Guest Post – Listening for Rengetsu: Texture and the Poetry of the Multi-sensory

In Advance of her appearance, and as a continuation of our blog series on Otagaki Rengetsu,  Professor Sayumi Takahashi Harb took some time to pen a guest post just for you, our devoted readers, discussing the dynamic artistry of Otagaki Rengetsu, whose work is featured in our current exhibition, and is the focus of our upcoming symposium. Read on for a preview of some of the themes Prof. Harb will touch on in her lecture. [hr] A mountain keeps an echo deep inside itself. That is how I hold your voice. – Jalal …

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Guest Post: Four Masterpieces Joined by the Spirit of Water

Water 水 falls from above, and from below, 水 falls Four Masterpieces Joined by the Spirit of Water By Susanna Brooks, Curator of Japanese Art It is summer, and the rainy season is upon us at Morikami. Rain falls practically every afternoon. The sky becomes dark and the rain falls fast and heavy, culminating into torrential downpours that draw everyone to the windows to take in the stunning, mesmerizing view of water falling from the sky and cascading down the rain chains, nourishing the plants, and dislocating the pebbles in …

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Guest Post: The Girl with a Cat and Other Paper Tales by Kyoko Hazama

Today, we’re pleased to present a guest post from our Curator of Japanese Art, Susanna Brooks. If you haven’t yet had a chance to see this awe-inspiring exhibit, we HIGHLY recommend it! It’s the perfect addition to any summer outing, especially when the South Florida weather turns a little sour. Kyoko Hazama may just be Japan’s most imaginative doll paper sculptress. Using traditional Japanese paper (washi) made from the fibers of the bark of a Japanese tree (gampi), shrub (mitsumata), and various plants and grasses (hemp, rice, wheat, bamboo), a …

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Q&A with the Curator: Who’s Genji?

Our current exhibit Genji’s World Through Japanese Woodblock Prints is open and ready for your visit, but some of you may be wondering – Who is Genji? We sat down with Curator of Collections, Veljko Dujin, to answer just that, and some of those other burning questions you might want answers to before visiting us. Here’s what we learned: Who is/was Genji?  Prince Genji, also known as Hikaru Genji, or the Shining Prince Genji,  was the fictitious son of an Emperor and his favorite concubine. Ever since Murasaki Shikibu wrote the novel …

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Special Artist Presentations This Weekend Only!

As a special treat for Member Appreciation Weekend we are hosting two fabulous and acclaimed artists. We invite you all (even if you aren’t a member) to come experience these wonderful artists as they showcase their talent and discuss their work. Sisyu – Calligraphy Sisyu, a calligraphy artist, will conduct a demonstration of her unique style of calligraphy on Sunday, December 15 at 12:30 pm in the Morikami Theater. We are proud to host this incredible talent and give each of you the chance to see, in-person, this beautiful practice. …

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