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contemporary Asian art

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

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

Gems of the Month: Contemporary Japanese Tea Bowls

Monday, May 8, 2023 | Karl Cole

This month’s gems are contemporary artworks that serve the ages-old Japanese tea ceremony (chanoyu or sado). Tea drinking was first introduced in Japan during the Nara period (710–794) aft ...

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Curator's Corner

Rain, Rain Go Away?: Tanya Goel

Monday, August 29, 2022 | Karl Cole

Some parts of the U.S. are experiencing too much rain, while others are in drought situations (as we are in Massachusetts). Well, the extremely hot weather worldwide, linked with the combined bamboozl ...

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Curator's Corner

Possibilities of Paper: Kim Hyung Joo

Monday, January 24, 2022 | Karl Cole

Contemporary interdisciplinary artist Kim Hyung Joo explores Korean culture in her artworks, including through papermaking and fiber arts. Means of communicating culture, such as traditional clothing ...

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Curator's Corner

Realism of Ceramics Artist Ah Leon

Monday, August 31, 2020 | Karl Cole

I was blown away the first time I saw this artist’s work, and I’m certain you will have the same reaction. We all know about the great ceramic tradition of Eastern cultures such as China, ...

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Curator's Corner

Pride Month 2020, Part 3

Monday, June 22, 2020 | Karl Cole

My Pride Month series celebrating and recognizing LGBTQI+ artists continues, acknowledging their accomplishments and contributions to the art world. Today’s post features the work of photographe ...

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Curator's Corner

Gem of the Month: Udomsak Krisanamis

Monday, June 1, 2020 | Karl Cole

Whenever I uncover an artist whose work makes me stop and say “Wha--? Wow?” then you know I am going to post about that artist. This artist’s work reminds me of the union between Abs ...

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Curator's Corner

Mail Art

Monday, May 18, 2020 | Karl Cole

SchoolArts magazine is currently inviting all art teachers to enter Pushing the Envelope: A Mail Art Gallery Show. The theme of the online exhibit is Quaranteaching in a Pandemic. Art educators are in ...

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Curator's Corner

Wearable Art for Winter

Monday, January 27, 2020 | Karl Cole

It’s winter in New England, and scarves really come in handy here. Unfortunately, they need to be warm and aren’t likely to be worn as fashion statements, as these two Yuh Okano artworks s ...

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Curator's Corner

It's Scarf Weather

Monday, December 17, 2018 | Karl Cole

I’m not sure how warm these scarves would be in winter, but they sure would be fabulous displayed over a black overcoat! The honor accorded Japanese textile art equals that of ceramics, and cert ...

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Curator's Corner

A Lyrical August Gift

Monday, August 20, 2018 | Karl Cole

I’m always wowed by color. And when I found out that the landscape-like backgrounds of this artist’s work are derived from pond scum powder (spirulina is the source, considered a healthy a ...

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Curator's Corner

Women's (Art) History Month 2018 II

Monday, March 26, 2018 | Karl Cole

I like to feature pioneering women during National Women’s (Art) History Month. The arts are obviously no exception to the fields in which women have pioneered and excelled. This is as true in J ...

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Curator's Corner

The Iconoclast (?)

Monday, September 18, 2017 | Karl Cole

It would probably take me forever to be able to say that I had “seen it all” in the world of art. You know the old expression, “just when you thought you’d seen it all,” ...

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Curator's Corner

Vietnam, part 3

Wednesday, January 18, 2017 | Karl Cole

Yesterday I told you about Vietnamese art from the 1500s. For today’s final installment in my series about Vietnamese art, let’s take a look at some contemporary art.  ...

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Curator's Corner

A National Treasure

Wednesday, July 13, 2016 | Karl Cole

Every so often it dawns on me how artists can be more than the production of their art. They can evolve to be a great gift from their country, their culture, and act as representatives of humankind&rs ...

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