ENVISIONING THE 'NEW WOMAN': SEITO MAGAZINE AND FEMINIST AESTHETICS IN MODERN JAPAN
Erin Kelley
The visual and textual content of women's magazines from the late Meiji through the early Taisho periods constructed a public space in which female artists, intellectuals, and even housewives had the opportunity to express themselves and further a new definition of modern Japanese womanhood. This paper analyzes the content and development of the all-female literary magazine Seito in relationship to the magazine's publisher and founder Hiratsuka Raicho. By constructing an image of the 'New woman' that represented her as both a singular person and as a universal symbol of womanhood, Seito promoted a new feminist aesthetic within modern Japanese culture.
Erin Kelley
The visual and textual content of women's magazines from the late Meiji through the early Taisho periods constructed a public space in which female artists, intellectuals, and even housewives had the opportunity to express themselves and further a new definition of modern Japanese womanhood. This paper analyzes the content and development of the all-female literary magazine Seito in relationship to the magazine's publisher and founder Hiratsuka Raicho. By constructing an image of the 'New woman' that represented her as both a singular person and as a universal symbol of womanhood, Seito promoted a new feminist aesthetic within modern Japanese culture.
MAKING EMPTINESS VISIBLE: SONAM DOLMA AND CONTEMPORARY TIBETAN ABSTRACTION
Regina Höfer
As a recent phenomena, contemporary Tibetan art is about to localize itself within the academic discourse of global art and the art market. After a short introduction into the peculiarities of modern Tibetan art against the background of tradition, this paper introduces the work of Tibetan artist and Swiss resident Sonam Dolma. Contrary to most of her fellow painters, Dolma works abstractly and has clear conceptions of her role as an “ethnic painter”, the influence of Buddhist concepts on her work, and her position within the “local or global art context.”
Regina Höfer
As a recent phenomena, contemporary Tibetan art is about to localize itself within the academic discourse of global art and the art market. After a short introduction into the peculiarities of modern Tibetan art against the background of tradition, this paper introduces the work of Tibetan artist and Swiss resident Sonam Dolma. Contrary to most of her fellow painters, Dolma works abstractly and has clear conceptions of her role as an “ethnic painter”, the influence of Buddhist concepts on her work, and her position within the “local or global art context.”
ARTIST'S PORTFOLIO: PAST 3/11, ISHINOMAKI IS STILL BEAUTIFUL
Peter Davidson
In July this year Davidson was invited to visit a remote fishing village, Ishinomaki, that had been mostly destroyed by the earthquake and tsunami on the eleventh of March. His purpose was to capture some views of the devastation, with a view towards a more positive future for this town. The forty metre high tsunami had left the harbor largely empty of fishing vessels, and whilst one walked silently and alone on a bright sunny day, one could not help but feel
sorrow for those who were no longer with us as a result of the events of 3/11.
Peter Davidson
In July this year Davidson was invited to visit a remote fishing village, Ishinomaki, that had been mostly destroyed by the earthquake and tsunami on the eleventh of March. His purpose was to capture some views of the devastation, with a view towards a more positive future for this town. The forty metre high tsunami had left the harbor largely empty of fishing vessels, and whilst one walked silently and alone on a bright sunny day, one could not help but feel
sorrow for those who were no longer with us as a result of the events of 3/11.
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PURE VIEWS: THE CHENGDU BIENNALE
Yang Wang
Periodic international art exhibitions, pioneered by the Venice Biennale, have continually brought recognition to their host cities. The Chinese city of Chengdu is solidly positioned as
the western capital of contemporary China. Recognized by Chinese people as a laid-back yet modern city that has handled the country’s rapid growth with more grace than most, Chengdu does not yet fully register on the international scale. City leaders want to change that. Rich in ancient art history, boasting pre-Han-dynasty sites and the enigmatic Sanxingdui bronzes, Chengdu is also well endowed in natural resources and enjoys a thriving economy. The official poster for the biennale emphasizes the pristine, verdant beauty of Sichuan province. Despite an acknowledgement of environmental loss, the exhibition relays the overall message that at least in Chengdu, man and nature can and will continue to harmoniously co-exist, albeit with the help of human innovation and technology.
Yang Wang
Periodic international art exhibitions, pioneered by the Venice Biennale, have continually brought recognition to their host cities. The Chinese city of Chengdu is solidly positioned as
the western capital of contemporary China. Recognized by Chinese people as a laid-back yet modern city that has handled the country’s rapid growth with more grace than most, Chengdu does not yet fully register on the international scale. City leaders want to change that. Rich in ancient art history, boasting pre-Han-dynasty sites and the enigmatic Sanxingdui bronzes, Chengdu is also well endowed in natural resources and enjoys a thriving economy. The official poster for the biennale emphasizes the pristine, verdant beauty of Sichuan province. Despite an acknowledgement of environmental loss, the exhibition relays the overall message that at least in Chengdu, man and nature can and will continue to harmoniously co-exist, albeit with the help of human innovation and technology.
This issue examines how changes in context affect art production, concentrating on artists and works made in transitional moments of upheaval or confrontation. Eiren Shea Warneck's paper on Chinese painter Zao Wou-ki examines how traditional art historical contexts continue to be influential within a cosmopolitan diaspora, against a background of emigration and exile rendered by political events. Erin Kelley's paper considers the visual culture of early Japanese feminist publications, examining how their progressive aesthetics came to be distinct from conventional and mainstream Japanese representations during the early twentieth century. Caleb Simmons' piece on representations of the goddess Durga in works by contemporary artists, both in India and internationally, describes the valency of traditional iconographies within a globalised discourse, while Regina Höfer's article on Tibetan artist Sonam Dolma similarly interrogates the impact of tradition and stereotyping on the international reception of Tibetan contemporary art. Yang Wang reviews the recent Chengdu biennale, critically examining the role of culture in urban regional development. The issue concludes with a portfolio of detailed sketches, photographs and new paintings by Peter Davidson exploring the aftermath of the Tohoku earthquake, accompanied by an eye-witness account of his recent visit to Ishinomaki, one of the worst affected regions in Japan.
THE GRAPHIC GODDESS: MAHISASURAMARDINI IN THE MODERN ART WORLD
Caleb Simmons
This paper examines six artists who have created Mahisasuramardini, images of the goddess Durga slaying the buffalo-demon, including Maqbool Fida Husain, Bikash Bhattacharya, Tyeb Mehta, Vinod Dave, Roberto Custodio, and Arjuna. The paper focuses on the issues that arise when a divine character is depicted without its traditional ritual setting, becoming a site for individual interpretation and, simultaneously, group cultural identity. Modern concerns force the artist and the audience to reconsider their conception of the divine; in the images under discussion, this ‘theological’ evolution is visible. This article discusses how images of Mahisasuramardini have reformulated human understanding of the relationship with the divine, as the distance between the sacred and the mundane in the human-divine continuum is eroded through reconstruction as allegory.
Caleb Simmons
This paper examines six artists who have created Mahisasuramardini, images of the goddess Durga slaying the buffalo-demon, including Maqbool Fida Husain, Bikash Bhattacharya, Tyeb Mehta, Vinod Dave, Roberto Custodio, and Arjuna. The paper focuses on the issues that arise when a divine character is depicted without its traditional ritual setting, becoming a site for individual interpretation and, simultaneously, group cultural identity. Modern concerns force the artist and the audience to reconsider their conception of the divine; in the images under discussion, this ‘theological’ evolution is visible. This article discusses how images of Mahisasuramardini have reformulated human understanding of the relationship with the divine, as the distance between the sacred and the mundane in the human-divine continuum is eroded through reconstruction as allegory.
THE CHINESE ELEMENTS OF ZAO WOU-KI'S ABSTRACTION
Eiren Shea Warneck
Zao Wou-ki has lived and worked in Paris since 1948, and through much of his career attempted to distance himself from his Chinese roots. Seemingly in accordance with this desire, most of what has been written about Zao’s work has only briefly, if at all, mentioned Chinese influences on Zao’s work. Nevertheless, Zao was given a classical training in traditional Chinese painting and calligraphy, and ignoring this important aspect of his work does not allow for a complete understanding of his oeuvre. While there are many ways to situate Zao’s oeuvre in the context of the history of Chinese painting, here Zao’s paintings will be looked at in comparison with Chinese texts on painting dating from the Tang to Qing dynasties. This exercise will highlight aspects of Zao’s works that may be connected with the history of Chinese art, thus filling in gaps in scholarship on Zao’spainting as a whole.
Eiren Shea Warneck
Zao Wou-ki has lived and worked in Paris since 1948, and through much of his career attempted to distance himself from his Chinese roots. Seemingly in accordance with this desire, most of what has been written about Zao’s work has only briefly, if at all, mentioned Chinese influences on Zao’s work. Nevertheless, Zao was given a classical training in traditional Chinese painting and calligraphy, and ignoring this important aspect of his work does not allow for a complete understanding of his oeuvre. While there are many ways to situate Zao’s oeuvre in the context of the history of Chinese painting, here Zao’s paintings will be looked at in comparison with Chinese texts on painting dating from the Tang to Qing dynasties. This exercise will highlight aspects of Zao’s works that may be connected with the history of Chinese art, thus filling in gaps in scholarship on Zao’spainting as a whole.
