TAASA Review Issues

This September issue of the TAASA Review has an East Asian flavour, in part reflecting several exhibitions that are on show over the next months.

We cover three in Sydney. At the Art Gallery of NSW, an exhibition of Yoshitoshi’s masterful One Hundred Aspects of the Moon represents the first time the Gallery has shown this complete woodblock print series from its own collection. In our article, curator Natalie Seiz focuses on the central and complex representation of women in these prints. Elicia O’Reilly discusses a fascinating photography exhibition on the artistry of Japanese tattooing at the Japan Foundation. Finally, we are given an overview of an exhibition Floating Time drawn from the University of Sydney’s Art Gallery collection of Chinese prints from the 2nd half of last century by Minerva Inwald, one of its curators.

A number of other articles also deal with East Asian topics. The influence of Korean aesthetics on Yanagi Sōetsu, founder of the Folk Craft Movement in the 1920’s and the Japan Folk Crafts Museum (Nihon Mingeikan) in Tokyo is explored by Penny Bailey. Chiaki Ajioka provides us with an overview of the work of Onchi Kōshirō, foremost leader and theorist of Japanese modernist prints known as sōsaku hanga (creative prints) which emerged at the beginning of the 20th century. A major retrospective of his work was held at the National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo earlier this year. We are also really pleased to offer an exclusive interview of Australian – Chinese artist Ah Xian by Yvett Klein which explores some of the personal experiences that influenced his creative development.

The rest of Asia is not neglected in this issue. The work of Javanese Australian artist Jumaadi, part of  the MCA’s exhibition Telling Tales: Excursions in Narrative Form is a contemporary interpretation of traditional Javanese shadow puppet theatre. Barbara Hatley walks us through this imaginative and vivid multi-media work which reflects Jumaadi’s re-engagement with the Javanese village in which he grew up.

A less often traversed topic is covered by Ken Parry, who reviews an exhibition at Singapore’s Asian Civilizations Museum on Christianity in Asia: Sacred Art and Visual Splendour. Ken was one of the international scholars invited to contribute to the important catalogue produced as part of this exhibition.

Remaining articles cover textiles, ceramics, painting and photography. John Yu shares his experiences in visiting less well known ceramic producing areas in Northern Thailand, particularly at Kalong. Jim Masselos draws on his deep expertise in reviewing a splendid double publication on objects from the Jaipur Court Collection: textiles and garments in one volume and painting and photography in the other. Gael Newton covers the recent scholarly work by Australian art historian Luke Gartlan which reappraises the career and photographic legacy of Austro-Hungarian Baron Raimund von Stillfried, who worked in Yokohama and then Singapore and Bangkok in the 1870’s and 80’s.

Two further book reviews will interest textile enthusiasts: Christina Sumner reviews The Art of Gold Embroidery in Uzbekistan by Suzanne Pennell and Dana McCown presents Textiles of the Banjara by Charlotte Kwon and Tim McLaughlin.

And as usual, you will find a wide range of TAASA events – past and future – listed in the final pages of this issue.

TAASA AGM

The TAASA AGM held on 6 June 2016 was brief but momentous. Gill Green stepped down as TAASA President after 6 years and we welcomed our new President, Jackie Menzies. Vice President Ann Proctor, on behalf of all TAASA members, thanked Gill for her dedication and enormous contribution, and handed her a certificate awarding her Honorary Life Membership of TAASA. Please see our tribute to Gill on p29. In addition, Todd Sunderman, Christina Sumner and Min-Jung Kim were welcomed for a further 3 year term; Bev Dunbar and Jillian Kennedy  have moved from one to three year terms, and Jackie Menzies and Melanie Eastburn joined the Committee. Stepping down from the Committee were Gill Green, Natalie Seiz and Dy Andreason, who has been replaced as TAASA Secretary by Jillian Kennedy. Our heartfelt thanks to retiring Committee members for their contribution to TAASA.