m width of a joint of 15 pieces of 36cm wide hemp cloth. Compared with the hanging scroll of Buddha in Jugnimsa temple in Naju(1622) that depicts a seated Sakyamuni Buddha with a Bhumi-sparsa mudra, that in Cheoneunsa temple is a painting of a standing Sakyamuni Buddha. The gaze of the Sakyamuni Buddha is like looking down and it feels like an earnest preaching.The record of the manufacturing of the painting informs that they wishes the welfare of the royal family and their people under the auspice of the Buddha by making this hanging scroll of Buddha. It can be also known that the name of temple was "Gamnosa[甘露寺]" temple when the hanging scroll of Buddha was first painted,but it is not clear precisely when it started to be referred to as Cheoneunsa[泉隱寺], the present name. The monks painting the hanging scroll of Buddha are three in all : They are Gyeongsim[敬心], Jigam[志鑑] and Neungseong[能聖]. National Museum of KoreaThu, 25 Jun 2009 12:53:56 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#4954aeff-16ac-4028-9f97-5e6563fb17d1http://www.tropenmuseum.nl/smartsite.shtml?ch=FAB&id=28038Ki Enthus Susmono is a Javanese puppet player with the status of a superstar in Indonesia. He has added new elements to the traditional wayang theatre, such as new puppets, a different screen and stage lights. His puppets are also real superstars.This exhibition shows Ki Enthus’s film and television characters, cartoon figures and world leaders: Bush, Bin Laden and Batman, the Teletubbies and Harry Potter. These puppets are intended to get young people interested in wayang, or – in the case of the Nine Islamic Saints – to propagate Islam. The Javanese call him the most creative puppet player because he changes the conventional storylines and has introduced pop music in the wayang theatres. His innovative performances keep the classical Javanese wayang theatre alive and appeal to a wide audience.TropenmuseumSat, 16 May 2009 08:49:43 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#f5b9e868-da22-4ffe-8137-0ef0d92dff11http://www.singart.com/current_exhibitions.phpA selection of major artistic photographers in Singapore and Southeast Asia will be presented at TransportAsian, the Singapore Art Museum's Asian photography exhibition. Structured around the themes of "transport" and "Asia", this exhibition introduces visitors to the various approaches of photography, ranging from its documentary form to its rich and innovative expression as visual art medium. Structured into four sections—Time, Space, Action and Fiction —the exhibition showcases artists’ responses to the theme, including their metaphorical explorations of transportation. In addition to the work of artists such as Dominic Khoo, John Clang, Chua Chye Teck, and Jun Nguyen-Hatsushiba, photographs of the history of transportation in Singapore will also be featured.Singapore Art MuseumTue, 14 Apr 2009 10:53:09 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#285a624f-fac1-4e5c-b809-10325ea5b51ehttp://www.britishmuseum.org/whats_on/all_current_exhibitions/shields_from_the_pacific.aspxThis exhibition explores conflict and social life in the islands of the western Pacific. In particular, it highlights the many remarkable shields used across the region to dazzle and demoralise an enemy both in warfare and ritual. On display are over forty shields from Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands and West Papua. Included is one of the oldest Pacific shields in the world, dating back to 1851, as well as contemporary shields collected in the 1980s. Many of the shields in the exhibition have never been displayed before. Historical and contemporary photographs illustrating the shields in action are also on display. The exhibition reveals how warriors in the western Pacific were not camouflaged, but how their appearance was itself a form of psychological warfare, designed to daunt opponents. Shields decorated with bold and dazzling designs were a key feature of this strategy to visually intimidate an enemy.British MuseumTue, 23 Jun 2009 12:23:01 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#c53186e3-2ea2-4183-bf99-0c5aba3639c4http://www.museum.go.kr/eng/Special.do?cmd=1001&gc_no=565Standing over 4,000 meters above sea level and extending from southern China to Nepal and India via Tibet, Chamagodo is the world’s oldest cultural and economic road, formed two hundred years before the Silk Road. The exhibition is presenting artifacts that show the living conditions of the time, such as assault jackets, square boxes made from yak skin, and woolen blankets.National Museum of KoreaTue, 23 Jun 2009 12:37:34 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#3201a318-08ee-46c5-b96a-3577029b2a16http://www.singart.com/current_exhibitions.phpWu Guanzhong's donation of 113 works to the Singapore Art Museum in 2008 is the highest valued donation presented to a public museum in Singapore. This exhibition will showcase all 113 works representing five decades of the artist's creative oeuvre. A key significance of Wu Guanzhong’s art is the crossing and synthesising of the two art forms of ink and oil which represent art historical and aesthetic contexts of traditional Chinese and western art. Wu started painting in ink only in 1974, when he was aged 55, but his earlier oil works were predicated on ink aesthetics as with his subsequent inks on oil foundation. A prolific writer of essays and art theory, his Formal Beauty of Painting foreshadowed a revolution in art in the immediate post-Cultural Revolution period when it was published in 1978. To Wu, the feelings of the individual were supreme. Equally important, however, was the individual's emotional link with the community. Hence his famed line, the "Unbroken Kite String", which expounds the connection between formal abstraction and everyday life, and acknowledges its source in the community. A strong advocate of developing culture and the arts, and a man who holds deep respect for intercultural values, Wu’s broad brushstroke gesture of presenting his largest donation to the Singapore Art Museum will be celebrated jointly by the art community as well as the Singapore public when the galleries open their doors on 9 April. This exhibition is co-organised by Singapore Art Museum, Shanghai Art Museum and National Art Museum of China.Singapore Art MuseumTue, 14 Apr 2009 10:46:56 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#080f6ee9-e9de-47ac-8c40-46a5b77a2f7ehttp://www.singart.com/current_exhibitions.phpThreads is a contemporary art exhibition that explores the use of fabric and fibres in art making. The investigation however goes beyond the recognition of these materials as merely unconventional. Rather, it attempts to provide an understanding as to why certain materials are chosen, how they are used and what the extent is in the deliberation by the artist in reflecting their intention and purpose. Singapore Art MuseumTue, 14 Apr 2009 10:50:00 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#e7f8b9e5-760e-4b1d-9fcb-777145ad9478http://www.acm.org.sg/exhibitions/eventdetail.asp?eventID=502Over the past 30 years, museums around the world have increasingly recognised the importance of understanding and engaging the communities they represent, as well as many other important stakeholders. This has been motivated by the need for better public accountability and long-term sustainable funding and support. Fundamentally however, it is the recognition that museums are essential for the well-being of society, which has helped to strengthen these relations. In the age of globalisation, museum- community partnerships are even more imperative. Strategies for engagement are wide-ranging and often require a holistic approach. They include: collaborative research projects with source communities; volunteering and public programmes run by community representatives; market research that reveals the needs of non-visitors, relationship- building that ensures continued support from the funding community, and the engagement of stakeholders such as board members and advisors who help to lobby agencies such as policy-makers and the media. How do ASEAN museums strategise and manage these different aspects of their work and what impact will this have on their role in an increasingly globalised world? This symposium brings together representatives from public and private museums around the ASEAN region to explore current best practices in building community partnerships. It includes case studies presented by the future generation of museum leaders and will encourage dialogue between museum industry professionals. Commonalities and innovative practices that will further consolidate the position of ASEAN museums in the 21st century will be discussed. TOPICS • Case studies of different types of museum–community partnerships • The impact of different strategies on the success of museums • Best practices – what works, what doesn’t • Case studies from ASEAN museums • Keynote presentations by: Alissandra Cummins President of the International Council of Museums (ICOM) Ron Ramsay Director of Newcastle Region Art Gallery, New South WalesAsian Civilisations MuseumMon, 20 Jul 2009 20:05:27 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#dcca262e-fb34-4ddf-8ee6-17ce6b4de420http://www.meaa.org.uk/retrospective.htmAlthough the Museum opened to the public in 1993, the core of its collection really began to form in the later 1960s. Treasures of the Museum of East Asian Art celebrates the development of the Museum’s collection over the past fifteen years. It includes some of the earliest pieces purchased by Brian McElney, the Founder of the Museum, some of the masterpieces of the collection, objects gifted to the Museum by various donors, and new acquisitions. Fish of Plenty: Auspicious Nature in Chinese Art Fish of Plenty: Auspicious Nature in Chinese Art is a collaborative photography project between the Museum of East Asian Art and photographer Simon Ferguson. By looking at individual objects in the Museum’s collection of Chinese art in detail, Simon discovers a world in miniature, of auspicious symbols. Through these symbols, the objects are reinterpreted through photographs and presented from a different point of view than they would normally be experienced.The Museum of East Asian ArtFri, 10 Jul 2009 12:29:40 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#f3a4396d-6fac-4da7-94cc-26d1b42d1156http://www.tnm.jp/en/servlet/Con?pageId=B01&processId=01&event_id=6700Esoteric Buddhism, brought to Japan by figures such as Kukai and Saicho at the beginning of the Heian period (794-1192), made use of unique ritual objects. These were distinctly different from the ritual implements which had prevailed under the Buddhist tradition practiced during the Nara period (710-794) and earlier. Ritual objects represent an important subgroup of Esoteric Buddhist decorative arts, and many outstanding examples were produced in line with the rise of Esoteric Buddhism during the Heian and Kamakura (1192-1333) periods. Ritual prayer is central to Esoteric practice, and the implements employed during these rites were believed to be invested with miraculous powers due to their mysterious shapes. The majority of Esoteric Buddhist ritual objects are thought to have evolved from the weapons of ancient India, and examples such as gilt-bronze vajra and cakra wheels feature sharp prongs and blades which symbolize the banishment of worldly desires. Ritual bells, on the other hand, were believed to delight Buddhist deities with their sound, and awaken the potential for Buddhahood which was believed to be dormant in every individual. Performed in dimly lit temple halls and incorporating such unusually shaped objects, the deep sense of mysticism embodied by Esoteric Buddhist rituals must have captivated people of long ago.Tokyo National MuseumWed, 03 Jun 2009 10:09:13 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#17c31a62-048b-4716-9a4c-ad30a8c089a2http://www.dpm.org.cn/English/default.aspThe Palace MuseumThu, 09 Jul 2009 23:33:24 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#321f1522-3f83-494a-92e7-aebaca301604http://www.tnm.jp/en/servlet/Con?pageId=B01&processId=01&event_id=6886During the 19th century in Qing-dynasty China, a new style of calligraphy was born based on the development of academic studies on epigraphs from preceding eras. Zhao Zhiqian (1829 - 84) played a central role in this innovation. Zhao was born to a wealthy family in Shaoxing, Zhejiang province, although in his childhood, the family suffered poverty as a result of bankruptcy. Later, he studied under the provincial attorney general Miao Zi and passed the first stage of the civil service examinations. As the battles of the Taiping Rebellion reached Hangzhou, however, not only his wife and daughter but also his mentor Miao Zi died as a result of war. He also lost his home in Shaoxing, which was burnt down at this time. From the following year, Zhao continued his attempts to pass the final stage of the civil service examinations, but all ended in failure. He thus abandoned his dream to become a high class bureaucrat in the central government. Instead, he became a local official in Nanchang, Jianxi province, and completed The General History of Jianxi Province. He was later appointed to places across Jianxi as a provincial administrative official, but died from hard work at the age of 56. Despite of his extensive academic knowledge, he led a rather unrewarded career. Distressed between ideals and reality, Zhao sublimated his emotions in his calligraphy, paintings and seal carvings, which are now known for their uniquely expressive styles. Tokyo National MuseumFri, 07 Aug 2009 14:08:36 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#8b53ec51-5a25-4920-a2c7-4c67035a1db5http://www.nus.edu.sg/museum/exhibitions_Yi%20Hwan%20Kwon.htmlThe freeze frame poses of Korean sculptor Yi Hwan Kwon's creations confound the stability of perceptual knowledge, distorts ocular reality and sets us up on an encounter with denizens in a world not quite alike ours. Taking as its starting point how light ignites the visual and accords the experience of space and distance, Yi Hwan Kwon is provocateur in a parallel planet, agitating visual depth sensation – the human ability to navigate and respond consistently predicated upon our perception of the distance of objects in an environ. The affect of art lies not so much in the poses but rather in the compression of distance, space and time in Yi's world.NUS Museum, NUS Centre For the ArtsWed, 10 Jun 2009 16:23:17 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#d3ca723c-8445-4bf8-af51-50c10c2fb19bhttp://www.didrichsenmuseum.fi/eng/summer2009.phpOsvald Sirén's photos of Chinese gardens from the 1920s, Johan Sellen's colour photos of the same places from 2007, The Didrichsen Art Museum's Sirén Collection of ancient Chinese objects. Professor Osvald Sirén (1879-1966) was a Finnish-born sinologist of international repute. During his expeditions to China in the 1920s and the 1930s he amassed a collection of paintings and sculptures and took a large number of photographs of Chinese gardens. At the end of his long career in Sweden, he expressed the wish that part of his collection would find its way back to Finland, which is how the more than thirty works in the exhibition were acquired by the Didrichsens in the 1960s.Didrichsen Art MuseumFri, 24 Jul 2009 10:31:03 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#be95da8d-a655-46b4-8bb2-59b041473c22http://www.muzeumazji.pl/htme/gal_a.htmlTadeusz Findzinski (1911-1987) was diplomat, artist and collector, Polish ambassador in Vietnam in 1962-65. During three years spent there the culture, nature and people of Vietnam inspired his creativity, expressed in hundreds of drawings and paintings. People at work, women in national dress or reclining nudes, playing children, views of Ha Long Bay, Buddha statues – all these motifs can be found in his heritage. Findzinski also amassed an important collection of nearly 200 pieces of Vietnamese ceramics. The eldest ones are dated for Han-Viet period, first centuries of the Christian era. The most important core of the collection are the ceramics of Ly-Tran period, from 11th to 14th centuries, with a beautiful set of Buddhist alms bowls. Other pieces date from 16th till early 20th centuries and include also imported Chinese ceramics, among others a precious bleu de Hue plate ordered in 18th century by Vietnamese ruler Trinh Sam. In 2008 the ambassador’s son Krzysztof Findziński deposited his father’s heritage to The Asia and Pacific Museum in Warsaw; thanks to him, the Museum is able to present this exceptional collection.Asia and Pacific Museum in WarsawSat, 04 Apr 2009 09:51:08 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#1a333920-fcda-4c26-89ec-0ef858e82741http://www.tnm.jp/en/servlet/Con?pageId=B01&processId=01&event_id=6502The sometsuke (underglaze blue) technique, of painting a design in cobalt-based pigments on a white porcelain base and coloring it in vivid indigo, was perfected in China during the Yuan period (1271-1368). Eventually, this technique came to Vietnam, Korea and Japan, and sometsuke full of individuality was produced in many areas. This exhibition features sometsuke from all over the East and introduces them from several viewpoints, looking at the liveliness of the designs, the beauty of the ground and the intimate connection they had, as vessels, to daily life.Tokyo National MuseumFri, 05 Jun 2009 11:06:07 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#1ec6e223-d26b-4641-903a-1bc3f78c6ed5http://www.tnm.jp/en/exhibition/regular/en_one_year.htmlStarting with the sacred treasures of Ise shrine, both ancient and later, this exhibition will display around 100 treasures connected to the shrine or donated to Ise by emperors and shoguns. While taking a journey back through the history and religion of Ise, this exhibition also looks closely at the ceremonial system of Shikinen Sengu, a system whereby the temple is reconstructed every 20 years according to ancient, traditional ways. The exhibition also looks at how Japanese architectural beauty and construction skills have been transmitted through this system. Throughout the ages, Shinto has fostered and developed history and tradition. This exhibition shines a light on Shinto art and introduces the flowers of Japanese traditional religious art. Tokyo National MuseumThu, 12 Mar 2009 07:22:25 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#53455228-ecd6-4cf3-8d55-40600c2d7fa9http://www.tnm.jp/en/servlet/Con?pageId=B01&processId=01&event_id=6747With the dawn of the Meiji period, the government established national policies to encourage the growth of industry and promote export. Participation in overseas expositions such as the Vienna World Exposition in 1873 also fell under these policies. Modeled on the Vienna exposition, Japan's National Industrial Exhibition was held five times between 1877 and 1903 in Tokyo, Kyoto, and Osaka, with the former site of the main hall of Kaneiji temple (present-day Ueno Park)used as the venue for the first three events held in 1877, 1881 and 1890. As the original objective of the events was to encourage industry, a number of masterworks now considered representative of Meiji period decorative arts were submitted for exhibition, greatly contributing to the export industry and the modernization of Japanese culture. With each exposition, works sought were of an increasingly high technical and artistic standard. This display primarily features ceramics, lacquerware, metal art, and glass shown at the first and second National Industrial Exhibitions and which are now in the museum's collection, thus showcasing the outstanding expertise of the time.Tokyo National MuseumThu, 23 Jul 2009 10:08:19 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#d5d63101-1281-4642-8bd6-7a15f06e7a1ahttp://www.tnm.jp/en/servlet/Con?pageId=B01&processId=01&event_id=6779The Tokyo National Museum collection includes 541 objects related to Christianity in pre-modern Japan. The majority of these items were seized from local Christians by the magistrate of Nagasaki, and were transferred from the Ministry of Home Affairs' Shrines and Temples Bureau to the Tokyo National Museum in 1879. Thematic exhibitions of Christian objects are held at the museum on an almost annual basis. This year's exhibition is centered around images of the figure known in Christianity as the Virgin Mary, or the Madonna. Many images of the Madonna were brought to Japan by Spanish Jesuit Francisco de Xavier when he arrived in Satsuma province, Kyushu, in 1549. Later, portraits of saints and biblical figures began to be produced domestically at a painting school opened by Jesuit missionary Alessandro Valignano, with the help of Italian painter Giovanni Nicolao. Portraits of the Madonna were particularly cherished among Christians in Japan, and stories remain associating these works with miracles. One such story cites the case of a seriously ill young girl from Arima, who was reportedly healed by a visitation from the Virgin Mary, said to have materialized one night from a painting in the girl's room. Following the anti-Christian edict of 1614, however, the possession of images of the Madonna was prohibited and Christians began to worship figures of the Buddhist child-protecting deity Koyasu Kannon as the Virgin Mary.Tokyo National MuseumFri, 07 Aug 2009 14:06:36 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#22b6e8d7-1dca-46d0-afac-b7a9dbf7098dhttp://www.tnm.jp/en/exhibition/regular/en_one_year.htmlThe sometsuke (underglaze blue) technique, of painting a design in cobalt-based pigments on a white porcelain base and coloring it in vivid indigo, was perfected in China during the Yuan period (1271-1368). Eventually, this technique came to Vietnam, Korea and Japan, and sometsuke full of individuality was produced in many areas. This exhibition features sometsuke from all over the East and introduces them from several viewpoints, looking at the liveliness of the designs, the beauty of the ground and the intimate connection they had, as vessels, to daily life.Tokyo National MuseumThu, 12 Mar 2009 07:22:25 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#f7282cbe-bbec-4147-813b-c8175b0f149dhttp://www.tnm.jp/en/servlet/Con?pageId=B01&processId=01&event_id=6503Starting with the sacred treasures of Ise shrine, both ancient and later, this exhibition will display around 100 treasures connected to the shrine or donated to Ise by emperors and shoguns. While taking a journey back through the history and religion of Ise, this exhibition also looks closely at the ceremonial system of Shikinen Sengu, a system whereby the temple is reconstructed every 20 years according to ancient, traditional ways. The exhibition also looks at how Japanese architectural beauty and construction skills have been transmitted through this system. Throughout the ages, Shinto has fostered and developed history and tradition. This exhibition shines a light on Shinto art and introduces the flowers of Japanese traditional religious art. Tokyo National MuseumMon, 08 Jun 2009 13:04:42 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#9557664a-09f5-4b71-b1f2-d8dd83eea231http://www.guimet.fr/Chu-Teh-Chun-and-the-manufactureHighly appreciated in China, maestro Chu Teh-Chun, at the height of his powers, has recently devoted two years to the creation of a ceramic work. Fifty-five vases hand-painted by him will be presented in this instance amidst the Guimet Museum’s collections. The first French artist of Chinese origin, elected to the Académie des Beaux-Arts in 1997, Chu Teh-Chun was anxious to honour the country which has welcomed him since 1955 by associating his talent to that of the Manufacture nationale de Sèvres. This encounter with one of the most important Chinese artists of his generation with the know-how of an age-old organisation constitutes an event in itself. Exhibition organised by the Guimet Museum and the Manufacture national de Sèvres and l’Atelier.The 56 vases, usually considered as decorative objects, are complete pictorial works. Our artist even modifies the relationship by transforming it in active contemplation through its spherical surface. A subtle link between art and nature, each vase beckons us to accomplish a kind of gyratory tour, without start or finish, with a multiplicity of transversal paths, where everyone is free to find their own. Visitors will appreciate these new creations whose nobleness of form, purity of body and enchantment of decor escape from oriental and western aesthetics, resulting in a universal contemporary language.Musée National des arts asiatiques GuimetTue, 23 Jun 2009 12:27:57 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#d7cfb610-b948-444b-92b2-250d3fd0449cAncient inscriptions, maps, manuscripts, statues, and even Chinese ceramics and sultanate regalia – all originated from past kingdom lives of Sumatrans – are available to be looked at. Currency of ancient Aceh kingdom Samudera Pasai, royal swords and keris, a Sultanate oar, traditional musical instruments and dresses, and miniatures of traditional Sumatran houses (such as the Rumah Gadang, Batak Karo houses and Nias houses) are also on display. Even collections that date back to the prehistoric era, such as a kjokkenmodinger (cooking waste) from the Megalithic period, and fragments of earthenware pottery and chips of dwelling relics from the Neolitic period are available to be looked at. The collections demonstrate how the ancient cultures of Sumatrans were heavily influenced by foreign cultures such as the Chinese, Indian, Arabic and Persian cultures; as well as neighboring local cultures like those from ancient Javanese kingdoms. Head of the National Museum, Retno Sulistianingsih, said in her speech during the opening of the “Treasures of Sumatra” exhibition that about 140 collections were owned by the museum itself and 76 collections belonged to the Rijksmuseum voor Volkenkunde of Leiden, the Netherlands. The rest come from several museums and local ancient heritage conservation agencies in Sumatra. After being displayed in Jakarta, the “Treasures of Sumatra” collections will be exhibited in the Rijksmuseum voor Volkenkunde of Leiden from October to December, and in the Asian Civilization Museum in Singapore next year.Museum NasionalFri, 10 Jul 2009 00:08:00 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#63659f77-c4ac-4a58-b0d3-2aeec206b4b1http://www.tnm.jp/en/servlet/Con?pageId=B01&processId=01&event_id=6753Kyogen is a classical genre of comic theater themed on daily life in the Muromachi period. In Kyogen plays, personal relationships, communications in families, and the connections between people and deities, Buddhist beliefs, and the nature, are portrayed comically and at times sarcastically. The humor in Kyogen plays is based upon careful observations of the characters' personalities, such as cunningness, laziness, jealousy, selfishness, and also good will, which contemporary people can easily identify with. Masks used in Kyogen contribute to drawing laughter in their humorous expressions. Animals such as monkeys and foxes, or rich and unusual features of men and women of young and old represented in Nakiama, Oji, or Oto masks, together with masks of superhuman roles such as Usobuki, Kaminari, and Kentoku, are examples of the unique masks that add to the amusement of Kyogen. Kyogen costumes follow the style of commoners' clothing in the Muromachi period. In contrast to the extravagant Noh costumes decorated in abundant embroidery with gold and silver leaf, the costumes of Kyogen are understated, apparently since they were worn by more familiar characters such as easygoing country daimyo warriors and their retainers. At the end of the Edo period, garments such as suo and kataginu which were worn by the warrior class were arranged, for example, in bold colors and humorous designs. Depictions of annual events, festivals, seasonal flowers, plants, vegetables, tools and toys from daily life, along with familiar animals and insects living in the nearby wildness or around people's homes, came to be featured freely on the costumes.Tokyo National MuseumThu, 23 Jul 2009 10:16:22 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#94ac8884-26bb-45f4-b053-02e22941ae8bhttp://www.ayalamuseum.org/index.php?option=com_ayala_content&task=viewexhibitpage&id=76The exhibition offers key works in the past forty years that reveal the development of an artistic oeuvre that is both prolific and protean. Most works come from the artist’s own collection—variations and permutations of images and techniques which also manifest the personal joy and sheer exuberance evident in a large body of paintings, drawings, and prints. The Diaphanous paintings of Romulo Olazo (born 1934) have been part of Philippine contemporary art since the early 1970s. Based on a printmaking technique the artist developed, these paintings are usually in black and white, and in monochromatic hues. The transparent layers against a stark background have their beginnings in the semi-figurative tradition of Neo-Realism and have metamorphosed into color fields and geometric constructs in non-objectivism. The Diaphanous works have been a dominant presence in Philippine art in the past decades and have been included in several corporate and private collections.Ayala MuseumWed, 19 Aug 2009 12:22:04 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#2cbffb53-d203-4c52-86f4-7899e16608f2http://www.ursprung-in-der-suedsee.de/index.php?mod=hom_enAi salsal - somebody who comes and goes - and might as well never return. That is what the Sa from Bunlap call us, white Europeans. We, the anthropologists Thorolf Lipp and Martina Kleinert wanted to set out for another way. Since 1997 we have been returning, again and again, and now - after five years of preparation - we will invite five of our best friends for a trip to Germany. They will be our guests for several weeks, to get an idea of and share our way of life. They will be here to work with us at three "places of encounter" - Munich, Obergünzburg and Bayreuth - cooperating in the design of exhibitions and mediating aspects of their culture. At the same time they have the chance to experience and explore our country and our way of life.State Museum of EthnologySat, 02 May 2009 09:35:34 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#1f72d3cf-a3fd-4f0b-af3d-f5eddcd8c717http:// mnantropologia.mcu.esNoche en blanco 2009. Time: 10:00 p.m and 11:30 p.m. The Gamelan is an Indonesian traditional group of musical instruments, characteristic from Java and Bali. This music is based on percussion and it is used as accompaniment in temple ceremonies, in dances which display the Hindu tales and legends and in the puppet theatre or the shadow theatre (wayang). The music from the Gamelan is complex and hypnotic; it is played with instruments such as gongs, xylophones or drums. This show at the Museo Nacional de Antropología is an excellent occasion to travel to the other side of the World and enjoy this part of the Indonesian culture. No doubt that it is a true gift in this thrilling night. You cannot miss it! Tickets will be given from Wednesday, 16 at the ticket office from 9:30 a.m to 8 p.m. Only two tickets will be given per person.National Museum of AnthropologyFri, 21 Aug 2009 11:20:05 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#efe20a45-1136-4b3a-84bb-1d3651bbb04chttp://www.nus.edu.sg/museum/exhibitions_doxa.htmlA series of new portraitures by the Indonesian artist Pupuk Daru Purnomo reveals physical documentation and psychological interactions of the artist, focusing on portraiture as the single subject matter for investigation. These works initiate a complex interrogation into man’s struggle to articulate, represent, comprehend himself. They balance an internal emotional equilibrium – defined in the material, residual, abstract presence, and of now and becoming – a palimpsest of memory, predicament and change. Each portrait is a metaphor, and a mirror onto which the self may be invested, a cutaneous veil often masked through associative layerings, at the same time stripped down to its confessional play of allusion. Each portrays an inner ‘being’ of the artist and uncovers Pupuk’s world in which he lives and performs, an inner vision of an outside world.NUS Museum, NUS Centre For the ArtsThu, 09 Jul 2009 23:27:04 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#73c735d6-2842-45ad-b26c-c147a5d48e46http://www.acm.org.sg/exhibitions/eventdetail.asp?eventID=522Take a journey from the islands of Indonesia to the jungles of Borneo through the stories of people who ‘hunted’ and collected some of theartefacts found in ACM’s Southeast Asia collection today. The exhibition features six early collectors, ranging from explorers and naturalists to businessmen and missionaries, who travelled in Southeast Asia. Their adventures, passions and personalities are told through their collections. Much of their collections found their way to Singapore’s first museum - the Raffles Library and Museum. Established in 1849, it was founded primarily to study the region’s exotic flora and fauna. The exhibition recreates the old museum, with its cabinets of curiosities, rich ethnographic collection and natural history specimens ranging from rare butterflies, a pair of soaring Christmas Island birds to a leopard poised to pounce!Asian Civilisations MuseumTue, 21 Jul 2009 09:42:43 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#35c8f9d3-a1a5-4bcb-8963-57ec91027e89 http://www.britishmuseum.org/system_pages/holding_area/indian_summer/india_landscape.aspxIndia Landscape features a selection of plants from the Indian subcontinent, displaying a range of colours and scents from South Asia. The Indian subcontinent is a vast region with diverse populations, climatic zones and some of the world’s richest but endangered habitats. The landscape changes from the dramatic, rocky environment of the Himalayan mountains to the tropical lushness of southern India, through a temperate zone representing the plains. Star plants link with objects in the British Museum’s collection and paintings in the exhibition Garden and Cosmos. India Landscape is the result of a unique partnership between the British Museum and the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.British MuseumThu, 30 Apr 2009 20:45:01 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#d36b1bd1-6ee8-42c7-ba6e-1de8948d2eb5http://www.museum.go.kr/eng/Special.doEarly mural paintings of Goguryeo portray many types of people engaged in a variety of activities. A portrait of a tomb owner with the spouse, scene of singing and dancing, grand procession,and hunting in mountains and plains had been popular themes. These themes of murals and portrayed figures are slightly different depending on regions and time periods. For instance, early paintings of Pyeongyang region usually have figures wearing wide outfits with broad sleeves. Whereas faces of the noblewoman and attendants from Ahnawk Tomb No.3 are mostly round with high cheeks and chubby chins, attendants portrayed on walls of Duckhong-ri tomb have slim faces and wear a pleated skirt. These female figures later developed into images of Goguryeo women who walk gracefully in a procession, boasting their beautifulness, like the ones on the murals of Ssangyoungchong or Susan-ri tomb. In Jian region, the tomb mural painting tradition started later than it did in Pyeongyang region. Figures portrayed on the former usually wear polka dot outfits including jackets and pants. The custom of placing the jacket tie on the left side had been a northern cultural characteristic of people who were accustomed to a horse-riding culture. Figures that appear on murals of Gawkjeochong and Mooyongchong wear slightly different styles of outfits from those drawn on murals of Pyeongyang region. Their slim faces, however, confirm that they were surely depicted as people of Goguryeo. The style of portraits of tomb owners and their spouses are also different between the two regions. On murals of Pyeongyang region, married couples sit sternly like deities, facing the front but on those of Jian region, couples carry out daily activities, such drinking tea and comfortably chatting with each other. These differences show that the stylistic traditions in Goguryeo’s two cultural centers were not identical.National Museum of KoreaTue, 23 Jun 2009 12:45:31 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#08bd72dc-43cf-47ac-b9e5-0f990dabd0f6http://www.varldskulturmuseet.se/smvk/jsp/polopoly.jsp?d=851&a=13913&l=en_USWhat is Bollywood? Why has it become so fantastically popular? Who are really the world's most popular movie stars? Enjoy family friendly experiences from a world that still seems to be far from our daily lives. Or is it?Song! Dance! Music! Drama! Comedy! Action! Romance! All are important and common ingredients in most films. In Bollywood films, you will find it all in one place. With hundreds of films produced every year and an annual audience of nearly 4 billion people, Bollywood is the world's largest film industry today. Bollywood, the Hindi-language film industry in Mumbai (formerly Bombay), India has taken the world by storm and has become an Indian export success. A large industry already in the 1930's, films did not begin to emerge internationally until the 60's. Indian film exports grew by an incredible 60% in 2008 alone. Bollywood has now become an internationally known brand and a world culture.Welcome to Bollywood-world! In this exhibition, you will be a singing star, record your own Bollywood film and dance in great dance scenes from popular Bollywood movies. The exhibition discusses what Bollywood as a cultural expression actually consists of and how such a massive success can affect your world view. The exhibition is suitable if you want to have fun with the whole family or friends and it gets funnier the more you dare to participate in the activities. Welcome to the Bollywood-world! Museum of World CultureThu, 12 Mar 2009 07:22:25 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#a779dac6-e09b-4868-a381-72ffd193a58chttp://www.varldskulturmuseet.se/smvk/jsp/polopoly.jsp?d=851&a=13921&l=en_USFrom morning workouts along the promenade in Chennai to the evening sessions in Calcutta's dark cellars the girls are constantly practicing. The air is filled with the sounds of commands: switch, parry! Turn, parry!, Sounds which are indicative of a change in India: Girls who sweat and women who fight back. Boxing has become a way for young girls in India to build up confidence and break the conventions of how a girl should behave. Boxing has long been an illicit world for women in India. Many still think that boxing is unseemly, particularly parents from the higher caste. Matrimonial ads in Indian newspapers are looking for a trained and homely wife - not someone with a good left hook. But the number of girls who fight is rising rapidly. Their practice is so committed that they have become one of the world's leading countries in boxing for women. Boxing for women was not approved as a branch in the Olympics in 2008. Can we hope for a change to the Olympic Games in London in 2012? Fancy a friendly tussle with a champ? Put on the gloves and meet Natalie Lungo from Angereds Boxningsklubb who took home the gold from the Junior Championships in Bulgaria last winter. The exhibition, including photographs, all taken by photographer Aksel Sundström, has free admission. This spring promises an exciting program of activities, particularly about boxing. Be sure not to miss the first women's international boxing match between Sweden and India. Some of the world's best girls meet in the ring, which is built up in the middle of the museum's staircase. This hard and skillful fight is held March 21 at 12-17. In addition, the former professional boxer Åsa Sandell tells you how boxing can teach you more about yourself and you can also try boxing yourself! Museum of World CultureThu, 12 Mar 2009 07:22:25 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#88c5a501-96e3-4eb7-973b-a8ca29961d98http://www.museum.go.kr/kor/index.jspExplanatory text only available in KoreanNational Museum of KoreaThu, 12 Mar 2009 07:22:25 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#23cbb25c-3039-44c4-a61c-ce32dac1ca9ahttp://www.tnm.jp/en/servlet/Con?pageId=B01&processId=01&event_id=6752The Tokyo National Museum's collection of ethnological materials from Okinawa is mainly composed of objects purchased by the Ministry of Agriculture and Commerce from Okinawa prefecture in 1884. In 1882, the German Anthropological Society asked the Ministry to collect Okinawan ethnographical objects as reference materials for study. Objects which were not collected in time to send to Germany and spare samples were sent to Tokyo and transferred to the museum. Because many cultural properties, including ethnographical materials, were destroyed in Okinawa prefecture during World War II, the Tokyo National Museum's collection is among the oldest such ethnographical collections in existence. Worthy of special note are materials related to noro(ritual officers) of Yamato-mura, Amamioshima Island, which were donated by Ms. Yamato Yoshiko in 1998. Formerly in the conscientious care of Mrs. Osada Suma, a researcher of Amami dialect, they are important for the study of the Okinawan culture. This display features the decorative art of Okinawa including metalwork, colorful textiles,ceramics which show influences from various sources, lacquerware created under the influence of China and jade pieces which are thought to have been used by noro.Tokyo National MuseumThu, 23 Jul 2009 10:11:03 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#1bbb39c4-cdbc-4177-b928-f922ecdb4f37http://www.khm.at/en/kunsthistorisches-museum/exhibitions/kommende-sonderausstellungen/japanese-rooms/How do the Japanese live in Japan? How do they live abroad? Do they create their own culture in foreign cities? What do they take with them from home? Feelings, things – sensuous or tangible memories? Sven Ingmar Thies gained insight into the lives of 82 Japanese citizens in five global cities over the course of nine years. Through his discreet observation he manages to capture fleeting moments of everyday Japanese life at home and abroad. He depicts the living spaces of a very diverse group – from architects to students, from business people to chefs to artists. Using analogue black-and-white photography, Sven Ingmar Thies combines the subjects’ blurred motions with classic stills of the rooms they live in. Japanese Rooms was awarded the iF gold selection 2008 after it had already won the iF communication design award in the categories photo and book design.Museum of EthnologyFri, 24 Apr 2009 13:35:15 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#05395a35-ce78-4efb-9d48-1725d033a7e4http://www.khm.at/en/kunsthistorisches-museum/ausstellungen/kommende-sonderausstellungen/wir-sind-maske/The mask, the “artificial face”, was part of man’s earliest artistic production; over time, it served as an instrument and a medium in the process of creating life and/or culture in many different civilisations: in the cult of the dead/of memory/of ancestors, in rites of passage and rebirth, as a fundamental form of expression in mystery plays and theatre, as part of courtly pageants, but ultimately also as a form of protection, as camouflage, and much more. New about this presentation – apart from the breadth of its timeline and cultural frame of reference – is its attempt to classify masks according to the function they served, masks both from European and from non-European cultures that until now were separated both conceptually and in museum presentations, and to relate them to each other.Museum of EthnologyThu, 23 Jul 2009 10:18:48 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#90edb29f-714a-4f47-bc75-43e33f65975ehttp://www.muzeum.torun.pl/portal.php?aid=12324538024975c0aa7c682The exhibition shows the beauty of collection of weapons and arms from the Middle East. They are Persian, Indian and Turkish helmets, shields, swords etc.. In total, over 65 objects from the sixteenth to the nineteenth century. In addition to exhibits from the collection of the District Museum in Torun are also presented excellent examples of arms and weapons, this time originating from the collection of Polish Army Museum in Warsaw. District MuseumMon, 31 Aug 2009 10:01:30 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#6ad801ee-b14b-4ac1-877e-224a2f40a690http://www.muzeum.torun.pl/portal.php?aid=12324538024975c0aa7c682Since the times of the Shang Dynasty (i.e. 1600 – 1100 B.C.) the cult of ancestors in ancientChina belonged to the most important religious practices. The tradition included not only funeral rituals, such as proper ceremonies followed by depositing the dead body in a tomb, but it also involved making sacrifices to the ancestors in definite time intervals. These rituals were performed at family altars, in temples or by the graves. The ancestors were believed to play an essential role in the mediations between the world of people alive and the supernatural powers. Dead relatives were supposed to support the living with their good advice, protect them against any detrimental forces’ influence, and make their requests and wishes come true. Proper behavior of the descendants and proper celebrations of the rituals, whose scenarios were fixed to the pettiest details, were to grant forebears appropriate status in the Heavens. It did not mean, however, that the ancestors’ position in family would change after their death. The deceased were honored and commemorated not because of their merits, but due to their functions in the family clans. Terracotta figurines, whose usage became widely popular in the period of Han Dynasty (206 B.C.-220 A.D.), were located in the closest surroundings of the deceased. They were initially figurines of solders, then of servants, ladies, dancers, musicians, acrobats, and even farm animals. The amount of figurines assembled during the reigns of the Tang Dynasty was so great that a dedicated agency was established to supervise the production of mingqi – so called figurines of people, house models and animals, manufactured especially for funeral purposes. The resurgence of confucianism in the period of Sòng (960-1279) made grave arranging more modest. Also the ritual burning of paper models in the period of Ming (1368-1644) gradually superseded the ceremony of burying ceramic models.District MuseumMon, 31 Aug 2009 10:09:05 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#572169b4-6d17-4532-ae43-118167a3dafbhttp://www.amm.lv/izstades.php?l=1The first objects to be used as money by the people of China were natural seashells. This marked the beginning of a transition from the old system whereby goods were traded and bartered to a new age of monetary symbols. Then came the Bronze Age, during which the Chinese used their skills and wisdom to create a resplendent bronze culture. Bronze coins replaced shells as the currency of the age, and were supplemented by the circulation of precious metals such as gold and silver. With the emergence, growth and increase of marketplace trading, all kinds of money appeared and went into broad circulation. Following the historical developments of modern civilization, they gradually developed into the perfectly integrated credit and currency systems in place today. The history of money in China goes back more than 4000 years, and the types of money that have been used are many and varied, including ancient forms of money, gold and silver currency, copper coins, and paper money. The emergence of money gave people more freedom of movement and association. During every historical period or phase, the different materials and methods used in coining reflected not only political strength, but also the state of the economy and the level of technological development. Money has always been closely linked to the development of society. The changes and replacements of currencies tell a vivid story of the vicissitudes of nations, the rise and fall of dynasties, but also amply reflect the skill and imagination of the coiners who have made money into a rich, unique and exquisite art form. Museum of Foreign ArtThu, 27 Aug 2009 10:33:38 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#7730e2e4-6814-499a-ae7c-1e70dc8f928fhttp://www.voelkerkundemuseum-muenchen.de/inhalt/html/sonder.htmlExplanatory text only available in GermanState Museum of EthnologyThu, 12 Mar 2009 07:22:25 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#beb5474e-638a-4391-a856-88fd4727aab0http://www.vme.org.vn/news_detail.asp?ID=829This is the first time the Vietnam Museum of Ethnology has organized a thematic exhibition about the impacts of a traffic highway. Highway No. 9 is 300km long and stretches from Dong Ha town in Quang Tri province, Vietnam and crosses the national border to Savannakhet province in Laos. In recent years, the highway has become a part of the East-West Economic Corridor which is 1.450 km long, from Danang port in Vietnam (the Pacific Ocean) to Mawlamyine port in Myanmar (the Indian Ocean). The economic corridor links 4 countries: Vietnam, Laos,Thailand and Myanmar. The contents of the exhibition reflect the economic, social, cultural and environmental impacts along Highway No. 9. The introductory section shows the long history of the highway which became especially well-known during wartime, before 1975. After visiting the 7 sections of the exhibition with its objects, photos, films and exhibition texts, visitors will have more knowledge about Highway No. 9 in the past, as well as the changes of peoples’ lives along the nowadays. The highway not only brings opportunities to people, but also creates challenges for those living along it. The exhibition “Highway No. 9: Opportunities and Challenges” is a result of more than 3-years of cooperative research between the VietnamMuseum of Ethnology and the Lao Academy of Social Sciences, with support from the Rockefeller Foundation.Viet Nam Museum of EthnologySun, 12 Jul 2009 12:24:37 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#fae79c46-40db-484e-b168-66e0369e70a8 http://www.britishmuseum.org/system_pages/holding_area/indian_summer/garden_and_cosmos.aspxA rare chance to see paintings in the royal collection of the Mehrangarh Museum Trust, Jodhpur. The exhibition will feature a loan of 56 paintings from India, none of which have been displayed before in Europe. It is a fantastic opportunity to experience the unique art tradition that flourished in the royal courts between the 17th and 19th centuries.British MuseumThu, 30 Apr 2009 20:47:08 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#d44667ef-326e-499c-86ff-0da61a952968http://www.museum.go.kr/eng/Special.doFocuses on kundika and its religious natures and artistic qualities. The exhibits include the Bronze kundika inlaid in silver wirewith willow, reed and waterfowl (National Treasure No. 92), the Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva of the Three Kingdoms period(National Treasure No. 127), and the 2.6cm-high golden Bodhisattva of theGoryeo dynasty. This show also provides a number of enlarged photos and graphics to shed a better light on the delicacy of details expressed on the exhibits.National Museum of KoreaWed, 05 Aug 2009 15:03:37 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#96e4d978-c918-427b-8f0d-3ff84af29ef0http://www.museum.go.kr/kor/exh/exh_main.jspThe exhibition introduces Western-style paintings by modern Japanese artists which were collected and displayed in the Yi Royal Museum from 1933 to 1943. The paintings are part of a larger collection consisting of modern Japanese-style paintings, Western-style paintings, sculptures and craftworks. The exhibit, featuring the artworks on human figures and landscapes, includes a total of 40 pieces; 33 oil paintings, two drawings, four prints, and one pastel drawing. The collection is the first and only holding of Japanese Western-style paintings in Korea and has been carefully preserved in the Yi Royal Museum. Most of the works are being shown for the first time since 1945, Sun said. Many Japanese artists included in this collection were active at that time in Korea during the colonial period and are an importance source for studying Korean modern art. The exhibition will help Koreans to understand how in modern times the Japanese have tried to learn previously unknown new artistic styles and concepts from Europe. In addition, it is expected to help Koreans rediscover the modern art movement from its cultural context.National Museum of KoreaThu, 12 Mar 2009 07:22:25 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#92607a5e-fb09-4863-995d-c55fa53ae34bhttp://www.tnm.jp/en/servlet/Con?pageId=B01&processId=01&event_id=6754Unkei, active from the late Heian (794-1192) to the early Kamakura(1192-1333) periods, is one of the most important Buddhist sculptors in the history of Japanese sculpture. He belonged to the group of Buddhist sculptors now known as the Kei school, which was active in Nara. Being the earlier capital, many Tenpyo style sculptures of the Nara period (710-794) were preserved there. Unkei studied these classical works and created a new style which was realistic and dynamic. Unkei worked not only for the old customers in Nara and Kyoto; he also met the demands of the new power in Japan, the Kamakura military government. Works for the new patrons included the statues preserved at Ganjojuin in Shizuoka commissioned by Hojo Yorimasa, the father-in-law of the first shogun Minamoto no Yoritomo. The two statues of Dainichi Nyorai (Mahavairocana), owned by Kotokuji temple and Shinnyoen respectively, are thought to have been produced by Unkei and possibly commissioned by Ashikaga Yoshikane, a vassal of the shogun. Through these works Unkei's style spread among the Kanto region sculptors. This thematic display features: the two statues of Dainichi Nyorai, which are most probably by Unkei himself; the Twelve Heavenly Generals, which some scholars think were produced at Unkei's studio; some Unkei style statues from the Kanto region; as well as works by Koen, Unkei's grandson.Tokyo National MuseumThu, 23 Jul 2009 10:13:51 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#c0f5c61d-7efb-487a-a00d-5477d4ea77bdhttp://www.tnm.jp/en/servlet/Con?pageId=B01&processId=01&event_id=6887Throughout history, Japan has developed through close relationships with China, Korea, and other East Asian countries. Even after official missions to Tang-dynasty China ended in the 9th century at the proposal of scholar-courtier Sugawara no Michizane, economic and cultural exchange with Song and Ming-dynasty China, as well as Korea, continued mainly through trade. From the 16th century, academic knowledge from the West was introduced to Japan with the arrival of Europeans. In the 17th century, the country closed its gates to other countries for political, economical and ideological reasons, initiating a ban on Christianity and seeking to strengthen the feudal system of government. Despite its policy of closure, however, the Tokugawa shogunate established a diplomatic trade management system between China and the Netherlands, specifying Nagasaki as the permitted port. In addition, relations continued with two "communicating" countries that sent delegations regularly to the Tokugawa shogunate: Korea, with the mediation of the So clan of Tsushima domain, and the kingdom of Ryukyu (present-day Okinawa), a tributary state of China. Information from abroad entered Japan through these relationships. The Tokugawa shogunate's diplomatic policies are essential to the understanding of Japan's network with the Netherlands and East Asian countries at the time. The policies had a considerable effect not only politically and economically, but also in terms of culture. This exhibition introduces historical materials including paintings and diplomatic documents which provide an overview of Japan's international relations in and around the Edo period.Tokyo National MuseumWed, 02 Sep 2009 10:46:03 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#9ffc61cb-bcc3-4891-bf0a-1dad48ea1a49http://www.singart.com/upcoming_exhibitions.phpThe Singapore Art Exhibition 2009 co-organised with the National Arts Council (NAC) is the main feature of the Singapore Art Show (SAS). The Singapore Art Exhibition offers artists from all disciplines a national platform to participate via an open call for submissions. The best submission will be awarded the Singapore Art Exhibition Prize - a fifty thousand dollar grant which can be used for professional or capability development through residencies, further studies or training, and for the creation and/or presentation of bold, new projects and works. The theme of this year’s Singapore Art Exhibition is ART BUFFET SINGAPORE! The ‘buffet’ concept was adopted as a mode of display and cultural consumption. Artists are empowered to select from a buffet spread of twelve themes to respond to. The buffet concept also offers a visual feast for audiences to attune themselves to the creative production of Singapore artists. Suggested themes include Food, Material, Ritual, Spectrum, Signs, Gesture, Craft, Body, Time, Space, Order and Humour.Singapore Art MuseumWed, 05 Aug 2009 15:39:24 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#a2392b1e-079f-4e9b-9744-66174c3049b4http://www.tnm.jp/en/servlet/Con?pageId=B01&processId=01&event_id=6888Lacquerware is crafted using the sap of lacquer trees which inhabit the entire Asia region. From ancient times, lacquer-coated wares have been made and utilized not only in Japan but also in China, Korea, Southeast Asia and other Asian regions. Just as Japan developed techniques such as maki-e, in which smooth black lacquer is decorated with powdered gold, each of the regions and cultures developed their own unique techniques and expressions using the same material. Lacquerware is a genre of decorative art that represents the diverse cultures of Asia. This thematic exhibition introduces lacquerware from China. In Chinese lacquerware, colors such as red, black, yellow and green were used, and decorative techniques included carving designs from heavily coated lacquer, combining fragments of shells to create inlaid designs, applying gold leaf into designs cut in thin lines, and creating inlaid designs with various colored lacquers. These techniques were employed in expressing the bold motifs such as five-clawed dragons, the Chinese symbol of the emperor; roundel arabesques; and pictorial expressions of birds, flowers, figures and palaces. Plain wares are also notable for their appealing forms. This exhibition highlights distinctive aspects of Chinese lacquerware, which is quite different from Japanese works in the same genre.Tokyo National MuseumWed, 02 Sep 2009 10:49:21 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#c049a593-dca4-4263-9613-89f6bb1cf940http://www.guimet.fr/Une-installation-contemporaine-au,806A contemporary art installation in the Guimet Museum by Hung-Chih Peng Explanatory text only available in FrenchMusée National des arts asiatiques GuimetTue, 23 Jun 2009 12:33:46 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#f69ede24-0762-4144-99ec-75b9309266bahttp://www.cbl.ie/Exhibitions/Temporary-Exhibitions.aspxIm mid-September 2009 the ‘Arts of the Book’ gallery will be reorganized to feature an exhibition of Chinese snuff bottles from the Library’s collection. Dating mainly from the Manchu Qing dynasty (1644-1911), snuff bottles were among Chester Beatty’s earliest acquisitions. The exhibition includes some 600 bottles of jade, porcelain, crystal, lacquer, glass and many other materials, and 275 of these will also be published in a new catalogue. The exhibition is mounted and the catalogue is released to coincide with the annual convention of the International Chinese Snuff Bottle Society. Due to limited space, the convention (20-23 October) is open to ICSBS members only, but the exhibition is free to visitors.The Chester Beatty LibraryThu, 03 Sep 2009 08:46:37 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#e556c89b-80a4-49a4-be4d-89c1d74bb218http://www.singart.com/current_programmes.php?page=lu_haoThe Singapore Art Museum presents Lu Hao, the first solo museum exhibition in Southeast Asia for internationally renowned Chinese Contemporary artist Lu Hao. Lu has participated in many prestigious international exhibitions and biennales since the late 1990s, including the 1999 Venice Biennale, the 2002 São Paulo Bienal as well as the 2007 Documenta 12. Co-curator of the 2009 Venice Biennale Chinese Pavilion, Lu presented a visually-challenging exhibition What is to Come, featuring established Chinese Contemporary artists. In his own artistic practice, Lu Hao references the traditional long hand scroll format and ink idioms of Chinese paintings as well as photorealism, with postmodern ideas on urban and social memory. Lu's recent works comment on contemporary transformations of Beijing lifestyles and architecture. For the exhibition at the Singapore Art Museum, Lu will work with renowned international curator Professor Wu Hung, from the University of Chicago, to present an overview of his artistic practice with sculptures, installations, recent ink paintings and other new works.Singapore Art MuseumWed, 05 Aug 2009 15:40:53 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#fc247210-d4d1-45c1-838c-bf8edcd09da7http://www.singart.com/current_programmes.php?page=lightIn 2009, the Singapore Art Museum pays tribute to the late Anthony Poon, one of Singapore’s foremost figures in the art scene and recipient of the 1991 Cultural Medallion Award. The exhibition Light and Movement Portrayed features works that are representative of Poon’s different phases, from his formative years in painting to his subsequent venture into relief and sculptural works. The display showcases works from the museum and private collections, and includes a significant donation made by the Poon family in 2007. From pure reds to salmon pinks, subtle violets to ultramarine blues, Poon’s brightly coloured works capture the full spectrum of the rainbow. His works embody the spirit of new exploration and experimentation with forms and concepts that characterised the abstract art movement during the 1960s and 1970s. In responding to the new artistic influences and challenges presented by this milieu, Poon found an avenue of artistic expression that was of the times, but also distinctively his own.Singapore Art MuseumWed, 05 Aug 2009 15:48:04 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#fabdac04-ff66-49c6-a8f8-e311b7e8cbeehttp://www.cbl.ie/Exhibitions/Future-Exhibitions.aspxFor over 1500 years a small box lay buried in the sands of Egypt. Its accidental discovery in the 1920s revealed its contents to be the lost books of a world religion. These books belonged to the Manicheans, a religion so popular that it almost replaced Christianity as the dominant religion in many regions as it spread from Persia to Spain in the West and to China in the East. Its success threatened all in authority and led to its ultimate destruction. Modern students of Manichaeism owe a profound debt to Alfred Chester Beatty for his preservation of the ancient texts of this lost world religion. His library holds the world’s largest collection of Mani’s writings. The publication of Beatty’s manuscripts was entrusted to the International Committee for the publication of the Chester Beatty Manichaean papyri headed by scholars from Denmark, Germany, Australia and the United States. The Manichaean books of the Chester Beatty Library have been the focus of recent publications in theCorpus Fontium Manichaeorum, a major international research and publication project sponsored by UNESCO under the aegis of the Integrated Study of the Silk Road. This exhibition is a world first, never before has there been a display of Manichaean books. It reveals the story of Mani and his religion. A religion that everyone had thought was destroyed and which everyone wanted to be destroyed. The Chester Beatty LibrarySun, 12 Jul 2009 12:16:55 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#c451dcd2-a988-43fe-b291-be236ea7b628http://www.tnm.jp/en/servlet/Con?pageId=B01&processId=01&event_id=6918Every autumn we present "Masterpieces of Chinese Painting and Calligraphy", which features works from the Museum's collection and pieces from other collections in the Museum's custody. Chinese calligraphy and paintings have been imported to Japan for a long time, and these works have had a large impact on Japanese art. A particular example of this would be the influence of works from the Song (960-1279) and Yuan (1271-1368) dynasties, which were introduced together with Zen Buddhism following the Kamakura period (1192-1333). Placed in studies and tea rooms, these works provided the basis of a new way to appreciate the arts in Japan. Among the renowned Higashiyama Gomotsu Collection, which was part of the shogun's collection of art objects and books during the Muromachi period (1336-1573), are works of representative Chinese calligraphy that can no longer be found in China. Since the Meiji period (1868-1912) the Japanese intellectuals have strived to follow the traditional tastes of learned Chinese, so they imported many masterpieces of Chinese painting and calligraphy. Tokyo National MuseumTue, 22 Sep 2009 10:42:38 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#2d0802fe-a0d2-4a55-9e90-bab261eaaad7http://www.tnm.jp/en/servlet/Con?pageId=B01&processId=01&event_id=6917Many Noh plays are poetic portrayals of the inner selves of people in the middle Ages at tragic scenes. Noh is neither like Kyogen theater, where comic aspects of daily life are told, or the dramatic representations of Kabuki. Actors express the character and class of their roles as well as emotions such as joy, sorrow and regret in restrained movements and verse. Since exaggerated gestures and facial expressions are omitted in Noh performances, the subtle expressiveness of masks has a substantial importance. In masks for female roles, for example, the basic form is the koomote mask for young women, and the characters' ages, nature, and situations are carefully represented by details such as disheveled hair, gazing eyes, or wrinkles. They are a result of an aspiration to embody the expressions of women - a challenging aspect for the actors, being men. In Noh, the selection of masks and costumes by the actors bring individuality to the appearance and character of female roles. This exhibition aims to provide a look into the intricate representations of women in Noh.Tokyo National MuseumTue, 22 Sep 2009 10:41:07 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#e67b3c2a-3f54-42ea-9d64-2b74dd3b0a4fhttp://www.britishmuseum.org/whats_on/future_exhibitions/the_power_of_dogu.aspxBorn from the earliest dated tradition of pottery manufacture in the world, dogū – abstract clay figurines with recognisably human or animal features – are a link back to the lost worlds of the remarkable Jōmon period (c. 12,000 - 300 BC). The Jōmon people were foragers in the temperate forests that covered Japan. They lived in tune with the seasons and shared their rich natural world with the spirits. Dogū have been excavated in large quantities from sites throughout the country. The quality of the pottery, variety of shapes and captivating decoration has captured the imagination of antiquarians and archaeologists. What were they and what was their purpose? Many were deliberately broken before burial which has raised intriguing questions about their possible uses. The Power of Dogū presents a major detailed study in English of these remarkable prehistoric treasures. Published to accompany an exhibition at the British Museum, on view from 10 September — 22 November 2009, this beautifully illustrated catalogue features 67 dogū, the most important of which have been designated as either National Treasures or Important Cultural Properties. In addition to describing the pieces themselves, chapters written by experts in the field explore the meaning of these mysterious figures, as well as the wider East Asian setting, the significance of this context in understanding Japanese prehistory and the impact of dogū on modern art and popular culture. The exhibition and catalogue bring together a vast number of loans from institutions all over Japan including: Tokyo National Museum, the Japan Folk Crafts Museum (Mingeijan), The Anthropological Museum, Nanzan University, The Shakadō Museum of Jōmon Culture, National Museum of Japanese History, Idojiri Archaeological Museum, Togariishi Jomon Museum, The University of Tokyo, Sendai City Museum, as well as many pieces from regional educational boards and private collections. Guest Curator: Simon Kaner.British MuseumWed, 19 Aug 2009 11:28:03 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#7caa9f3f-a3cb-471d-8e96-d50c41c39a17http://www.lcsd.gov.hk/CE/Museum/Arts/english/exhibitions/exhibitions01_jul09_01.htmlJointly presented by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department and the Liaoning Provincial MuseumJointly organised by the Hong Kong Museum of Art and the Liaoning Provincial Museum, A Celebration Programme of the 60th Anniversary of the Founding of the PRC. This exhibition features 15 paintings from the Ming (1368 – 1644) and Qing (1644 – 1911) dynasties, on the unique theme of prosperous cities, from the collection of the Liaoning Provincial Museum. Most of the exhibits, once prized possessions of the Qing emperor Qianlong, are representative works in the history of painting. Offering an insight into China's urban wealth during the Ming and Qing periods, they include significant paintings such as Along the River during the Qingming Festival by Qiu Ying (ca.1494 – ca.1552) of the Ming dynasty, Ten Views of West Lake by Wang Yuanqi (1642 – 1715) and Prosperous Suzhou by Xu Yang (1712 – after 1777) of the Qing dynasty. The centrepiece of the exhibition is the handscroll by Xu Yang, a Qing court painter during the reign of Qianlong. Completed in 1759 during Qianlong's second Southern Inspection Tour, the scroll painting provides a panoramic but extraordinarily detailed view of 18th century Suzhou. In it, Xu painstakingly depicts people from all walks of life – from fishermen, woodcutters and tillers to merchants, literati and civil officers – as well as Suzhou's fascinating scenery, in which many prosperous aspects of the city during the High Qing era are emphasised.Hong Kong Museum of ArtFri, 10 Jul 2009 12:42:00 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#9972c5ef-a736-4d3d-be7b-dc4f0aa3747chttp://www.photoquai.fr/en/exhibitions/musee-du-quai-branly.htmlFor this 2nd edition of PHOTOQUAI, the musée du quai Branly is honouring Iranian photography in its West Mezzanine, amidst the permanent collections: the exhibition 165 years of Iranian photography gives an overview of Iranian photography from the end of the XIXth century, with the portraits from the Qajar era and the photo studios which appeared in Iran at the time of Reza Shah Pahlavi, up until the most contemporary works by major Iranian photographers. The journey begins with a history of Iranian photography; at the end of the XIXth century, and continues up until the war images; the second part shows around thirty contemporary works by major Iranian photographers, artists or documentary makers who are currently working in Iran and abroad. Around 30 years after the Islamic revolution, 20 years after the end of the Iran-Iraq war, Iranian photography has established its place as a major trend in its genre.Musée du quai BranlyFri, 25 Sep 2009 13:19:15 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#22e8339c-3cee-4a11-b7b3-efd32e1ca31ehttp://www.tnm.jp/en/servlet/Con?pageId=B01&processId=01&event_id=6890To commemorate the 20th anniversary of the Emperor's enthronement, the Tokyo National Museum will hold a special exhibition uniting a rich spectrum of works from the imperial collections. The exhibition will be held in two parts, and will include objects owned by the imperial household as well as treasures from the Shosoin Repository and Sannomaru Shozokan (The Museum of the Imperial Collections). Part 1 will be on view October 6 - November 3, and Part 2 will be on view November 12 - 29. Through this exhibition, the most comprehensive display ever of treasures from the imperial collections, we invite visitors to explore the beauty and tradition preserved by the imperial household for generations.Tokyo National MuseumWed, 12 Aug 2009 10:50:10 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#6f05d4da-915e-4631-a771-4e4eb6f94e9ahttp://www.arch.nus.edu.sg/50/exhibition/index.htmlThe University Art Museum (precursor of NUS Museum) was inaugurated in 1955 at the University of Malaya in Singapore. The collection was instrumental in the teaching and study of Art History. Its holding of acquired paintings served as a vital archive and resource to interpret landscapes and themes in Singapore and Southeast Asia. Presented in three sections - Engagement/Memory/Imagination - the exhibition explores artistic interactions with the land, personal and collective memory, as well as relationships with physical space, cultural imagination and practice. Through paintings, drawings, photographs, textiles and video documentations, the landscape observations convey, construct and represent aspects of such landscapes, as well as offer presentations and interpretations. The exhibition forms the framework for reconnections with teaching and learning of architecture and urban history, through modules developed by the Department of Architecture, NUS, which celebrates its 50th anniversary this year. In conjunction with the exhibition, two forums will be organised at the NUS Museum alongside four walking tours at Kampong Glam, Padang, Telok Ayer and Tiong Bahru to encourage the public's interest in and appreciation of the Singaporean landscape.NUS Museum, NUS Centre For the ArtsFri, 03 Apr 2009 09:56:33 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#fb3efa6e-a675-4e95-9a66-855fa21263b4http://www.meaa.org.uk/hiddencharm.htmThe exhibition showcases some of modern Vietnam’s best talent from a substantial cross-section of work by artists with international reputations, many of whom have never been seen in the UK before. Painting has traditionally been a neglected art form in the genres of Vietnamese art. Unlike their counterparts elsewhere in Asia, Vietnamese Buddhist monks and Confucian literati showed little interest in the subject matter. On the contrary, the history of Vietnamese art since the end of the 19th century is a history of painting which, over a century of East-West acculturation, fundamental social and economic change, and several decades of war, has become the strongest form of art in Vietnam. This modern history of Vietnamese painting can be divided into three important phases: the Indochina School (1925-1945), the Socialist Realism school (1945 -1985) and the Doi Moi (renovation) art movement (since 1985). This exhibition focuses on the later of the three movements. In the last two decades, young Vietnamese artists have taken advantage of their country’s Doi Moi (renovation policy) to refuse the rules of socialist realism and its monotony of style, form of expression and topic. They turned instead to their country’s rich pre-colonial heritage to revisit traditional themes or explored contemporary issues such as woman in society, globalisation, alienation and ecological issues. In addition, new styles of art have been embraced – pop art, installations, performance and video. Vietnamese Doi Moi art has become the show-room of Vietnam in a new age of free market economy and cultural globalisation. From the Land of Hidden Charm: Contemporary Paintings from Vietnam is a collaborative exhibition between the Museum of East Asian Art and Oc-Eo Art.The Museum of East Asian ArtMon, 20 Jul 2009 19:43:44 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#39ca0fc2-59f4-4fe3-81a0-601a6f49eb2chttp://www.tnm.jp/en/servlet/Con?pageId=B01&processId=01&event_id=6909Artists to the Imperial Household were appointed under an honor system created to support artists and promote the fine arts. Artists to the Imperial Household received patronage for life, and were responsible for producing artworks and acting as advisors to the director of the Imperial Household Museum (present-day Tokyo National Museum). The imperial artist system had its beginnings in 1888 when 17 specialists, including Kano Natsuo, a maker of sword-fittings, were appointed as Artisans to the Ministry of the Imperial Household - a title which later became "Artist to the Ministry of the Imperial Household." The system of appointing artists directly to the imperial household was established in 1890 to encompass both the fine and decorative arts. Over 13 occasions between 1890 and 1944, a total of 79 artists were appointed under the imperial artist system. The Imperial Household Museum was greatly involved in the selection of Artists to the Imperial Household. As a result, the Tokyo National Museum (the Imperial Household Museum's present incarnation) holds a great number of their artworks in its collection. This exhibition presents a selection of these works from the ceramic, metal art and lacquerware genres. Tokyo National MuseumTue, 22 Sep 2009 10:39:06 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#4097536a-497a-40aa-961c-ef4daa50bee5http://www.singart.com/upcoming_exhibitions.phpLi Chen’s powerful, large-scale bronzes fuse Eastern philosophy and mythology with contemporary art practice. Mind, Body and Spirit offers a significant body of work spanning Li's artistic practice from 1992 to the present in his first solo outdoor sculpture exhibition in Asia. The artist's exploration of harmony and Zen spirituality may be experienced as one embarks on the sculptural trail which begins from the inner courtyards of Singapore Art Museum and extends into the Campus Green of Singapore Management University.Singapore Art MuseumWed, 05 Aug 2009 15:43:21 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#098076d2-608b-4217-88e3-ed4bae019a40http://www.acm.org.sg/exhibitions/eventdetail.asp?eventID=523Have you wondered how artefacts look like before their “makeover” prior to exhibitions? This exhibition aims to show the public what goes on behind the scenes of a museum exhibition, as we learn about the expertise of a Conservator. The conservators and artefacts will be telling you their interesting stories! So join us as we explore the unique nature of this occupation.Asian Civilisations MuseumTue, 21 Jul 2009 09:48:21 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#85a3db26-d4d1-4f18-b67a-7e516745e2fchttp://www.tnm.jp/en/servlet/Con?pageId=B01&processId=01&event_id=7036Toward the end of the Ming dynasty, from the 16th to the first half of the 17th century, porcelain wares decorated with bold designs rendered freely in red and green overglaze enamels were produced in China and exported to Southeast Asia and Japan in great numbers. These wares are known as gosu-akae in Japanese. Gosu-akae designs are characterized by lively brushwork and dominated by a distinctive flaming red, which lends them a unique appeal. In Japanese, the word "gosu" refers broadly to the south of China, evidencing the fact that whilst the wares were known to have been produced in this region, the specific location was originally unclear. "Akae," meanwhile, gestures to the painted designs, with "aka" meaning "red" and "e" meaning "design" or "picture." In the West, as the wares were shipped from Shantou (formerly known in English as "Swatow") in the north of Guangdong province, they came to be known as Swatow wares. In the 1990s, the Zhangzhou area of southern Fujian province was identified as the source of these wares, and an archaeological survey of the former kiln sites undertaken jointly by Japan and China has helped research in this area to progress significantly. Along with gosu-akae, the Zhangzhou kilns produced a wide variety of porcelain wares, including those known in Japan as gosu-aoe, primarily featuring blue ("ao") designs;gosu-sometsuke, with underglaze designs in indigo blue; and mochibana-de, with designs rendered in opaque white glaze on a ground of brown or blue glaze. This exhibition introduces gosu-akae wares which were prized as incense containers and confectionery dishes in tea ceremony settings in Japan, in addition to late Edo-period Kyoto-ware reproductions of gosu-akae porcelain, thus illustrating the deep connection between gosu-akae and Japanese culture. Tokyo National MuseumMon, 02 Nov 2009 09:53:34 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#236d876f-c353-41ec-8195-7a9630e590ffhttp://www.singart.com/current_exhibitions.phpJointly organised by the Istana and the Singapore Art Museum, The President’s Young Talents is a contemporary art exhibition series which aims to present works of promising Singapore artists. Many of the past artists from the series have gone on to participate at international platforms and biennales. This year, four artists have been nominated for participation in the 2009 President's Young Talents Exhibition. For the first time, one artist will be selected to receive an award for an overseas artist residency. Announcement of the award will be made towards the end of the exhibition. Vote for your favourite artwork at www.pyt.sg and stand to win attractive prizes! Details are available online. Credit Suisse is the presenting sponsor of The President's Young Talents in 2009.Singapore Art MuseumWed, 05 Aug 2009 15:05:20 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#25a9e3a3-43a0-40a1-b1f6-019a4242b08fhttp://www.amm.lv/izstades.php?l=1The exhibition presents the applied art of the far and exotic Orient: India, Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, Myanmar (Burma), Vietnam and Indonesia in the 19th and 20th centuries. The manifold and abundant of traditions applied art of India is represented by woodcuts, bone and horn carvings, textiles, bijouterie, metal ware and varnished items. The filigree ivory figurines cut by explicit artistry are adorned with fine ornaments that resemble feathery lace. In the mellow black handicrafts made in the bidri technique the silver line glints as a approval of the mastery of the metal artists in India. Jewels and semiprecious stones, gold, silver, ivory have always been popular in India and even nowadays serve for the multitude of bijouterie that adorn the garment of women.The applied art of the lands of the Indo-Chinese peninsula: Myanmar (Burma), Thailand, Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam is represented by varnished metalware with inlaid pearl. The artistic style, decoration and design proclaim that handicraft art of these countries is tightly bounded to the art of other South-East Asian countries. The small handicraft art collection of the island country Indonesia is a newcomer, mainly consisting of the items that were gifted to the Museum in 2009. It encloses the famous Indonesian batiks and Wayang puppet theatre with colourful openwork puppets that reflect upon the well-known story of the epic poem Ramayana . The high skillfulness of the Indonesian handicraft masters can be approved by the bronze vase with the fine engraving or the filigree silver carriage which has been devoted to the Museum of Foreign Art by Her Majesty Queen Hema Hamengku Buwono.Museum of Foreign ArtWed, 26 Aug 2009 15:35:44 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#018c6164-dd83-492c-a1d1-81a76ad1b07ahttp://www.chiangmai-mail.com/338/artmusic.shtmlThe focus is on three aspects of King Tilokarat’s reign from 1441- 1487, a period which is regarded as the Golden Age of Lanna.; his role in the reform and development of the political and administrative sectors and his military leadership, his advancement of the Buddhist faith, including his hosting of the World Buddhist Council in 1477 at Wat Jed Yod, rebuilt especially for the occasion, and his sending of monks to study the Dhamma in Sri Lanka, and his contribution to Lanna arts through the integration of the exquisite Sukothai style. Chiang Mai National MuseumWed, 19 Aug 2009 11:57:46 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#ab26c398-db99-4b71-a58d-bddeffb2cbc7http://nmvnh.org.vn/"Sa Huynh - 100 years of discovery and research" is the name of the exhibition that the National museum of Vietnamese History coordinates with the Institute of Vietnamese Archaeology and the Anthropology Museum of Vietnam. Sa Huynh is an archaeological culture which was first discovered in 1909 in Sa Huynh, a yard of pottery burial jars in the salt field of Sa Huynh, Duc Pho district, Quang Ngai province by Mrs Vinet, a customs officer in Quang Ngai at that time and written about in the magazine of the Ecole Francaise d'Extrême-Orient in 1909. From its first dicovery until now, the history of this culture is one century. Nowadays, the new discoveries about Sa Huynh culture keep declairing, these affirm the abundance andattraction of this culture. Sa Huynh was a culture in the early iron age, circa 2500 - 2000 years BCE. With native origin and wide distribution, concentrated mainly in the Centre of Vietnam, it had exchanges with other cultures in Vietnam, but also in other parts of Asia such as India and China. With selected objects and documents, especially newly discovered objects, the exhibition introduces visitors to part of the cultural legacy of this culture.National Museum of Vietnamese HistoryMon, 20 Jul 2009 19:45:51 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#0042cc19-444a-4d45-8c2e-89d52222f9fdhttp://www.lcsd.gov.hk/CE/Museum/Arts/english/exhibitions/exhibitions01_oct09_01.htmlSince the beginning of history, humans have used clothing to cover the body and keep warm. They then began to wear accessories, either as tools or for decoration. With time, these objects became indications of rank and wealth. Starting from the Xia dynasty (ca. 2100 – 1600 BC), etiquette for the adornment of clothes and accessories was incorporated into ritual. Rank and social status were reflected through a hierarchy of clothing pieces and accessories worn, based on type and material. For festive or ceremonial occasions, specific dress codes had to be followed. Emperors gifted exquisite accessories to officials, while friends and relatives exchanged them as gifts. They were also used often as symbols of family alliances and kinship. Decorative motifs were often imbued with auspicious meaning. This exhibition displays about 170 sets of Chinese antique accessories from the Museum Collection. Exhibits include hats, headdress, hairpins, necklaces, bracelets, belt ornament items, scent holders, purses, fans and snuff bottles. These exhibits sophisticated excellent craftsmanship of inlaying, carving and embroidery.Hong Kong Museum of ArtWed, 28 Oct 2009 10:18:49 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#f6412ca3-e5fd-4975-83a7-68096c01862ehttp://www.nus.edu.sg/museum/exhibitions_Of%20Fingerbowls.htmlOf Fingerbowls & Hankies is conceived as a drama featuring the fictive lives of three generations in a Peranakan family. Using photography and installations, and making references to personages, domestic spaces, and material culture, artist-photographer Chris Yap evokes popular conceptions associated with and emerging from the Peranakan communities. Beyond the seeming celebration, however, Yap embeds into each scene clues that invite reflections into the dynamics of Peranakan self regard through our habits of spectating. The fingerbowls and the handkerchiefs sit silently, but saliently, as metaphors of change and cycles, from the utilitarian, to the symbolic, to commodity, to relic. The narratives prompt us to consider popular representations of the community in relation to its contemporary and evolving constitution.NUS Museum, NUS Centre For the ArtsMon, 29 Jun 2009 10:10:03 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#23b72b18-877d-4522-9c98-6e14f4be9888http://www.tnm.jp/en/servlet/Con?pageId=B01&processId=01&event_id=7013The Ainu people believed that everything in their rich natural environment, from the vast plateaus of their native northern landscapes to the infinite expanse of the ocean, possessed a soul. Things which were essential to human life and beyond human influence were regarded as deities and worshipped. The Ainu believed that a stable lifestyle would be impossible without the provision and protection of the gods. They prayed for a life of continued peace, and held rituals to verbally express their gratitude towards the gods for heeding their prayers. This exhibition features items used by the Ainu people - including ritual implements such as inau, ikupasui and wooden bowls - together with clothes and tools used in everyday life, giving us an insight into the ways in which the Northern people prayed to their gods.Tokyo National MuseumFri, 02 Oct 2009 16:07:57 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#bb78ea1f-fab3-44f2-87c4-9fb1dcc1b05dhttp://www.nba.fi/en/museum_of_culturesRAM RAM LUDIA tells of the Indian desert village Ludia, the life of which the photographer Magi Viljanen has followed for almost twenty years. During this time, the village, which is located near the border of Pakistan, has experienced great turmoil. In the early 1990s, people in Ludia led simple lives in the peace of the border area. That is, until in 2001, when the area was ravaged by an earthquake. After the earthquake, the village got a road, electricity and mobile phones. RAM RAM LUDIA expresses the feelings and experiences Magi Viljanen has encountered while in Ludia. Exotic locations are frequently photographed but it is unique that one photographer has followed the life of one village for such a long time. Magi Viljanen’s close relationship with the village and the long-term perspective make the exhibition unique and extremely interesting. The exhibition comprises photographs, installations and video works. The exhibition conveys the spirit of the village of Ludia, the passing of time and the great change the villagers have had to experience. Magi Viljanen (b. 1962) is a renowned photographer who is known for her original exhibitions and independent working method. Even though her works are often installations, which powerfully convey the mood and the experiences of the photographer, she sees herself primarily as a documentary photographer. Magi Viljanen has also been called a world citizen of the visual arts; she has not shied away from difficult subjects. Among other sensitive subjects, she has photographed psychiatric hospitals all over the world, children in prison in Nepal, and women in African villages. In her socially conscious works, she always approaches her subject matter through people. Magi Viljanen has a rare ability to see as well as portray her subjects with both bold honesty and human respect.Museum of Cultures, National Museum of FinlandThu, 12 Mar 2009 07:22:25 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#9057fb51-4a32-4788-94c0-a582d2bde9behttp://www.paris.fr/portail/Culture/Portal.lut?page_id=5853&document_type_id=2&document_id=70987&portlet_id=12991In 1996, workers on a construction site in Qingzhou City, Shandong Province found several hundred fragments of large size Buddhist stone sculptures lying in layers in a pit two meters deep and sixty square meters in area. The tallest one was more than three meters high. Many of them have been expertly reassembled by now. These sixth-century figures represent the height in the Buddhist sculpture in China. High-relief steles show the Buddha (The Enlightened One) flanked by two Bodhisattvas (The ones aspiring to Enlightenment). These statues are stylistically dated from the end of the Northern Wei Dynasty (386 – 534) and from the Eastern Wei period (534 – 550). But some of these Buddha and Bodhisattva figures carved in round are relevant of the skill of the carving workshops of the Northern Qi Dynasty (550 – 577) with their inward smile and their robe draped tightly over the body. These pieces still ill-known to the people are of outstanding size and refinement. The astonishing degree of preservation and the remains of the colourful pigmentation should convey the magic of the Asian Buddhist statuary to the French public. This exhibition is to be shown for the first time in France of Beijing. Partly bordered by the China Sea it faces Korea.Musée CernuschiTue, 22 Sep 2009 10:45:58 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#9e242c4c-09da-4a8a-b6ac-a7dd5116eddbhttp://www.nus.edu.sg/museum/exhibitions_polunin.htmlApproached as a survey of everyday life in Singapore and Malaya in the 1950s and 1970s, I Polunin presents rarely seen photographs, slides and film footage selected from the personal archives of Dr. Ivan Polunin. Conceptualized as an ‘archival site’, the exhibition also brings together Dr. Polunin’s personal objects which sit alongside the photographic displays. Encouraging its audiences to connect intuitively but also set against the different legacies of colonial knowledge production and of what constitutes a sense of the Singapore Self - I Polunin -strives to challenge take-for-granted notions of memory and melancholy in the postcolonial era. Arriving in Singapore from England in 1948, Dr. Polunin taught Social Medicine and Public Health at the then University of Malaya. In an adventurous career that began with the filmic documentation of tropical diseases, Dr. Polunin’s ethnographies grew to encompass hundreds of hours of film footage on Malaya’s eclectic sociocultural practices and its rich biodiversity.NUS Museum, NUS Centre For the ArtsMon, 09 Nov 2009 14:04:08 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#6c035a02-d2a3-4dc4-8162-006f5d2f83f6http://www.nationalmuseum.sg/nms/nms_html/nms_content_6c.asp?The 19th century saw Singapore transformed dramatically by trade and commerce, and by a British colonial government eager to develop it into a metropolitan city, reflecting its status as the lynchpin of British strategic and commercial power in the region. The changing face of the island was recorded by all kinds of people – artists on board specially commissioned naval expeditions undertaken for trade and scientific exploration, naturalists eager to capture its flora and fauna, British administrators or official surveyors, leisure travellers who stopped at Singapore in their journey around the world, or professional photographers who eventually set up their business here. Most recorded their impressions in writings, but a small group captured their impressions in paintings, prints and photographs. This National Museum of Singapore originated exhibition will look at the various depictions of 19th century Singapore, examining their meanings and representations.National Museum of SingaporeTue, 10 Nov 2009 11:26:33 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#b5c503b4-84ee-41a6-8096-2339ccdc3850http://www.nationalmuseum.sg/nms/nms_html/nms_content_6c.asp?The exhibition is a unique opportunity to see how Singapore photographers see our island differently. It hopes to inspire visitors to reflect on their own cherished sites and spaces in Singapore. Visitors are encouraged to view the images outside of their frames, to ask after the hows and whys of these images. The photographers use unusual technologies to explore different corners of Singapore, including infrared film and tilt-and-shift lenses. Beyond capturing the physical qualities of our landscape, these images offer a bounty of personal perspectives and thoughts on our lives here. The images are thus intimate memories that reveal, sometimes unexpectedly, a collective depiction of Singapore’s landscape. Spot & Shoot is an annual youth photography event by the National Museum of Singapore, consisting of a photography competition, photography workshops by industry experts and a specially curated exhibition by Jason Wee.National Museum of SingaporeTue, 10 Nov 2009 11:29:37 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#d2fa6799-e774-4621-b23e-fa5249306c87http://www.volkenkunde.nl/index.aspx?lang=en05-04-2009 - 10-01-2010 At the start of the 20th century the atlas of the world still showed parts of Central Asia blank. The major expedition of 1929-1930 to the Karakoram Range in the border region between India, Pakistan and China changed all that. Based on material donated to the Museum Volkenkunde after the death of expedition member and ornithologist J.A. (Lex) Sillem, a detailed image is drawn of this adventurous voyage from his point of view. There are original travelogues, photos, film fragments and objects to be seen. The scientific results of the journey are also dealt with.National Museum of EthnologySat, 18 Apr 2009 10:07:13 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#b4ded611-e3d4-4560-9af1-157dfc8000a4http://www.guimet.fr/Threading-the-Genji-MonogatariAu fil du Dit du Genji (Threading the Genji-Monogatari) is an exhibition set among the Museum collections, built around the gift of the Master weaver Itaro Yamaguchi (1901 -2007), displayed in his honor in the Chinese and Japanese collections of the Guimet Museum. The “Tale of the Genji” (Genji Monogatari), written by Murasaki Shikibu, a lady of honor at the imperial court of Heian (now Kyoto), is one of the most important iconographic sources in Japan. A mainstay of Japanese imagination, the novel, written a thousand years ago, has crossed the ages and cultures to join the universal literary patrimony, thanks its extreme refinement and modernity. It has spawned the Genji-e (the “pictures of Genji”), a pictorial movement in itself. Depicted on all sorts of media - scrolls, albums, foiled screens, fans, kakemonos - and in various styles, the Genji-e allows the novel to be read as a figurative expression. To reproduce the painted scenes from Genji Monogatari or “Tale of Genji”, dating from the Heian Period (794-1185) and kept at the Museum of Nagoya and Tokyo museum Goto in weaving, Master Itarô Yamaguchi, born of a family of silk weavers in the Nishijin district of Kyoto and honoured in this exhibition, used the Jacquard loom. Invented in Lyons, introduced in Japan during the Meiji era (1868-1912), it revolutionized the art of weaving both in Europe and Asia. As requested by the Master and his son, Mr. Nonaka, four scrolls will be displayed at the Guimet Museum and presented together for the first time in France. They are a priceless enrichment for the institution and represents, in the words of Master Yamaguchi, "a living history of the art of weaving”Musée National des arts asiatiques GuimetMon, 04 Jan 2010 12:39:51 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#14107252-8e50-494a-a3cf-536e3d71cd46http://www.ayalamuseum.org/index.php?option=com_ayala_content&task=viewexhibitpage&id=86After decades in the fields of architecture, and interior and furniture design, Lor Calma returns to the visual arts by exploring the limits and possibilities of metal as a medium in his new exhibition. A vanguard of Philippine architecture and interior design since the 1960s, Calma's presents a vision for stark and simple interior spaces, an integral element in the rise of modernism in Philippine art in the mid-twentieth century as seen in the works of a pure and minimalist outlook persists in the works on display. All done in 2009, the metal reliefs and sculptures are made of mild steel, black iron, and bronze using primary colors of black, white, red, and yellow. At turns hard-edged and playful, the works of Lor Calma will endure in our changing landscape. Greenbelt ArtPark has played host to various centerpiece events celebrating world-class artistry. Architect Lor Calma: Paintings & Sculptures is part of a series of public art exhibitions organized by Greenbelt which aims to make art more accessible to the public and to generate more awareness of the works of renowned Filipino artists.Ayala MuseumWed, 11 Nov 2009 13:09:51 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#83edf4ad-ac68-4402-8ca5-b464d225c209http://www.acm.org.sg/exhibitions/eventdetail.asp?eventID=553Made up of 7,107 islands, the Philippines is known for its stunning natural beauty and its people - warm, resilient and synonymous with the People Power movement. Land of the Morning: The Philippines and its People explores the identity of the Filipino people, created by the blending of indigenous local cultures and foreign influences. More than 300 years of Spanish colonial rule is most visible in the religion, language, architecture, art and food of the Philippines. Today, the Philippines has the largest Catholic population in Asia. Muslim communities in the south, indigenous highland communities and the influence of Chinese migrants add to the picture of cultural diversity that is the Philippines. This unprecedented exhibition at the Asian Civilisations Museum features more than 290 rare and important artefacts - ancient gold, Catholic imagery, tribal artefacts and contemporary Filipino artworks – from museums and private collections in the Philippines, some of which will be on display for the very first time.Asian Civilisations MuseumMon, 09 Nov 2009 14:02:10 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#9e3ea91b-d45a-4362-bea6-723f0c04d9b4http://www.muzeumazji.pl/htme/i_en.htmlIn the history of amazingly rich and dynamic development of the puppet theatres in Asia China occupies a very important place. Puppet theatre in this country constitutes a perfect part of the national heritage. Classic Chinese operas – war, politics, love or criminal stories, their brave heroes and beautiful heroines – gained new, original shapes at the puppet theatre stage. Leather shadows, rod, wire and hand puppets themselves gladden the eye with variety, precision and their creators’ ingeniousness. The exhibition features 200 puppets – Chinese part of the whole collection of over 1.500 documenting various theatres of Asia. This is not only a display of a beautiful and slowly disappearing art form but also an attempt to acquaint Polish audience with the heritage of Chinese performing arts. A cycle of lectures and shows devoted to different traditional theatres in Asia will be continued during the exhibition.Asia and Pacific Museum in WarsawTue, 22 Sep 2009 10:15:24 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#45c881cd-dbc1-4112-98a4-e5c725aa8b0dhttp://www.vam.ac.uk/exhibitions/future_exhibs/maharajas/index.htmlThe word 'maharaja' (literally 'great king') conjures up images of fantasy and spectacle. The heyday of the maharajas began in earnest after the collapse of the Mughal empire in the early 18th century. The exhibition will open with this period of chaos and adventure and will close at the end of British rule in 1947, when Indian princes acceded their territories into the modern states of India and Pakistan. The show will explore the extraordinary culture of princely India, showcasing rich and varied objects that reflect different aspects of royal life. The exhibits will include both Indian and Western works, featuring paintings, photography, textiles and dress, jewellery, jewelled objects, metalwork and furniture. These sensational works will be explored within a broader historical context of princely life and ideals, patronage, court culture and alliances.Victoria and Albert MuseumSat, 04 Jul 2009 09:57:17 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#f77946f2-789d-47ff-9ed5-ad930fbe9677http://www.ayalamuseum.org/index.php?option=com_ayala_content&task=viewexhibitpage&id=72The 1950s or the mid-twentieth century was a time of discovery for Fernando Zobel. After completing his studies at Harvard University in 1949, the start of Zobel’s career as an artist was a significant turning point in his life. It was a heady period when he juggled with different worlds: the responsibilities of the family business; an intellectual and stimulating academic life at Harvard University, the Rhode Island School of Design and at the Ateneo de Manila University, where he taught art history; and the beginnings of his creative work in the company of artists, from the select group of friends in Boston and Providence and in Manila at the start of modernism in Philippine art. He would be involved in the growth of the Art Association of the Philippines and the Philippine Art Gallery, two institutions that nurtured modern artists in the postwar years. Within the decade, he would also begin research and study in Philippine colonial imagery and architecture, archaeology and pre-colonial ceramics, Chinese calligraphy, and Japanese art. In the 1950s, he would become a significant figure, along with Arturo Luz and Lee Aguinaldo, in the development of non-objective art in the Philippines. Towards the end of the decade, he had attained pure abstraction in the Saeta and Serie Negra paintings. Ayala MuseumFri, 02 Oct 2009 14:45:45 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#5960ece9-89f0-41c1-99ce-b2613b90b4e0http://www.mfea.se/smvk/jsp/polopoly.jsp?d=1452The museum of far eastern antiquities opens in autumn 2009 with a japanese fashion show that starts with the kimono and in a playful way springs into various japanese subcultures and fashion trends of today. East meets west, old meets new, real meets fake. The exhibition features exquisite vintage kimonos that puts dazzling textile techniques on display,Mixed with creations by some of japan’s hottest young designers and artists – from takyua angel’s spectacular creatios to street-smart childish designs by shojono tomo. Handmade accessories for young geishas are shown side by side with the graffiti artist shin tanaka’s murals and hip hopish origami figures inspired by the elaborate patterns of ancient kimonos.The exhibition is a joint arrangement with Rekostylisterna: Aia Jüdes and Sanna Gebeyehu.Museum of Far Eastern AntiquitiesMon, 29 Jun 2009 10:03:14 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#b8109a5b-fafe-4ac3-8a7f-04c730485b09http://www.tnm.jp/en/servlet/Con?pageId=X00&processId=04As time goes by, traditional culture is becoming increasingly distant from contemporary daily life. However, as an embodiment of the characteristics which distinguish nations and regions from one another, it is important to ensure that traditional culture is preserved for future generations. In view of this issue, we ask: how can museums, as custodians of cultural properties, aid the transmission of traditional culture, and what role should museums play in today's society? Based on case studies from museums the world over, this symposium will act as a forum for discussing ways of communicating traditional culture and considering its significance, as well as for exchanging related ideas and opinions.Tokyo National MuseumMon, 28 Dec 2009 21:13:37 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#9d68a5d8-8555-4578-9cb0-fc4a311d13c9http://www.guimet.fr/The-Dragon-s-Gift-The-Sacred-ArtsDesigned by the Honolulu Academy of Arts, in conjunction with the Department of Culture of the Royal Government of Bhutan and the Central Monastic Authority, this exhibition invites the public to discover works of art which have never before been on view outside of Bhutan. This exhibition is the opportunity for the Guimet Museum to participate in the celebration of the centenary of the reign of the Wangchuck dynasty and Bhutan’s adoption of its first constitution in 2008. By bringing together for the first time more than one hundred Buddhist works of art which are still considered sacred, on loan from thirty temples and monasteries of the Himalayan Kingdom of Bhutan, the Guimet Museum offers the public a unique opportunity to discover the major iconographical themes of Tantric Buddhism, Bhutan’s official religion, via the evocation of the country’s artistic traditions, their historic development and milestone religious figures.This esoteric form of Buddhism was born in India and spread to the Himalayan region, to Tibet and Bhutan, in the 8th century. Padmasambhava, a famous master from Swât, a region situated in what is now north Pakistan, played a key role in this dissemination. The authors of the exhibition catalogue wanted to highlight the style and iconographic elements which help distinguish Bhutanese and Tibetan works of art, thereby marking a significant milestone in the development of studies on the subject. The works presented range from the 8th to the 19th centuries, the golden age of Bhutanese art between the 17th and 19th centuries, with a complex and subtle iconography. As part of this discovery, works belonging to the permanent collections of the Guimet Museum will be compared with those presented in the exhibition. Musée National des arts asiatiques GuimetMon, 26 Oct 2009 10:42:32 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#6d811bbb-c7cc-42d4-b6ba-9be1b601ef67http://www.oettingen.de/index.php?id=0,92Explanatory text only available in German.State Museum of EthnologyWed, 24 Jun 2009 11:07:11 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#33cea6b6-67e7-4d5b-ad32-70c7b393dfa9http://www.tnm.jp/en/servlet/Con?pageId=B01&processId=01&event_id=7042Celebrating the New Year 2010, the Tokyo National Museum will open from January 2. The New Year exhibition will feature the year's zodiac sign tiger, and the museum will host various family events. At Honkan (Japanese Gallery), there will be a Feature Exhibition of the New Year - Year of the Tiger: Looking at Tigers in Japanese, Chinese and Korean Art. Family events will be held on the 2nd and 3rd of January, including Shishimai dance performances, Taiko (Japanese drum) performances, and Daikagura of Edo Traditional vaudeville entertainment.Tokyo National MuseumMon, 07 Dec 2009 15:53:19 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#caf55b3d-dc24-4e10-bae9-70fef9779c42http://www.singart.com/upcoming_exhibitions.phpThrice Upon A Time invites viewers on a journey fi lled with the stories and art of the Philippines, on an adventure pre-colonial past to present-day tales, and the exhibition presents the epic story of the country and her people through visual art. The role of the artist-as-storyteller is highlighted within this exhibition and ideas about representation, authenticity, identity and history of the nation and its people are explored. The exhibition presents works from the Philippine grand masters to some of her most exciting contemporary artists, including Fernando Amorsolo, Carlos ‘Botong’ Francisco, Ben Cabrera, Anita Magsaysay-Ho, Charlie Co and Geraldine Javier. Audiences will also have the exceptional opportunity to see two of Philippines’ most iconic and legendary masterworks, from Juan Luna and Félix Resurrección Hidalgo, and a rarely seen painting by the Philippines’ national hero, Jose Rizal.Singapore Art MuseumWed, 05 Aug 2009 15:49:16 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#c81a3536-2a67-4d0a-8597-1d6802d4d3b7http://www.baotanglichsu.vn/Index.aspx?lang=enTo welcome the Vietnam Heritage Day, November 23, National Museum of Vietnamese History organizes a temporary exhibition with the name: “Traditional embroidery art of Vietnam” with the Museum’s objects show to audiences at the first time. Embroidery is a traditional handicraft of Vietnam, from early of AD, Viet people knew about embroidery, 17th century the the embroidery developed with many new technologies. Nowadays, the embroidery more and more develops with various traditional craft village.Quat Dong village, Thuong Tin district (Ha Noi) is a traditional village of handicraft from 17th century. The embroidery in Quat Dong has been reached to the sosphicicated and refined. Embroidery art works from Quat Dong satisfy both foreign and domestic customers. National Museum of Vietnamese HistoryFri, 04 Dec 2009 14:51:07 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#c1df7133-25b2-4bf1-b871-f7d384d5d2b6http://www.nus.edu.sg/museum/exhibitions_persistent_visions.htmlPersistent Visions is a 24 minute three screen installation work which engages the concept of the colonial archive as a site of contestation and power. Drawing upon amateur audio and visual materials collected by individuals and families attached to various British colonizing missions in the early 20th Century that are now deposited at The Empire & Commonwealth Museum in Bristol, the three screen installation primarily seeks to understand how ideas of the ‘Orient’ came to be produced. Approaching the concept of the archives as a subject, rather than as source from which a greater history could emerge, Persistent Visions pays attention to the process of archiving itself and not just the treatment of the archive as a mere receptacle of fact, voices and memories. NUS Museum, NUS Centre For the ArtsFri, 08 Jan 2010 10:22:19 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#b3f412a5-48a0-4ca3-a9a3-5cc4d0d738a8http://www.medelhavsmuseet.se/smvk/jsp/polopoly.jsp?d=206&a=16030Explanatory text only available in Swedish.Museum of Mediterranean and Near Eastern AntiquitiesMon, 25 Jan 2010 11:59:09 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#8a893b60-ed07-406c-a38d-8e1d0e323361http://www.tnm.jp/en/servlet/Con?pageId=B01&processId=01&event_id=7179These works are part of an eminent private collection of ancient glass entrusted to the Tokyo National Museum since 2004. The collection consists of more than 350 items from the Eastern Mediterranean region through to Central Asia. The Tokyo National Museum exhibited a variety of ancient glass vessels in 2007, and in 2008 exhibited several masterpieces of cut glass, primarily from Sasanid Persia. In this third exhibition from the collection, our main subject is the beginning of glass blowing. Glass blowing is a technique for efficiently producing vessels by blowing melted glass into the air or into a cast. It originated in the Eastern Mediterranean in the 1st century B.C. and proceeded to spread widely throughout the Mediterranean region and the Middle East, where vessels with characteristics similar to those we see in modern-day glass were produced. Many were inexpensive, mass-produced items; however, rare luxury glassware was also produced for the affluent classes.Tokyo National MuseumFri, 15 Jan 2010 10:15:51 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#4278c6df-588e-4fc8-8500-9fa140b127bfhttp://www.nfm.go.kr:8080/english/main.jsp The National Folk Museum of Korea presents Reinvented Hanbok Works donated by Lee Rheeza whose works led 1970s~1990s' Hanbok, Korean traditional costume, trends in Korea. The exhibition features the costume's shape, texture and decoration transformed with the passage of time and artistically presents the curves and well-blended colors of Hanbok under four themes: Harmony with Lines and Colors, Mix Hanbok with Fancy Paint, Embroidery and Beaten Gold, Special Meetings and the Hanbok, Patchwork-clothes Filled with a Long Story. The exhibition is held in commemoration of International Council of Museums-International Committee for Museums of Ethnography(ICOM-ICME) 2009 Seoul Conference hosted by the museum and thus expected to receive a worldwide attention on Korean traditional costumes through this event.National Folk Museum of KoreaThu, 07 Jan 2010 15:45:43 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#df02ec18-8f3f-4e03-93f5-8a20c13ddd51http://www.tnm.jp/en/servlet/Con?pageId=B01&processId=01&event_id=6908Dogu, ceramic figures made in the Jomon period (10000 B.C. - 5th century B.C.), are highly respected worldwide as an art representing the spirituality and the faith of people who lived during the Jomon period. Dogu are also known as "figures of prayer" and are found in a variety of different shapes which depict figures with upstretched hands, pregnant women close to giving birth, and figures with extremely large faces. This exhibition will be held to commemorate the return of the "THE POWER OF DOGU" exhibition to Japan after its showing at the British Museum in the U.K. (September 10 - November 22, 2009). The exhibition consists of 67 objects including three designated national treasures and a number of important cultural properties and important art objects. Japan's most important dogu from the early Jomon period to the mid-Yayoi period will be presented with their relevant materials, giving a deep insight into the birth, growth and decline of dogu as well as focusing on the rich character and beauty of their form.Tokyo National MuseumMon, 05 Oct 2009 16:38:32 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#878acfac-66fc-4af7-8def-945b67fdb01chttp://www.tnm.jp/en/servlet/Con?pageId=B01&processId=01&event_id=6455Originally acquired by entrepreneur Takano Tokiji, the Takano Collection comprises a total of 11 oil paintings, 56 watercolors and sketches, and six hanging scrolls by Asai Chu, a Western-style painter active during the Meiji period. The majority of works in this collection were produced during Asai's stay in Europe while aged in his mid-forties, and display a mature skill. The 73-piece collection was donated to the museum by Mr. Takano's family in 1985, in accordance with his will. Mr. Takano had aspired to be a painter in his youth, and even after entering the world of business he made continuous efforts to collect the works of Asai, whom he had long admired. This collection, which Mr. Takano began in his late twenties and spent close to fifty years accumulating, speaks eloquently of Mr. Takano's passion and enthusiasm. This exhibition focuses on works produced while Asai was living in Kyoto after returning to Japan from Europe. Tokyo National MuseumFri, 15 Jan 2010 10:19:18 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#55a6cbb9-83bc-46dc-b401-38129b5d2097http://www.musenet.or.kr/On June 26, 2009, UNESCO designated 40 royal tombs of the Joseon Dynasty as the World Cultural Heritage at the 33rd World Heritage Committee meeting held in Seville, Spain. Gyeonggi Provincial Museum is hosting the Photo Exhibition of Joseon Royal Tombs to commemorate the registration of the tombs, as 31 of them are located in Gyeonggi Province. The exhibition will highlight the close relationship between the royal tombs and Gyeonggi Province, within the historical and cultural context, and examine their significance. Explanatory text only available in Korean.Gyeonggi Provincial MuseumTue, 22 Dec 2009 10:18:51 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#b2555783-209b-41e2-8de2-1450e63c202ehttp://www.nba.fi/en/scenes_and_settingsScenes and Settings – Architectural Photographs with Human Beings (and Some Animals)... There are slightly less than one hundred photographs in the exhibition; all but one were taken during the years 1998–2008. The images are from Bangladesh, Burma, India, Japan, Cambodia, China, Laos, Malaysia, Nepal, Thailand, Tibet and Vietnam. " I have gravitated towards places where age-old building types are still a natural part of the daily habitat, and people are at one with their surroundings. Building techniques refined over thousands of years have evolved on the terms of local – often limited – resources, a logical consequence of various kinds of natural conditions. The population explosion, global homogenisation and the merciless laws of the monetary economy are rapidly destroying the spectrum of this built human phenomenon. Diversity is disappearing, and with it the fundamentally similar “feeling at home” that the people in these very different environments exude. My pictures’ viewpoint is perhaps idealistic, romantic and aesthetic. Welcome to my world.”– Jouni Kaipia.Museum of Cultures, National Museum of FinlandFri, 22 Jan 2010 11:06:08 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#8f9e81e5-c03d-4a47-9c5d-ec7b52b5454dhttp://www.mvl-grassimuseum.de/index.php?id=279&L=enExplanatory text only available in GermanGrassi Museum für VölkerkundeTue, 24 Nov 2009 15:10:08 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#1f386c0b-6e78-4a1f-a61c-139ec83bca34http://www.kah-bonn.de/index_e.htmThe British explorer, navigator and cartographer James Cook (1728– 1779) achieved world fame for leading three expeditions into the vast and uncharted waters of the Pacific Ocean. He was the first to survey and map New Zealand, Australia and the South Pacific islands, completing our modern image of the world and finally defeating the idea of a mythical southern continent. The exhibition includes around 500 original exhibits presenting the voyages of James Cook and the international team of scientists and artists accompanying him. Their work during the European enlightenment period contributed new insights to a host of disciplines from navigation and astronomy to natural history, philosophy and art. It even led to the birth of a new science: the field of ethnology and ethnography. As early as the end of the 18th century many of the ethnographic and natural history objects from diverse Pacific cultures, which were collected during the three Cook voyages, were spread into various collections all over Europe. Now, for the first time, they are being reunited for this exhibition in Bonn. Many of the objects are of incalculable value to art historians since such exquisite feather ornaments, wooden sculptures and other Oceanic artefacts can no longer be found in the Pacific region. The ethnographic exhibits are supplemented by magnificent paintings and drawings by the artists accompanying Cook on his voyages. Their works offer a fascinating insight into the explorers' euphoric yet curious view of the exotic South Sea landscapes. Ship models, sea charts and navigation instruments also provide a vivid introduction to the world of James Cook's voyages.Ethnographic Collection of the University of GöttingenMon, 20 Jul 2009 19:50:13 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#2987319e-d46b-47d9-9054-20df93cc51c5http://www.tropenmuseum.nlCritical art from Indonesia at the Tropenmuseum. Dono currently resides in Yogyakarta, and is Indonesia’s internationally best known artist. In his paintings, images, and installations, Dono gives critical and often humoristic commentary on the current political and social issues of his own country. Never before has there been a retrospective of his works in the Netherlands. Heri Dono uses elements from folk traditions known to everyone in Indonesia: wayang plays, the life of the common man, a beca rider, and tau tau images of the Toradja in Sulawesi. Dono combines these elements with images from the collective consciousness.Through collecting material from different worlds, he creates a personal idiom in which image, sound, shadow, and movement enter into direct dialogue with the audience and explore the role of the individual in society. TropenmuseumSat, 12 Sep 2009 10:39:51 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#c75b679e-0c6c-4459-bd81-7370407d270ahttp://www.dpm.org.cn/shtml/620/@/110485.htmlHuang Yi (1744-1802) was a native of Qiantang (today's Hangzhou), Zhejiang province. In the imperial bureaucracy, he served as the Vice Prefect of Yanzhou in charge of the Grand Canal in Shandong province. In his spare time, he took pleasure in epigraphy, calligraphy, painting, and poetry. Huang Yi was highly esteemed for his achievements in studying stone inscriptions datable to the Han dynasty (206 BCE–220 CE) and Wei (220-265) of the Three Kingdoms (220-265), which gained him fame under the name "eminent scholar of the Qianlong and Jiaqing reigns (1736-1820)" (Qianjia mingshi). Huang Yi regarded "visiting steles in person" as vitally important; his approach included site-examination, rubbing, painting, recording, authenticating, and cataloguing, which is similar to how field archaeology is conducted today. As an epigraphist, his works include Epigraphy of the Little Penglai Belvedere (Xiao Penglai ge jinshi wenzi), Epigraphy Catalogue of the Little Penglai Belvedere (Xiao Penglai ge jinshi mu) (both were named after his studio "Little Penglai Belvedere"), Diary on Visiting Steles near Mount Song and the Luo River (Songluo fangbei riji), Diary on Visiting Historical Sites from Jining to Tai'an(Daiyan fanggu riji). His extant painting albums have illustrations of his visits to the steles: Journey to Historical Sites (Fanggu jiyou tu), Visiting Steles near Mount Song and the Luo River (Songluo fangbei tu), Visiting Steles on Mount Tai (Dailu fangbei tu), and Twelve Paintings on Acquiring Steles and Rubbings (Debei shi’er tu).The Palace MuseumTue, 16 Feb 2010 09:51:19 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#9f3c956a-bcb8-4f1b-92d0-6fa668c89242http://www.nfm.go.kr:8080/english/main.jspNow the story about the tiger you could possibly hear is somewhere near us. There are differences of awareness between the present day made for us to see tigers in the zoo and the past told us about stories that people became prey of tigers. However the gap has been filled with changing the focus about tigers which represent holiness to humanism. The tiger, vicious and ferocious beast, is also mystical creature beating evil spirit. We would like to look into transition of the tiger as a symbol of our culture and history through this special exhibition. With this, we could find out how closely the images of the tiger are connected with us in the everyday life. National Folk Museum of KoreaFri, 08 Jan 2010 10:07:46 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#6f0d8e85-3658-43c3-8b0e-5567998a2669http://newweb.dpm.org.cn/shtml/620/@/110485.htmlHuang Yi (1744-1802) was a native of Qiantang (today’s Hangzhou), Zhejiang province. In the imperial bureaucracy, he served as the Vice Prefect of Yanzhou in charge of the Grand Canal in Shandong province. In his spare time, he took pleasure in epigraphy, calligraphy, painting, and poetry. Huang Yi was highly esteemed for his achievements in studying stone inscriptions datable to the Han dynasty (206 BCE–220 CE) and Wei (220-265) of the Three Kingdoms (220-265), which gained him fame under the name “eminent scholar of the Qianlong and Jiaqing reigns (1736-1820)” (Qianjia mingshi). Huang Yi regarded “visiting steles in person” as vitally important; his approach included site-examination, rubbing, painting, recording, authenticating, and cataloguing, which is similar to how field archaeology is conducted today. As an epigraphist, his works include Epigraphy of the Little Penglai Belvedere (Xiao Penglai ge jinshi wenzi), Epigraphy Catalogue of the Little Penglai Belvedere (Xiao Penglai ge jinshi mu) (both were named after his studio “Little Penglai Belvedere”), Diary on Visiting Steles near Mount Song and the Luo River (Songluo fangbei riji), Diary on Visiting Historical Sites from Jining to Tai’an (Daiyan fanggu riji). His extant painting albums have illustrations of his visits to the steles: Journey to Historical Sites (Fanggu jiyou tu), Visiting Steles near Mount Song and the Luo River (Songluo fangbei tu), Visiting Steles on Mount Tai (Dailu fangbei tu), and Twelve Paintings on Acquiring Steles and Rubbings (Debei shi’er tu).The Palace MuseumThu, 09 Jul 2009 23:50:22 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#394ea64f-fd0e-4688-9e7d-54882dde5866http://www.tnm.jp/en/servlet/Con?pageId=B01&processId=01&event_id=7238When the present-day Tokyo National Museum was established in 1872, it was greatly expected to become the key source of knowledge to contribute to the modernization of the newly reformed nation. For this purpose, the museum actively collected not only artifacts and art objects but also books from Europe and the United States that provided the latest information about natural science and manufacturing techniques. The books were gathered through various means, including exchange with museums abroad, purchases made by government officials on business trips, donations by museum curators from their own collections, and purchases from foreign book dealers that had just begun their businesses in Japan. By looking into resources from the time, this exhibition pays tribute to the museum's efforts to accumulate knowledge through the acquisition of Western books in the early Meiji period.Tokyo National MuseumWed, 27 Jan 2010 09:48:46 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#75865796-e171-44eb-a283-40ee025c03c1http://www.vam.ac.uk/exhibitions/index.htmlThis small display from the V&A's collection of superb Nō robes and masks, together with prints illustrating performance, is shown in the Museum's gallery dedicated to the arts of Japan. It complements the tour of Nō; performance and associated events being presented across the UK this autumn. The V&A has been collecting Nō masks - worn by performers of this form of Japanese musical drama - since 1876, a time when the fate of Nō; hung in the balance. That same year saw the ban on wearing swords by the samurai - who had been the traditional patrons of Nō; for centuries. Many Nō; families were forced to sell off their family treasures and western museums were then fortunate enough to acquire many fine examples of these crafts.Victoria and Albert MuseumFri, 09 Oct 2009 15:06:13 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#9bc5af66-9b78-4d21-8a75-16558ab4569bhttp://www.tnm.jp/en/servlet/Con?pageId=B01&processId=01&event_id=7176Ibaraki prefecture, located to the north-east of Tokyo, boasts a rich natural environment. It overlooks the Pacific Ocean to the east, is flanked by mountains to the north and north-west and is bordered to the south by the Tonegawa river. Its Kasumigaura area is also the center of an expansive lake district. People began to dwell in these lands from Palaeolithic times and plenty of archaeological sites remain, including many shell middens and kofun tumuli, or burial mounds. Under the ancient ritsuryo system of centralized government and fixed law, Ibaraki held an important position as the main gateway for traffic through to the northeastern Tohoku region. The Oda, Daijo, Satake and other such warrior clans flourished in Ibaraki in the middle ages. This exhibition features artifacts excavated from Ibaraki prefecture. Tokyo National MuseumFri, 15 Jan 2010 10:14:12 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#065801e3-534c-4f72-b69d-110f71a0f941http://www.tnm.jp/en/servlet/Con?pageId=B01&processId=01&event_id=7237Bugaku is a performing art combining music and dance. It entered Japan from continental Asia, primarily China and Korea, at the end of the 8th century. From the Nara to the Heian periods, bugaku evolved into a distinctly Japanese art form which came to be employed ceremonially at the imperial court as well as at temples and shrines. This tradition continued throughout the middle ages and early modern times, mainly through annual festivals and celebrations held by the nobility or by temples and shrines. As the imperial court placed supreme importance upon the observance of courtly custom and social formalities, traditional styles have been colorfully preserved in bugaku costumes. This exhibition focuses on masks and costumes from "Nasori" and "Ryo-o," two hashiri-mai style bugaku works which are considered sister pieces. Displayed together with instruments used in court music, these costumes provide a glimpse into the elegant colors and designs nurtured by court culture. Tokyo National MuseumFri, 15 Jan 2010 10:20:28 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#bfe106fc-401c-403e-8049-59f721134389http://www.nationalmuseum.gov.ph/National%20Museum/National%20Museum-News%20and%20Updates/war%20and%20dissent%20poster.htmlWar and Dissent, the U.S. in the Philippines, 1898-1915National Museum of the PhilippinesTue, 23 Feb 2010 14:11:02 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#876a68b3-d858-4915-a23e-a9d19a0aa3d0http://www.ayalamuseum.org/index.php?option=com_ayala_content&task=viewexhibitpage&id=96This exhibition presents the first set of paintings that Joy Mallari has painstakingly rendered for Doll Eyes, the latest winner of CANVAS’ flagship project. Romeo Forbes Children’s Story Writing Competition, an original story written by Eline Santos and inspired by a Joy Mallari painting, Doll Eyes will be CANVAS’ 10th children’s book when it is launched simultaneously with the exhibition of Joy’s final set of paintings in early June 2010. The exhibit runs from February 25 until March 9, 2010 at the ArtistSpace. Proceeds from the sale of the artworks and books will be used to support CANVAS initiatives to promote broader awareness, appreciation for and access to Philippine art, culture and environment.Ayala MuseumTue, 23 Feb 2010 14:03:07 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#bdb5f20b-a216-4c9a-a9ad-418498c1d31fhttp://www.singaporeartmuseum.sg/exhibitions/details.php?id=5#44A Story, Twice Told is a selection of the popular recent exhibition, Thrice Upon A Time, which looked at the rich tradition of storytelling in the Phillippines.Singapore Art MuseumMon, 22 Feb 2010 12:16:53 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#622c284f-95ae-4595-8380-405f0b1777e9http://www.singaporeartmuseum.sg/exhibitions/details.php?id=6In the Eye of Modernity presents the Neo-Realist Masterworks from the renowned Ateneo Art Gallery in Philippines. The landmark exhibition revolves around what many art historians consider to be one of the most important junctures in the development of modern visual art in the Philippines, the so-called Philippine Art Gallery years from 1950 to 1964. The show traces the development of Neo-Realism in Philippines, notably, artists in the 1950s to mid-60s who adopted a modernist approach to ‘re-presentation’, through semi-fi gurative distortion and abstraction. It presents major works from post-war modernists such as Arturo Luz, Vicente Manasala, Jose Joya, HR Ocampo and Cesar Legaspi.Singapore Art MuseumFri, 06 Nov 2009 14:25:37 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#394c7b49-2251-46c4-ade6-9f23a5c2ae4bhttp://www.nus.edu.sg/museum/exhibitions_flip-flop.htmlPresenting the outcomes of a dialogue between artist, Michael Tan and sociologist, Caroline Knowles on the world's most popular and best selling foot ware – Flip-Flops, this exhibition presents an object biography of a single flip-flop as a vantage point in studying the landscapes, peoples and processes entangled with it. Made from plastic or rubber, flip-flops, commonly known as ‘slippers’, sandals, etc. are easily recognized by their signature Y-shape straps that are usually attached to the sole. Penetrating beyond everyday utilitarian facets of the flip-flop, Michael and Caroline navigate through China and Ethiopia to animate the life-worlds of a single pair of flip-flop that may otherwise become downplayed by the economics of matter. All the while, a larger question looms - what can we learn about the social world by studying its most taken-for-granted objects? NUS Museum, NUS Centre For the ArtsMon, 11 Jan 2010 10:39:30 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#07e60cc9-b5f8-4a07-be0e-b1d2a784ead3http://www.princessehof.nl/2007/exhibitions.php?t=actueel#exh_40Explanatory information only available in Dutch.Keramiekmuseum PrincessehofTue, 08 Dec 2009 14:36:29 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#37b3241b-b207-46e1-b797-b69ce1270148http://www.tnm.jp/en/servlet/Con?pageId=A01&processId=02&event_id=7026The year 2010 marks the 400th memorial of Hasegawa Tohaku (1539-1610), the master painter of the Momoyama period. As the artist of Japanese treasures such as the ink painting Pine Trees (National Treasure, Tokyo National Museum) and the colorful Maple Tree (National Treasure, Chishaku-in Temple), Tohaku rivaled his contemporary Kano Eitoku who reigned over the painting circle of their time. Born in Nanao on the Noto Peninsula, Tohaku started his career under the sobriquet Nobuharu. In his thirties, he moved to the then capital Kyoto and worked on a wide range of themes from Buddhist paintings to portraits to birds and flowers-at times, executing a subtle touch, while at other times, wielding a bold brush. Later, he came to be favored by the warlord Toyotomi Hideyoshi. The works Tohaku painted until his death at age 72 preserve their color and force and continue to enchant his viewers even today. The stories of his turbulent life and the episodes which describe his truly human character are also what fascinate us about this unique artist. This major retrospective of Hasegawa Tohaku will cover a wide range of his paintings beginning with his early works, when he went by the sobriquet Harunobu in his hometown of Nanao, to the numerous masterpieces, which he painted in Kyoto under the name Tohaku and which adorned Daitoku-ji and other famous Kyoto temples. Tokyo National MuseumMon, 28 Dec 2009 21:11:47 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#609ddabb-4171-4704-9bba-a3600a21bb26http://www.lcsd.gov.hk/CE/Museum/Arts/english/exhibitions/exhibitions01_jul09_02.htmlOnce upon a time, in a land not very far away and in a time when life was less complex but more unforgiving, there was a wealthy city known to the world as Canton (today’s Guangzhou). This city’s fame and wealth peaked from the mid-1700s to the mid-1800s. China’s gateway city was then known to the western world as London’s match in the Orient. Its elaborate European architectural complexes surpassed any such in China well before Shanghai was even noticed. There were no hotels for foreigners at the time, but the city welcomed foreign visitors in stylish apartments equipped with servants. In many ways, Canton functioned like a “megastore” serving an exclusively western clientele. Communication was not a real problem as locals invented a Pidgin English that foreigners were quickly able to learn. Indeed, the promise of a voyage to Canton was held in exotic regard by many a westerner of the time. Could you imagine travelling back in time and visiting the Canton of old? This exhibition will satisfy your musings and serve as a holographic travel guide offering practical destination information complete with the do’s and don’ts of days gone by and a shop-till-you-drop directory catering specifically to the needs of foreign travellers in the 1800s. A handy tip before you embark: the exhibition is made up of about fifty sub-sets of oil paintings, watercolours, sketches and prints depicting the daily life and landscape of Canton, selected mostly from the Historical Pictures collection.Hong Kong Museum of ArtFri, 10 Jul 2009 12:39:25 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#75a6747e-9dd0-4830-aed4-9c3d0df04faehttp://www.singart.com/upcoming_exhibitions.phpSoutheast Asia comprises two broad geographical regions - the Mainland and the Archipelago. The former refers to Laos, Vietnam, Thailand, Cambodia, Myanmar and Peninsular Malaysia. The latter is made up of the island arcs and archipelagos of the Philippines, Indonesia, Brunei, Singapore and West Malaysia. The diverse region of Southeast Asia is home to approximately 500 million people. The history and society of Southeast Asia have been shaped by a confluence of geographical, historical and cultural forces. With exhibits drawn from the Singapore Art Museum’s permanent collection, the theme of 'Earth and Water' conjoins two of the basic elements of life with the Mainland and the Archipelago. These works by the region's best known artists further offer multiple manifestations of life, society and traditions in Southeast Asia.Singapore Art MuseumTue, 14 Apr 2009 10:51:23 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#5ed952e1-daa5-494f-a31e-1287f5b2f7dahttp://www.tnm.jp/en/servlet/Con?pageId=B01&processId=01&event_id=7368According to the old lunar calendar, the third day of the third month is the date of the peach blossom festival. Families traditionally celebrate this occasion by displaying hina dolls, which symbolize their prayers for the health and fortune of their daughters. The origins of this tradition are unclear, but records reveal it had become an annual event by the early Edo period (1603-1868). The "Edo Kanoko" guidebook, written during the Jokyo era (1684-88), mentions hina doll markets being opened at several locations within Edo (present-day Tokyo), including Nakabashi, Owarimachi, Ningyocho, and Kojimachi. During the first half of the Edo period, the main type of hina were standing dolls made of paper. The seated type adorned in courtly attire emerged later in the mid-Edo period. While today it has become standard to display one set of Dairi-bina (based on Kyoho-bina), pictorial sources show that displays of earlier times combined hina with other doll types, such as traditional Kyoto-style Gosho dolls as well as lesser-known regional varieties. Delicately crafted, these dolls show the affection and tastes of their makers as well as their owners, reflecting the Japanese people's characteristic love of miniature objects. Tokyo National MuseumTue, 16 Feb 2010 10:00:49 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#3570082e-d1bb-4533-80bf-183d11723636http://www.tnm.jp/en/servlet/Con?pageId=B01&processId=01&event_id=7365In the imperial court of the Heian period, the imperial family, their attendants, court ladies, and other people of the noble class dressed in colorful costumes and spent their days carrying out elegant rituals in the palace surrounded by graceful furnishings and implements. The rituals, rites, annual events, appointed posts, social status, manners, architecture, furnishings, costumes, cuisine, and festivity at court were all accompanied by unique formalities. The knowledge and study of such formal customs of court culture is called Yusoku. In Japan, while aiming to establish a central government based on a system of fixed legal codes introduced from Sui- and Tang-dynasty China, a unique practice of formal manners developed to match the actual situations in the country at that time. These ceremonious rituals, along with the splendors of court architecture and decorative art pieces, embodied a realm of elegant taste. In the middle ages, however, the evolution of the warrior class and the resulting continuous battles devastated the court and hence the rituals were simplified and the traditions ceased. Later, the establishment of the Tokugawa shogunate restored peace, and the rituals were revived. The palace was restored following the rules of the imperial court, and the preparations of costumes, furnishings, and implements in traditional styles were prepared by imperial order. The knowledge ofYusoku was applied for the revival of these cultures. Tokyo National MuseumMon, 15 Feb 2010 10:21:52 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#db27111c-360e-4e2f-b664-c47f83f1f076http://www.khm.at/en/the-museum-of-ethnology/veranstaltungen/japan-jahr/Explanatory text only available in German.Museum of EthnologyFri, 24 Apr 2009 13:28:17 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#ae8b12f6-74d8-40a7-b6d1-9361e4d07461http://www.tnm.jp/en/servlet/Con?pageId=B01&processId=01&event_id=7370"Looking to the Fields" is the fourth in a series of thematic exhibitions which began in 2007 to showcase the work of Kuroda Seiki. A Western-style painter of the Meiji period, Kuroda is known for Lakeside and other such works. He employed an Impressionist style of expressing light, yet unlike Impressionist painters who preferred to portray the modernizing cities of their time, Kuroda loved pastoral landscapes and sympathized with the Barbizon school of painters. During his period of study in France, much of his work depicted Grez-sur-Loing, an area on the outskirts of Paris. After his return to Japan in 1893, he began to include human figures in his landscapes to express abstract concepts. He chose agricultural labor as the theme for these "conceptual" works, which depict the farmlands of Japan. In addition to paintings by Kuroda, this exhibition features works by painter Asai Chu, who studied the Barbizon style prior to Kuroda. These include Vegetable Garden in Spring and other European farmland scenes painted during Chu's year-long stay in France from 1900. These works provide an insight into the painters' respective interpretations of the Barbizon style and of pastoral landscapes.Tokyo National MuseumWed, 03 Mar 2010 15:48:09 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#6029856d-0d26-4389-b7ce-d240fd24a925http://www.tnm.jp/en/servlet/Con?pageId=B01&processId=01&event_id=7234This display features elaborate designs the Ainu people used to decorate their garments and daily utensils. Garment designs were rendered from pieces of cotton cloth and dyed embroidery. Wooden objects such as trays, makiri knife mountings and tobacco cases were decorated with minutely carved patterns. Women decorated using cloth and needles, and men engraved designs with makiri knives. The Ainu designs featured include whorl patterns called morew and brace-like patterns known as ayus. The Ainu people held rituals and dances wearing garments and holding objects decorated with these designs.Tokyo National MuseumFri, 15 Jan 2010 10:17:31 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#fe7d1631-6e45-41de-beb4-e4a193f98983 http://www.nationalmuseum.sg/nms/nms_html/nms_content_6c.asp? content_template=4&content_id=23&tab_id=23&cine_id=2259&fest_id=0We are no strangers to carrier bags made from paper or plastic as a common form of packaging. Paper carrier bags were first locally made in the 1950s for provision shops. Its survival was then challenged by plastic bags as the latter became increasingly popular in the 1970s. These carrier bags were created for the customer’s convenience and as alternatives to the rattan basket, newspapers and leaves used to hold food and sundry items. Some households and street peddlers in the past also recycled the carrier bags to store personal effects and trade tools.This exhibition showcases over 60 paper and plastic bags in the National Museum’s collection, many on display for the first time. Together with contextual photos, the display will highlight different uses of the ubiquitous carrier bag, its role as a mobile advertisement, and also shed light on the paper bag business in Singapore – a much forgotten trade that is still surviving today.National Museum of SingaporeSat, 16 Jan 2010 09:36:55 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#f67ec9e2-9d4e-4269-b192-5cdc90677570http://www.lcsd.gov.hk/CE/Museum/Arts/english/exhibitions/exhibitions01_jan10_01.htmlThe exhibition features over ten artworks selected from the collection of the Museum in addition to recent works by Hong Kong artists. In these creations the artists express their concern for the environment of Hong Kong and wishes for the future in new multicoloured visions of our world. To coincide with Shanghai World Expo 2010, the Hong Kong Museum of Art will organize two art exhibitions in Shanghai, featuring ink art and interdisciplinary art by Hong Kong artists. The exhibition in Hong Kong is to be a prologue of the shows in Shanghai. Through this combined initiative Hong Kong will present to the world the traditions of Chinese humanitarianism and its recent development.Hong Kong Museum of ArtTue, 16 Feb 2010 09:45:39 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#6b38980d-5cdf-4190-ac9c-039e24549df5http://www.meaa.info/current-exhibitionsA breathtaking exhibition of contemporary papercuts by three artists of Chinese descent, Lo Jhy Yen, Nie Chun-Mei, and Zhang Wenqing. “Cutting Edge: Untraditional Papercuts by Three Contemporary Chinese Artists”, will display an array of colourful and unusual works. Ornamental papercuts are especially important around the time of the Lunar New Year, when old ones would be taken down to be replaced by new papercuts for the coming year. Now practiced in many countries throughout the world with varying techniques and subject matters, the papercutting of China is often seen as traditional and rustic. This is however not the case – with recent exhibitions in China featuring papercuts of athletes in honour of the 1st anniversary of the Beijing Olympic Games and the 60th Anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China.The Museum of East Asian ArtMon, 25 Jan 2010 12:01:26 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#077cd8e6-f03b-4a46-9e32-00f0f0e274b5http://www.meaa.info/current-exhibitions/seifu-yohei-and-his-contemporaries-meiji-ceramics-in-the-This exhibition showcases the beautiful collection of Meiji period Ceramics made by Seifu Yohei (1851 – 1914) and other contemporary potters. In the mid to late 19th century Japan opened up worldwide trade relations, ending a 200 year policy of seclusion. As a result not only were Japanese ceramics influenced by a wealth of new aesthetics, but it also exposed Japanese artists and craftsmen to international expos where their work could be showcased. This pushed the potters to experiment with new glazes and techniques that would move on from the designs of the past which now seemed antiquated in comparison to the Art Nouveau motifs wowing Europe. Seifu was unique in his focus on the domestic Japanese market. Seifu’s interest lay in Chinese porcelain, and early in his career he mainly produced Chinese Ming and Song-style porcelain. He was designated an Imperial Household Artist – the highest official accolade to be awarded to top artists and craftsmen.The Museum of East Asian ArtMon, 25 Jan 2010 12:04:12 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#4119ed31-deb7-45ee-af1d-9b42357c3063http://www.volkenkunde.nl/index.aspx?lang=enFor the first time ever, Museum Volkenkunde in Leiden is presenting an exhibition about the Indonesian island of Sumatra. The theme running throughout the exhibition is the complex answer to the question of what a wide range of trade contacts throughout the centuries have meant to the island and its people. That influence proves to be great and to give rise to what are sometimes some unexpected stories.National Museum of EthnologyFri, 23 Oct 2009 12:28:42 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#dce29763-f589-44e7-88a7-ddeb15a7da09http://www.volkenkunde.nl/index.aspx?lang=enIn this exhibition Museum Volkenkunde shows a special selection from its own collection of photos. There are several pictures, taken by Le Munyon around 1910 and unique film archives on display. The beautiful photographs are coloured by hand and they show daily life in Beijing. They are displayed along with photos taken by the Dutch diplomat Van Citters. His pictures focus on landscapes around Beijing at the beginning of the 20th century.National Museum of EthnologySun, 07 Mar 2010 11:45:39 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#2fc246aa-fed2-42f9-990f-cc0040905296http://www.cbl.ie/Exhibitions/Future-Exhibitions.aspxComprising scroll and album paintings from the native Chinese Ming (1368-1644) dynasty, the Manchu Qing dynasty (1644-1911) and the early Republican period (1912-), this show explores how stories and tales from folklore, religious lore and literary culture were translated into pictorial images in paintings across six centuries in China. The exhibition is presented through four sometimes overlapping, sometimes interweaving themes, namely ‘crossings’ - stories about exiles, loyalists and rustics; the supernatural world of popular religion; models and exemplars in history; and finally, emperor-concubine and scholar-beauty romances. Collectively, these artworks give a taste of China’s rich mythology and lyric tradition, and show how successive generations of artists gave new life to learning, belief and leisure in pictorial images fit for their own times. The Chester Beatty Library is pleased to announce a major loan exhibition of thirty-eight figure paintings from the Shanghai Museum. It will be held in the spring of 2010, from 28 January to 2 May (to be confirmed), in the run-up to the World Expo in Shanghai (May-October 2010). Comprising scroll and album paintings from the native Chinese Ming (1368-1644) dynasty, the Manchu Qing dynasty (1644- 1911) and the early Republican period (1912-), this show explores how stories and tales from folklore, religious lore and literary culture were translated into pictorial images in paintings across six centuries in China. The exhibition is presented through four sometimes overlapping, sometimes interweaving themes, namely ‘crossings’ - stories about exiles, loyalists and rustics; the supernatural world of popular religion; models and exemplars in history; and finally, emperor-concubine and scholar-beauty romances. Collectively, these artworks give a taste of China’s rich mythology and lyric tradition, and show how successive generations of artists gave new life to learning, belief and leisure in pictorial images fit for their own times.The Chester Beatty LibraryWed, 23 Sep 2009 15:39:55 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#110a9680-7024-457f-9b96-03e0374ca771http://www.singaporeartmuseum.sg/exhibitions/details.php?id=34Classic Contemporary shines the spotlight on Singapore Art Museum's most iconic contemporary artworks in its collection. By playfully asking what makes a work of art “classic” or “contemporary” – or “classic contemporary” – this accessible and quirky exhibition aims to introduce new audiences to the ideas and art forms of contemporary art. A stellar cast of painting, sculpture, video, photography, performance art from across Southeast Asia are brought together and given the red-carpet treatment, and the whole of the SAM 8Q building is transformed into a dramatic stage for these stars and icons. Yet beneath the glamour, many of the artworks also probe and prod serious issues – often asking critical and challenging questions about society, nation and the history of art itself. Since its inception in 1996, SAM has focused on collecting the works of artists practicing in the region, and many of these once-emerging artists have since established notable achievements on regional and international platforms. This exhibition marks the start of SAM's new contemporary art programming centred on enabling artistic development through the creation of exhibition and programming platforms, as well as growing audiences for contemporary art. Classic Contemporary offers an opportunity to revisit major works by Suzann Victor, Matthew Ngui, Simryn Gill, Redza Piyadasa, Jim Supangkat, Nindityo Adipurnomo, Agnes Arellano, Agus Suwage, Natee Utarit and Montien Boonma, among others. A full programme of curatorial lectures, artist presentations, moving image screenings and performances complete the classic contemporary experience.Singapore Art MuseumTue, 16 Feb 2010 10:00:35 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#9f1d1aaf-dff2-45e2-87b9-1083b1fde21ehttp://www.voelkerkundemuseum-muenchen.de/inhalt/html/sonder.html#raviExplanatory text only available in German.State Museum of EthnologyTue, 23 Jun 2009 12:24:39 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#a445073b-edc0-41bf-8893-2df8e95c2b73http://www.ayalamuseum.org/index.php?option=com_ayala_content&task=viewexhibitpage&id=94Purita Kalaw-Ledesma was a patron of the arts and founder of the Art Association of the Philippines (AAP). What began as a reunion of fine arts graduates of the University of the Philippines in 1947 developed into a professional artists' association. She shepherded the AAP from its infancy, particularly through the difficult years of conflict and controversy between the group of painters who refer to themselves as Conservatives and Moderns. Selected from the collection are major works as well as casual drawings and studies that reveal the diverse and common aesthetic concerns of several leading artists. The exhibition is also about the character and the crusade of a well-respected and beloved individual in the history of Philippine art in the twentieth century. The gathering of paintings, sculptures, and mixed media works include the early and seminal works of acknowledged masters of Philippine art such as Vicente Manansala, Carlos "Botong" Francisco, Victorio Edades, and Napoleon Abueva. Ayala MuseumTue, 23 Feb 2010 14:07:45 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#9e9122aa-eff2-4ec0-82ee-543faca1466bhttp://www.singaporeartmuseum.sg/exhibitions/FX Harsono: Testimonies presents a survey of artwork by one of Indonesia’s foremost contemporary artists. FX Harsono played a pivotal role in the development of contemporary art in Indonesia, and continues to be actively involved in the art scene up till today. This exhibition traces the shifts in the artist’s strategies of representation: from the ground-breaking conceptual works that re-defined art making during the Gerakan Seni Rupa Baru Movement (New Art Movement) of the 1970s; to the politically-charged installations of the 1990s; to the artist’s recent investigations into issues of self, identity and personal histories. Included in this survey are seminal works drawn from the Singapore Art Museum’s permanent collection, as well as from other art institutions and private collections, such as Paling Top (1975), Voice Without A Voice (1994) and Republik Indochaos (1998).Singapore Art MuseumSun, 07 Mar 2010 11:47:28 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#0c13f873-6287-4585-b881-0a4133d929cfhttp://www.britishmuseum.org/whats_on/national_tours/china_journey_to_the_east.aspxThis major exhibition offers visitors the chance to encounter artefacts from one of the most important and influential civilisations in world history. It spans 3,000 years of Chinese history and culture, exploring themes of play and performance, technology, belief and festivals, food and drink, and language and writing. China has been a major influence on many parts of the world through trade and the movement of peoples. Chinese Diaspora communities form a vital part of the history of many other countries, including Britain. This unique exhibition features over 100 objects from the British Museum, the largest loan of Chinese material the Museum has made in the UK.British MuseumWed, 03 Mar 2010 15:52:04 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#734eb997-c72f-4113-b5f1-a5f5d497ecbchttp://www.lcsd.gov.hk/CE/Museum/Arts/english/tea/tea03_200907_01.htmlPurple clay ware, which dates back to the Song dynasty, was very popular during the Ming and Qing dynasties. Since the middle of the Ming dynasty, purple clay ware making has gradually evolved into an art form where pottery making, poetry, calligraphy, drawing, seal carving and sculpture all converge. Featuring over 110 items of refined Yixing ware, the exhibits include exquisite works of art by Xu Youquan and Chen Zhongmei of the Ming dynasty and masterpieces by renowned potters of the Qing dynasty such as Yang Pengnian, Shao Daheng and Chen Mingyuan. The exhibition also features contemporary tea vessels by 20th century Yixing craft masters Gu Jingzhou, Jiang Rong, Xu Xiutang and Wang Yinxian. Besides tea ware, this exhibition showcases stationery accessories, snuff bottles, pottery pillows and small ornaments that illustrate the ample diversity of purple clay art. To ensure visitors of all ages will be able to fully enjoy their experience, education corners and a range of interactive games have been set up in the galleries to cater to the public’s various of needs.Hong Kong Museum of ArtTue, 16 Feb 2010 09:47:34 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#9bcd8bb9-183c-48a9-a5c6-dac37b9f29a9http://www.acm.org.sg/exhibitions/eventdetail.asp?eventID=569This exhibition showcases a collection of European ceramics donated by Mr. and Mrs. Toshio Egawa to the museum two years ago. Produced mainly in the 18th century in English and European kilns, these wares reflect Japanese and Chinese influence. Porcelain from Japan and China were highly sought after in the West, where they were collected and proudly displayed in palaces and mansions. Gain insight into the development of ceramics production in the West and how its products were inspired by patterns and shapes of the Japanese and Chinese originals. Also discover the interactions between East Asia and Europe on ceramic art and the economic exchanges that set the stage for these cultural cross-currents.Asian Civilisations MuseumFri, 08 Jan 2010 10:22:20 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#364bd941-a498-4ed5-91a1-e8b6d6d23d4ahttp://www.tnm.jp/en/servlet/Con?pageId=B01&processId=01&event_id=7192The Eisei Bunko Foundation and the Eisei Bunko Museum were established in 1950 by 16th-generation family head Hosokawa Moritatsu, with the objective of preserving for future generations the legacy of the cultural treasures of the Hosokawa family, lords of the former Kumamoto domain. Totaling over 80,000 objects, the Eisei Bunko collection is one of the leading collections of cultural properties in Japan and includes archival documents, Yusai's treatises on waka poetry, tea utensils connected to the great tea master Sen no Rikyu from the personal collection of 2nd-generation head Tadaoki (Sansai), various objects associated with Hosokawa Gracia, and paintings by Miyamoto Musashi. The exhibition will focus on the history of the Hosokawa family and the transmission of traditional Japanese culture by means of numerous treasured art objects and historical documents that have been safeguarded throughout the family's tumultuous history.Tokyo National MuseumWed, 27 Jan 2010 09:45:53 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#1d117be8-d91a-4348-ada7-1a43970de7a2http://www.acm.org.sg/exhibitions/eventdetail.asp?eventID=570Immerse yourself in the opulence of the legendary Mughal empire(1526 – 1858), one of the wealthiest, most powerful dynasties the world has ever known. Treasury of the Worldfeatures a dazzling array of 402 exquisite jewelled works of art from Mughal India, from The al-Sabah Collection in Kuwait. The rulers of the Mughal empire were so renowned for their lavish lifestyle, love of beauty and vast collection of precious objects, that the Mughal emperor Jahangir was once described in a letter by the English Ambassador Thomas Roe as ‘the treasury of the world’. Visit this exhibition to learn more about the diverse techniques in the jewelled arts used by the artisans and craftsmen during the Mughal period. This travelling exhibition began its journey at The British Museum in London and has since been shown in world-renowned venues such as The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York and the Louvre Museum in Paris. The exhibition will make its Asian debut at the Asian Civilisations Museum in Singapore.Asian Civilisations MuseumFri, 08 Jan 2010 10:22:17 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#6a255102-020d-432f-82fe-e31cfd5f4020http://www.uni-goettingen.de/en/28908.htmlDie Macht der Ahnen – kulturelle Zeugnisse aus Neuguinea Explanatory text only available in GermanEthnographic Collection of the University of GöttingenTue, 08 Dec 2009 14:33:16 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#dcedad17-1471-421a-8894-0506a686ec59http://www.voelkerkundemuseum-muenchen.de/inhalt/html/sonder.html#honigmannExplanatory text only available in GermanState Museum of EthnologyTue, 26 Jan 2010 11:07:00 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#3568619b-aac7-45b9-9007-ab9b26d5dbd3http://www.muzeumazji.pl/htme/gal_a.htmlExplanatory text only in PolishAsia and Pacific Museum in WarsawSun, 07 Mar 2010 11:21:41 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#82fc55d6-93b9-4011-b735-b6a14f65425bhttp://www.muzeumazji.pl/htme/gal_a.htmlThe exhibitions presents a significant part of the Museum’s collection of over 400 objects of Burmese traditional art and handicrafts. Most of them are connected with Buddhism, predominant religion of the country, as well as with local beliefs: ritual utensils, Buddha and bodhisattvas sculptures, lacquered and gilded kammavasa manuscripts, interior decorations and subtly carved steles depicting scenes from the life of Buddha. Lacquer wares, the most perfect and most famous of Burmese crafts, constitute the core of the collection. Lacquered sculptures and containers, made of bamboo and wood, covered with layers of red or black lacquer, gilded and decorated with glass applications, originate from the 19th and 20th centuries. Other exhibits are sculptures made of alabaster, stone or bronze, traditional Burmese theatre puppets in silk costumes, manuscripts and musical instruments. All of them impress with their richness of forms and colours, splendour of gold and inlays.Asia and Pacific Museum in WarsawWed, 03 Feb 2010 09:56:17 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#3314c861-c158-433f-8e54-8321843ee119http://www.paris.fr/portail/Culture/Portal.lut?page_id=5853&document_type_id=2&document_id=77753&portlet_id=12991Explanatory text only available in French Musée CernuschiWed, 03 Feb 2010 09:42:51 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#381e84d4-99d5-4ca8-ae08-79e841c0aa37http://www.lcsd.gov.hk/CE/Museum/Arts/english/exhibitions/exhibitions01_jan10_02.htmlIn 2009, internationally acclaimed master of painting Wu Guanzhong offered Hong Kong another generous donation of 33 paintings. Following his donations in 1995 and 2002, the new gift includes 12 oil paintings and 21 ink paintings done between 2005 and 2009. The donation will become a significant permanent collection of the Hong Kong Museum of Art. Being a significant figure of Chinese art history in the 20th century, Wu has made a major contribution to the integration of Chinese and Western art. Wu was born in 1919 in Yixing, Jiangsu. In 1946, he won a scholarship to study at the prestigious Ecole Nationale Supérieur des Beaux-arts in Paris. In 1950, he returned to China and was assigned to teach at the Central Academy of Fine Arts in Beijing and later transferred to other institutions. In 1991, he was made an Officer de L’Ordre des Arts et des Letters by the Ministry of Culture of France. In 1992, he became the first living Chinese artist to have a solo exhibition at the British Museum. In 2002, he was the first Chinese artist awarded the Médaille des Arts et Lettres by the Académie des Beaux-arts de L’Institut de France. In 2006, the Chinese University of Hong Kong granted Wu an honorary degree of Doctor of Letters. In order to honour Wu’s generous donations and to share this heartfelt gift with the community, the Museum of Art will stage a special exhibition which 51 artworks of Wu’s latest donation along with the Museum’s collection.Hong Kong Museum of ArtMon, 15 Feb 2010 10:10:31 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#9472042b-931e-4232-b2df-929717191802http://www.singaporeartmuseum.sg/exhibitions/details.php?id=46Jointly organised by The National Art Gallery, Singapore and the National Museum of Contemporary Art, Korea, Realism in Asian Art explores the impact of Realism in the development of 20th-century Asian art. Differing from how the Realist movement evolved in 19th century Europe, Realism in Asia applied the same concepts to a different context. It expresses how the vast sub-continent grapples with modernity, independence and nationhood. The powerful images produced during this period often inspired and incited action, and were even suppressed and banned at times. Through displaying selected paintings from 10 Asian countries, Realism in Asian Art examines how this important art movement weaves together a fascinating tale of heroism, valour and hope in a time of turmoil that plagued Asia during the 20th century.Singapore Art MuseumTue, 09 Mar 2010 16:38:41 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#322771e7-980a-4a3a-86f5-266358ef23cehttp://www.nus.edu.sg/museum/exhibitions_SEAC_Ceramic.htmlThis exhibition features ceramics produced in Southeast Asian kilns from as early as the 11th century. Research in ceramics over the past decades has uncovered a wealth of data about the centres of production, characteristics of wares from various kilns and the active timeframe of these sites. Our knowledge about the consumption trends of Southeast Asian ceramics has also been enhanced through finds from both land and maritime archaeology. Employed in concert with written sources, such archaeological data have been crucial in reconstructing the region's pre-modern socio-economic and cultural history and providing a more thorough picture of site usage patterns and intra-regional interactions.NUS Museum, NUS Centre For the ArtsMon, 11 Jan 2010 10:34:02 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#5722de8d-a4b7-416f-8d9b-7ead53a654e8http://www.museum.go.kr/eng/Special.do?cmd=1001&gc_no=569Uzbekistan, "the land of the Uzbeks," is part of West Turkestan, which is located to the west of Pamir Mountains. In the ancient times, this region was part of Transoxiana, which refers to the land between Amu Darya ("Oxus" in Greek) and Syr Darya. Many oases were formed along these rivers that originate from Pamir Mountains and reach Aral Sea. This region was also a major center on the Silk Road, situated at the crossroads of West Asia, China, India, and the steppe region in North Asia. This exhibition introduces Uzbekistan culture from the prehistoric period to the 8th century through its bronze and iron cultures, Buddhist culture, and Sogdian culture. In addition, the replicas of Afrasiab murals in which ancient Koreans appear will be shown.National Museum of KoreaFri, 04 Dec 2009 14:45:36 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#e1dd44d5-5e47-48db-abaa-a5060d6bc8a6http://www.cbl.ie/Exhibitions/Future-Exhibitions.aspxThis magnificent exhibition of paintings from the land of the Taj Mahal has been on tour in the US for the past year and will now be shown at the Chester Beatty, between June and October 2010. The Library holds one of the finest collections of Indian Mughal paintings in existence, and this exhibition is a rare opportunity to see many of the best of those works. The exhibition focuses on a group of six albums (muraqqa‘s) compiled in India between about 1600 and 1658 for the Mughal emperors Jahangir and Shah Jahan (builder of the Taj Mahal). Each album folio originally consisted of a painting on one side and a panel of calligraphy on the other, all set within beautifully illuminated borders. Many of the paintings are exquisitely rendered portraits of emperors, princes and courtiers—all dressed in the finest textiles and jewels—but there are also images of court life, and of Sufis, saints, and animals. The exhibition is accompanied by a fully-illustrated, multiple award-winning catalogue.The Chester Beatty LibraryWed, 03 Mar 2010 15:54:55 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#67e4aad8-64a0-4aa2-b9de-745ba534f909http://www.singaporeartmuseum.sg/exhibitions/details.php?id=45In Life of Imitation, Ming Wong revisits the context of the Golden Age of Singapore cinema in the 1950s and 60s, an era of nation-building struggle and rapid modernisation. Inspired by the rich legacy, he re- reads ‘national cinema’ constructed through language, role-playing and identity, by re-interpreting films that are familiar to audiences spanning 2 generations, and which engage with performative notions of mis- casting and parroting. The first is a compendium of works by P. Ramlee, the wunderkind of Malay cinema. The second is the Hollywood melodrama ‘Imitation of Life’ (1959) by Douglas Sirk about a black mother and her ‘white’ daughter. The third is Wong Kar Wai’s ‘In the Mood for Love’ (2000) with actress Maggie Cheung rehearsing for a confrontation with her spouse about his infidelity. Through these video interventions, the viewer is presented with questions related to roots, hybridity, and the politics of becoming. Singapore Art MuseumTue, 09 Mar 2010 16:32:38 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#b7242795-5a95-480c-a33b-ecc9747e9b04http://www.singaporeartmuseum.sg/exhibitions/details.php?id=43In 2008, Chinese artist Wu Guanzhong donated 113 of his important works to the National Heritage Board, Singapore. This is the highest-value donation ever given to a public museum institution in Singapore. An internationally eminent artist, Wu is best known for marrying the distinct art form of traditional Chinese ink with modern concepts in Western art. Recently published as a seven-volume anthology, Wu’s writings provide deep insights into his aesthetics and art practice. Showcasing 22 paintings from the donation, Seeing the Kites Again is an exhibition inspired by Wu’s metaphor of the kite. Since the 1960s, Wu Guanzhong has produced a great number of works, based on his personal recollections. These works are centred around his home in the South of China, his childhood, as well as the villages and towns he has been to. His interest in life and his attention to ordinary scenes, infuse his art with an aesthetic quality that demonstrates a return to simplicity. This exhibition is an incubator project by the National Art Gallery, Singapore, held on the premises of the Singapore Art Museum.Singapore Art MuseumTue, 16 Feb 2010 09:58:52 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#c88fa2aa-4f7a-4d9a-a33c-b9c0113f1aafhttp://www.voelkerkundemuseum-muenchen.de/inhalt/html/sonder.html#buddhaExplanatory text only in GermanState Museum of EthnologyThu, 04 Mar 2010 21:52:03 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#d222b1ba-6dca-4123-b145-bd412d131669http://www.discoverislamicart.org/Four VCM contributors are also partners in DIA: * Giuseppe Tucci National Museum of Oriental Art, Rome * Victoria and Albert Museum, London * Museum of Mediterrenean and Near Eastern Antiquities, Stockholm * Museum Calouste Gulbenkian, Lisbon (as an associated museum) Museum With No Frontiers (MWNF) is an organisation whose ground-breaking and visionary programme aims to establish a vast trans-national museum that presents works of art, architecture and archaeology in the context in which they were created. Inspired by the principle of organising exhibitions without moving the works of art, MWNF is creating through modern technology an exciting new dimension to museums. The visitor is invited to experience a museum not only as a place to admire artefacts on display but also as a gateway to related works of art in other museums, relevant archaeological sites and monuments as well as to thematic visits. By raising awareness of artistic and cultural heritage and promoting investment in restoration and conservation projects, MWNF aims to promote cultural integration as a means of facilitating political cooperation between different countries and cultures. The MWNF programme provides an opportunity to learn about and enjoy the shared cultural heritage of Europe, North Africa and the Middle East in a completely new way. Its masterly orchestration brings together a large number of academics, professionals, photographers, tourist managers, politicians and many other people and organisations participating in this innovative project. The ever expanding MWNF network includes partners from 19 countries in Europe, North Africa and the Middle East. To date, public and private bodies from Algeria, Austria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Egypt, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Jordan, Morocco, the Palestinian Authority, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Syria, Tunisia, Turkey and the United Kingdom have joined the MWNF programme. Calouste Gulbenkian MuseumThu, 12 Mar 2009 07:22:25 GMThttp://masterpieces.asemus.museum/calendar.aspx#75111edf-3652-46fb-8a42-9bc04e76cee4