Thursday, February 10, 2000
The University Daily Kansan
Section A · Page 7
The Spencer Museum of Art unveiled a national Japanese Zen Art exhibit Jan. 30. The University is the tour's last stop and will be on display through March 11. Contributed art
a soothing view
Zen art on display at Spencer Art Museum
By Paula Spreitzer Special to the Kansan
An exhibit of more than 70 works by 14 20th century Japanese Zen artists is completing its national tour at the Spencer Museum of Art.
"It's a rare opportunity to see that much 20th century calligraphy in one place," said Sally Hayden, director of public relations for the museum. "It's just not stuff you see every day around here."
It's the first comprehensive exhibit of its kind touring the United States, Hayden said.
the exhibit, which opened at the museum Jan. 30, includes not only painting and calligraphy on paper scrolls but also ceramics and even a pair of folding screens. Some pieces, called haiga, are a combination of a painted image and haiku poetry on hanging paper scrolls.
hard poetry classes through March 11. The exhibit will be the focus of several programs during the next few weeks, ranging from KU Perspectives — which is a series of Wednesday afternoon lectures by faculty from various schools at the University of Kansas — to a calligraphy demonstration Feb. 29.
Zen Buddhism is a practice of conduct
Sally Hayden
"It's a rare opportunity to see that much 20th century calligraphy in one place. It's just not stuff you see every day around here."
Spencer Museum of Art public relations director
ing meditative soul-searching to find liberation from past habits and perceptions, an aspect that is reflected in the fluid brushstrokes of the painting and calligraphy, according to information from the exhibit. Zen's influence in mainstream American culture can be seen in the many meditation and study centers it has inspired across the nation, the exhibit says.
Thirteen monks and one nun created the works. They were not only influential artists but also were philosophers who used their art primarily to express their vision to their followers and helped lead the Zen revitalization during the era of Westernization and political and social turmoil in the late 19th and 20th centuries in Japan, according to exhibit information.
Addiss, now a distinguished humanities and art history professor at the University of Richmond, was an art history professor at the University, and Audrey Yoshiko Seo was a graduate student at the University.
The co-curators of the exhibit both have ties to the University of Kansas. Stephen
Their exhibit offers a modern perspective, expanding upon a 1989 exhibit of Japanese Zen art from 1600 to 1925 that was displayed at the University, of which Addiss was curator while he was teaching here.
When Addiss and Sae proposed the idea for the exhibit, the museum responded enthusiastically, Mary Dusenbury, acting curator of Asian art, told museum patrons.
"It is appropriate that the museum that organized the first major exhibition in North America of the art of Japanese Zen monks host 'The Art of Twentieth-Century Zen: Paintings and Calligraphy by Japanese Masters.'" she said of the museum.
D. T. Suzuki, whose work is in the exhibit, introduced Japanese Zen to the United States through his writings more than a hundred years ago. Since then, it has gained popularity in the West among artists and philosophers as well as the general population, especially since World War II.
The basic characteristics of Zen painting and calligraphy — rugged individualism, spontaneity, the direct recording of the artist's gestures and an emphasis on the raw materials of painting — all find parallels in the work of twentieth-century Western artists." Dusenbury said.
contributed art
Japanese sculptures on display at Spencer
By Paula Spreitzer Special to the Kansan
An ancient Japanese myth about wood nymphs called Hamadryads inspired Japanese artist Jiro Okuro to create a series of large sculptures, two of which are on display at the Spencer Museum of Art through March 5.
Trees are the source of myths and the focus of worship in Japanese culture. The minimalist sculptures — in which rich, heavy color alternates with raw wood to create an undulating rhythm — explore the nature and spirit of wood. They are here on loan from the Smithsonian Institute.
Steve Owyoung, curator of Asian arts at the St. Louis Art Museum, will discuss the sculptures in a lecture, "Fragrant Spirits: The Art of jiro Okura," at 7 p.m. Thursday, at the Spencer auditorium.
The two pieces are from Okura's series titled Hamadryad. In Greek mythology, Hamadryads were spirits that lived in the woods, and each one was associated with just one tree. According to the myth, each tree houses a divine spirit, making wood shrines and scultures revered.
"The experience of walking into it is really amazing because you can smell the wood," said Noelle Giufrida, art history instructor.
She likened the smell to that of incense.
"It's almost a religious experience," she said.
Okuro used wood from the camphor laurel, an aromatic evergreen that can reach a height of 65 feet and an age of 1.000 years old and that grows wild just north of Kyoto, Japan. In Japan, camphor wood has been used to build Shinto shrines, and the sculptures reflect both the image of the sacred trees as well as the columns of a shrine.
He created the works by chiseling planks of the wood against the grain and distressing the rough surface. He sliced the length of the board against the grain into thin strips of varying degrees of thickness. Leaving the chiseled edges bare, he painted the flat of each strip. Then, he reassembled the strips in their original order, shifting them to expose both the raw wood edge and the painted side.
"It's unusual that he's working in such large sculptural pieces in wood," said Sally Hayden, public relations director at the museum. "It's not turned wood or something else you might normally see. It's something uniquely his own."
Lecture Performance by Actor
Anna Deavere Smith University of Kansas Millennium Series " Snapshots: Glimpses of America in Change"
Thursday, February 10, 8 p.m. at the Lied Center Doors will open at 7 p.m. Free & open to the public
Hosted by the Hall Center for the Humanities, 864.4798
AUDITIONS!
For Singers & Dancers
Worlds of Fun is searching for the Midwest's most talented entertainers for our spectacular 2000 season of shows. From our '60s, '70s & '80s rock review, "Stax of Trax," to our big band show, "Singin' Swingin' & Rockin' the house," you could be in the spotlight entertaining thousands of Worlds of Fun guests. Performing at Worlds of Fun is FUN, and it can be that important First Step toward a professional career. If you work the entire season (six days per week in the summer and weekends in the spring & fall), you could earn OVER $8000 in wages and bonuses.
AUDITION INSTRUCTIONS
YOU MUST PROVIDE YOUR OWN ACCOMPANIMENT whether it be a pianist or a cassette tape. We will provide a cassette deck and a piano. A cappella auditions will not be accepted. We are not auditioning bands, solo instrumentalists or dramatic actors. Singers, please sing one verse and the chorus of two contrasting styles of song: one up-tempo and one ballad. Sing any type of music you enjoy, such as rock, gospel, show tunes, etc. (No Rap.) Please limit your audition to no more than two minutes. Doctors, please prepare a jazz routine (no longer than two minutes) and one song to sing.
*Dancers, please prepare a jazz routine (no longer than two minutes) and one song to sing.*
KANSAS CITY, MO Saturday, February 5 Park Place Hotel (Off Front St. at I-435) Registration: 9-1
MARYVILLE, MO
Wednesday, February 2
Northwest MO State
Charles Johnson Theater
Registration: 3-5
WICHITA, KS
Thursday, February 3
Wichita State University
Rhatigan Student Center-203
Registration: 3-5
LINCOLN, NE
Monday, February 7
University of Nebraska
Nebraska Union - Ballroom
Registration: 3-5
AUDITION LOCATIONS
KANSA CITY, MO
Sunday, February 13
(Off Front St. at 1-435)
Registration: 10-2
COLUMBIA, MO
Tuesday, February 8
University of MO
N. Memorial Union - 208
Registration: 3-5
LAWRENCE, KS
Wednesday, February 16
Kansas University
Kansas Union - KS Room
Registration: 3-5
WARRENSBURG, MO
Tuesday, February 15
Central MO State University
University Union - 304 & 306
Registration: 3-5
Entertainment Dept. at:
For more information, contact the Live Entertainment Dept. at:
Worlds of Fun
4545 Worlds of Fun Ave.
Kansas City, MO 64161
(816) 454-4545, ext. 1354
www.worldsoffun.com