Events

Jorge Welsh Works of Art 2022 exhibition Okimono: Japanese Porcelain Figures from the Edo Period, is dedicated to the theme of Japanese porcelain in the form of human and animal figures, mostly produced for the export market during the second half of the 17th and 18th centuries. The animals represented are usually found amongst Japanese iconography, whilst the human figures are inspired by Japanese cosmopolitan society, deities and legendary local heroes. The nature of the trade for Japanese porcelain has determined the rarity of these pieces, which, combined with their decorative, formal beauty, as well as their quality, made them highly appreciated in Europe, and may also have appealed to the Japanese domestic market.

This exhibition presents over 80 individual pieces, of which 75 are illustrated and discussed in the catalogue, along with an introductory article by Professor Christiaan Jörg. Through extensive documentation and supporting images, he analyses various aspects related to the theme of Japanese porcelain figures, including the origin and presence of these pieces in the most relevant European collections from the second half of the 17th century.

The Japanese dye ‘beni’, made from safflower petals, produces red hues and an iridescent green. This display reveals its many uses in fashion, from heel-less shoes by Noritaka Tatehana, to textiles, cosmetics and ukiyo-e woodblock prints.

In collaboration with the Royal Academy, Hanga Ten presents a selection of prints celebrating the works of contemporary Japanese printmakers. The works of artists Katsunori Hamanishi, Kazuyuki Ohtsu, Ray Morimura, Nana Shiomi and Hiromitsu Takahashi are on display at the Burlington Gardens Shop and Entrance, as well as the RA Shop Website during the RA’s exhibition “Kyosai: The Israel Goldman Collection”

For the first time, an antique gallery brings a selected collection of ancient objects demonstrating the female form. Ranging from millions years ago through to the Chinese Tang dynasty (618-907 CE), females did not only show their charm and elegance, but they also highlight the cultural exchange of fashion between the East and the West. The four sculptures are accompanied by paintings and other works showcasing the female form.

by appointment only

敬請預約觀展

Special in person events will take place along side the exhibition in the gallery. Please check our event page and register for the limited places.

Open 7 Feb–26 Jun 2022

Gallery 8

Admission is FREE, but a free Museum ticket is required

This exhibition is informed by the time Ali Kazim, one of the most exciting artists working in Pakistan today, spent in the Ashmolean.

During a residency in 2019, Kazim spent days browsing through the Museum’s South Asian collection, examining several objects up close. Kazim’s engagement with the material and visual traditions – for example, how a small clay sculpture or a fingerprint can connect us, directly and viscerally, to the people who originally made and used them – encourages us in turn to reflect on how the past informs and influences the present.

Curated by Dr Mallica Kumbera Landrus, Keeper of the Department of Eastern Art and Senior Curator of Indian, Himalayan and Southeast Asian Art, in collaboration with the artist, the exhibition will feature Ashmolean objects alongside paintings, sculptures and installations by Kazim. The exhibition coinsides with the 75^th anniversary of Pakistan’s creation.

The exhibition is accompanied by a catalogue supported by the Elie Khouri Art Foundation.

All Images: © Ali Kazim, Courtesy Jhaveri Contemporary

Open until 2 May 2022

Gallery 29

Admission is FREE, but a free Museum ticket is required

Over many decades, artist Naoko Matsubara (b. 1937) has been working on a series of woodcuts exploring the human hand — engaged in sport, dance, music, prayer or a variety of creative acts.

This exhibition celebrates an artistic collaboration between Naoko Matsubara and prize-winning poet Penny Boxall, who has responded to the woodcuts in a series of short poems, and is accompanied by a publication.

Komai Tetsuro (1920–1976), Vision of a Moment, etching, 1950

Gallery 11

Admission is FREE, but a free Museum ticket is required

In 1961 the Japanese government presented the Ashmolean Museum with a set of forty works by Japan’s leading contemporary print artists. The gift was part of a cultural exchange between the UK and Japan, and also celebrated the establishment of a new Eastern Art Department in the museum.

This exhibition commemorates the 60th anniversary of this extraordinary gift and of the founding of the Eastern Art Department. It includes a range of abstract and figurative works, including woodblock prints, mezzotints and lithographs – all examples of sōsaku hanga ‘Creative Prints’, made by artists who embraced modernist ideals of artistic self-expression.

While Creative Print artists had begun transforming Japanese printmaking in the first decades of the twentieth century, it was in the 1950s that they first achieved widespread international acclaim. ‘Vision of a Moment’ presents a snapshot of the art of Japanese printmaking at this golden moment in its history.

Image: Komai Tetsuro (1920–1976), Vision of a Moment, etching, 1950

For the first time, 75 netsuke from Bristol’s collection will go on display in the Eastern Art Gallery.

These finely carved miniature sculptures were Japan’s solution to a lack of pockets in men’s kimono and other clothing.

Each one is unique and they depict a huge range of subjects from Japanese popular culture – animals, mythical creatures and people as well legendary gods and heroes. Marvel at the breathtaking carving skills and the huge range of stories they tell.

During the Edo Period (1603-1868), men would hang small personal items on woven silk cords and tuck them into their sashes at the waist. Netsuke acted as toggles to stop the suspended objects from slipping.

When western clothing with pockets became increasingly fashionable in the Meiji Period (1868-1912), there was a declining demand for them. Carvers turned their skills toward intricate ornamental carvings called okimono. As purely decorative items, okimono usually have more delicate parts and are slightly larger than netsuke.

Both netsuke and okimono offer a fascinating glimpse into popular Japanese culture.

Including flower vessels, incense utensils, writing tools and accessories, this exhibition remembers the original functions of many objects in the collection

Featuring historic pieces from the V&A’s Asian and European ceramics collections, as well as new works by six contemporary makers.

To showcase the Burrell’s Chinese collection, curator Dr Yupin Chung and guest curator Jorge Welsh have selected 60 objects. Explore how tastes in fashion influence where artistic masterpieces ‘wander’ to.

The first coffee house in England opened in Oxford in 1651, but the story of coffee began many years earlier in the Ottoman Empire. Discover how coffee made its way to England through an exploration of both Ottoman coffee-related objects and English adaptations, which illustrate the fascinating and complex relationship between the two powers at the time.

Organised by: Royal Society of Sculptors

Chinese artist Cai Guo-Qiang (b. 1957) is best-known for his gunpowder explosion events staged in public spaces worldwide and, in particular, for his firework display for the opening ceremonies of the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing. This exhibition focuses on the artist’s smaller-scale works, exploring the presence of Chinese culture in his art through the mediums of painting, drawing, and gunpowder on canvas, paper and silk. Learn about the significance behind the materials Cai Guo-Qiang chooses to work with, as well as the ways he adapts them to explore his own central themes of creation, destruction and chance.

A small display depicting day-to-day life of Buddhist monks and lay communities at the World Heritage Site of Luang Prabang.