Extra Credit event 1: LACMA Pavilion of Japanese Art

Myungjae Song, April 22, 2016; Women security worker in uniform in the back

For my First extra-credit-event, I visited the LACMA museum and checked out the different exhibits. For this post, I want to elaborate on one specific exhibit of “Pavilion for Japanese Art”, which I found very interesting and applies to the Math+Art perspective from Professor Vesna’s lecture.

By each era the sophistication of depth, actuality, expression, proportions tangibly advanced. Many sculptures and art works before the 10^thc developed the most contrasting advancement towards realistic life-like features of the subjects. However, what was most interesting for me were the Japanese Traditional-style Screens, in which the artistic painting depicted pivotal moments in the history of Japan.

These screens were useful in forming a wall-like space for the aristocratic Japanese who actually were able to afford owning them, however symbolized much historical and religious perspectives, literally. For example, the Screen depicting the Genpei-War was created in the 16-17th century, which was around the time when the Western civilizations utilized different baroque art-style ideas using vanishing points, and perspectives.

Battle of Ichi-no-tani; Genpei Wars, Japan, circa 16-17th c

Similarly, however somewhat differently, the screens portrayed a war scene with calculated proportions of waters, architecture, forest, and actual people. These proportions were believed to have derived from the Buddhist belief re Yin and Yang, however while still serving the technological perspective in daily usage.

Jomon, Rope Pattern Pottery

This Screen was similar to the Flatland idea where three dimensional setting was expressed on a two dimensional space, just as many Western artists did around this time. I would recommend this exhibit to my class, as I believe my DESMA classmates would be able to recognize and be wowed by such mathematical perspectives of the different sculptures and in the gallery.

Moreover, Japan's much pre-modern period displays of artworks had much influence from the usefulness of the artists. Decorative art was founded mostly for Jomon and Yayoi period pottery, in which the artists configured ways to utilize the technological perspectives of such pottery objectives while still demonstrating much creativity in its beautiful visuals.

Screen depicting Rice Cultivation through the Four Seasons, Japan, circa 1700-1725