12 Mar 2013
Opening night – at last. It had been years since Kirsten Paisley's visit to a Japanese sister city to see an internationally acclaimed exhibition of woodblock prints. An intervening national disaster – the 2011 earthquake – set its fate. It was headed for the Goulburn Valley, and on the way the curator from the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston had even stayed in the cargo-hold with the pieces.
On a balmy summer evening, to the pounding of traditional Japanese drums, over two hundred guests mingled under the giant river gum in front of the art gallery. It was a perfect setting to celebrate the showing of striking, eighteenth century Ukiyo-e prints.
"Even in Japan it is difficult to see an exhibition of so many prints by the three most famous artists of the time," said the Japanese Consulate General, Mr Hidenobu Sobajima, who formally opened the exhibition. He didn't let the opportunity pass to offer a heartfelt thanks for Australian support of earthquake victims.
Sharing the podium were: Kirsten, the director of Shepparton Art Museum; Jenny Houlihan, the mayor of Greater Shepparton; and Janet Powell, Senator for Victoria. All beamed with pride to have the rare exhibition in town for its only Australian showing.
The three masters featured in the exhibition trained their entire lives and lived amongst the subjects of their artwork. Publishers during the Edo period in Japan – keen to satisfy the appetite of urban middle class Japanese for images of beautiful women, landscapes, sumo wrestlers, and popular kabuki actors – pushed artisans to create ever more refined pieces.
The commercial prints are so striking in colour and outlined in precision, it is hard to believe they were produced before modern technology at a time when Japan was closed to the rest of the world.
The Shepparton Art Museum is also conducting a host of educational programs and events, and for a number of fortunate guests it started on opening night with a twelve course Golden Age dinner by the executive chef of the Taxi restaurant, Tony Twichett.
As the sun set, lorikeets and galahs could be heard squawking in nearby eucalypts where one hundred guests would soon sit to enjoy the candlelit dinner inspired by cuisine at the time of the Ukiyo-e.
For those not wanting to miss out on this major art event, a Japanese infused high tea on Mother's Day, a wood print workshop and a variety of talks by artists and art experts are still to come.
The Golden Age of Colour Prints: Ukiyo-e from the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston continues until
Sunday, June 2.
Text: Peter Dewer
