This week is Asia Week in New York City, when auctions, dealers, and exhibits converge to promote Asian art and artifacts. With Asia on my mind, I happened to notice an article in Antiques and the Arts Weekly about Hiromi Kinoshita and her curatorial work at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Since I was visiting Philadelphia, I decided to take a look at her new installation and reexamination of works acquired by PMA through the years.
I wondered how the exhibition would be displayed. Not to worry. The large temple rooms, scribe’s room and tea house are still in place. The new installation is off to the side corridor.
I really like Hiromi’s four themes. The first is Belief in the Afterlife. This exhibit highlights beautifully rendered funerary art.
Panel from a house shaped sarcophagus, circa 618-907
The second is a nod to our place in Nature and the Cosmos and addresses naturalistic symbols on various objects owned by scholars.
Bowl with the three friends of Winter ( Plum, Bamboo, Pine) circa 1426-1435
China and its Connections to the West is the theme of the third gallery and examines art forms that were floated between China, Europe and America. I particularly enjoyed the comparisons between Delft and Chinese porcelains.
Delftware plate, made in the Netherlands, 1680-1700
Dish with Dragon, made in China early 1600’s
The final exhibit underscores art owned by the Emperor and his Court. These works were loaded with symbolism and adheres to meaning and order in life.
Court robe laden with symbols
There is a hard cover companion book available in the gift shop, Art of China, Highlights from the Philadelphia Museum of Art, that is filled with beautiful photos and descriptions in case you cannot make it to the exhibition.
