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Japanese art

Curator's Corner

Visualizing Cold in Works of Art

Monday, January 27, 2025 | Karl Cole

It probably does not need saying by now, but the last week has been quite cold in New England. I thought it might be interesting to see how artists visually interpret the idea of “cold.”&n ...

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Curator's Corner

Humor in Art Since the 1500s

Monday, January 13, 2025 | Karl Cole

Now that winter has set in with a vengeance, I think it is the perfect time to look at some art that can elicit a smile. ...

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Curator's Corner

Happy New Year 2025: teamLab

Monday, December 30, 2024 | Karl Cole

I can’t think of a nicer way to end 2024’s blog posts than with images from the beautiful immersive digital installation, Proliferating Immense Life - A Whole Year per Year, by the Japanes ...

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Curator's Corner

International Pomegranate Month: Lu Zonggui and Keiko Mori

Monday, November 11, 2024 | Karl Cole

I can’t find anything about the history of International Pomegranate Month. However, I think pomegranate juice is yummy (and good for you), so let’s celebrate the month with art! ...

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Curator's Corner

Gem of the Month: Shirō Kasamatsu

Monday, October 28, 2024 | Karl Cole

Ukiyo-e was a woodblock print aesthetic that was popular from the late 1600s to the mid 1800s. The genre developed a visual vocabulary that documented the entertainments of Japanese urban centers, par ...

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Curator's Corner

Gem of the Month: Naoki Takeyama

Monday, September 9, 2024 | Karl Cole

If you are fascinated by the ancient art form of cloisonné enamel, then you will be even more excited to see the art of Naoki Takeyama. His enameled copper works are simply stunning! ...

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Curator's Corner

Art for National Peach Month 2024

Monday, August 19, 2024 | Karl Cole

August was first declared National Peach Month in the United States in 1982. Since August is the month when peaches are supposed to be at their peak ripeness, let’s look at some works of art tha ...

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Curator's Corner

August is National Dog Month: Maruyama Ōkyo

Monday, August 5, 2024 | Karl Cole

I recently learned that August is celebrated as National Dog Month. I’m all for a month dedicated to those loyal and darling fellow sentients! A well-known doggy treat maker announced the month- ...

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Curator's Corner

Summer Weather: Kanō Yôsen'in Korenobu

Monday, July 22, 2024 | Karl Cole

July usually brings some steamy weather days to summer in New England. I’m sure we all know what it’s like when it’s already hot and humid and then it rains, adding a further haze to ...

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Curator's Corner

Gem of the Month: Kyoko Tokumaru

Monday, June 10, 2024 | Karl Cole

Kyoko Tokumaru is a brilliant sculptor who creates organic forms in ceramics, fashioning complex pieces out of hard-to-work-with porcelain. Like many contemporary clay sculptures, Tokumaru’s wor ...

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Curator's Corner

Gem of the Month: Kumi Sugaï

Monday, March 18, 2024 | Karl Cole

Abstraction was not an invention of Western artists in the early 1900s. The following definitions indicate that abstraction has been part of art throughout the world since the cave paintings of pre-hi ...

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Curator's Corner

Happy New Year: Kamisaka Sekka

Tuesday, January 2, 2024 | Karl Cole

What better way to wish "Happy New Year" to all than with a beautiful painting of the sacred Mount Fuji! ...

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Curator's Corner

Japanese Fashion: Yamamoto Kansai

Monday, December 11, 2023 | Karl Cole

Having studied fashion history in college, I’m always keen on researching unconventional designers. Kansai Yamamoto certainly fills that bill. His outstandingly avant-garde designs helped advanc ...

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Curator's Corner

It's Still Autumn: Noguchi Shōhin

Monday, December 4, 2023 | Karl Cole

It may feel like winter, but technically it’s still autumn until the 21st of December. I like nothing better than celebrating autumn—my favorite season in New England—with an artist ...

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Curator's Corner

The Intangible in Japanese Photography

Monday, October 30, 2023 | Karl Cole

Traditional reverence for nature—a mainstay in most Japanese art forms throughout art history—continues in the work of contemporary Japanese artists. After a couple of beautifully foggy mo ...

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Curator's Corner

Do Not Deface! Historic Sites to Visit Respectfully

Monday, July 24, 2023 | Karl Cole

As an art historian and artist, I am appalled by recent incidents of tourists defacing the Colosseum (72–80 CE) in Rome and Toshodai-ji (founded 759 CE) in Nara, Japan, with their initials. It i ...

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