Long considered one of Japan's preeminent cities in terms of cultural heritage, Kyoto is home to some of Japan's most celebrated temples, gardens and works of art. While the works in "Celebrating Kyoto: Modern Arts from Boston's Sister City" are modern and perhaps not what Kyoto is best known for, they skillfully demonstrate the ability of contemporary artists to reinterpret elements of the past in an innovative way.
"Celebrating Kyoto: Modern Arts from Boston's Sister City" runs until Aug. 9 at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston (MFA). The exhibit is laid out in a quietly elegant room that recalls Japanese décor and features ceramics, stoneware, textiles and prints from the famed city. While many of these pieces are decidedly contemporary, they "are bound together by an active engagement with history and tradition rather than a blind reverence for it," as stated by the text at the entrance to the exhibition.
The introduction to the exhibition further explains that Boston and Kyoto became sister cities in 1959, and this show is meant to celebrate the anniversary of the two cities' affiliation. The idea of sister cities came about during the Eisenhower administration as a way for cities in different countries to share their culture, ideas and technology. It is fitting that Boston and Kyoto should share this relationship because of the immense cultural significance each city holds within its respective country.
While the pieces in this exhibition reference the historic themes of Kyoto, most of the allusions are decidedly subtle. However, through their clean lines and graceful simplicity, it is possible to see a great deal of Japanese artistic and cultural history through the works in the exhibition.
One piece in particular, a porcelain sculpture by artist Fukami Sueharu entitled "Seascape" (2007), pulls nicely on these historic themes. The turquoise porcelain sculpture depicts, with sharp lines and a relatively simple shape, a modern take on Japan's fascination with the sea that is manifest in its artistic legacy. The piece is enhanced by its location in a glass case in the middle of the gallery because it takes on increased depth when it is viewed from multiple angles.
Another piece that reinterprets ideas from the past in a new way is the stone carving "Footprints of the Buddha" (1979) by Kondo Yutaka. In early Buddhist art, the Buddha was rarely depicted, so artists used images such as footprints to represent his sacred presence. The footprints were traditionally decorated with markings, for which Yutaka has substituted words including the names of cities and countries (such as Tokyo, Osaka and Finland) "that … [he] favored," according to the sculpture's label.
Sakurai Yasuko's "Vertical Flower" (2007), located across the gallery from "Seascape," is another standout piece. The sculpture's dramatic, multi-pronged rim is reminiscent of Japanese architecture while still showing the artist's ability to incorporate another culture into her works. As the label indicates, Yasuko had "an artist's residency in the French porcelain-producing region of Limoges from 1999 to 2001 [that] transformed her artistic vision."
Finally, the woodblock prints by Matsubara Naoko, including "Old North Church in Boston" (1967), and "Boston Public Library" (1960s), fit nicely into the exhibition because they demonstrate, perhaps most obviously, the link between Kyoto and Boston. Naoko's woodblock prints are not overly colorful, but they interpret, with an interesting style, the pointed light fixtures of the Boston Public Library and the spire of The Old North Church to present expressive images of these celebrated landmarks.
The artists whose pieces comprise "Celebrating Kyoto: Modern Arts from Boston's Sister City," are clearly rooted in traditional Japanese art. They have reinterpreted classic themes in inventive, if overly sensational ways in their works. In this excellent exhibition, it is interesting to observe these Kyoto artists bringing the legacy of Japanese art into the
modern age.
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Celebrating Kyoto: Modern Arts from Boston's Sister City
Through Aug. 9
Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
465 Huntington Avenue
617-267-9300
