“Transformation: Modern Japanese Art,” a new exhibition at the Honolulu Museum of Art, explores trends and developments in Japanese art from the 1870s to the 1950s, a period of tremendous change that brought modernization and industrialization and other Western ideas to the country.
“Prior to the 1850s, Japan had been isolated by government policies for more than two centuries,” said Shawn Eichman, the museum’s curator of Asian art. “There was very limited contact with the outside world.” That even included China, the major influence on Japan for centuries, he said.
Shortly after the Meiji Restoration in the late 1860s, such contacts began to be restored, and Japanese artists traveled to China and “came back with new depictions of Chinese themes and Chinese subjects,” he said. A section of the new exhibition, Continental Influence, reflects those ties.
Meanwhile, politically, the changes in Japan brought expansionist ideas, and Japan engaged in war with Russia, China and Korea. A painting in the show, of the scenic Diamond Mountains (in North Korea) painted during the Korean colonial period, reflects those ambitions. “It’s one of the more interesting paintings in the exhibit,” Eichman said.
The exhibition also has a section on the development of public education in Japan and its impact on the arts. “For the first time, really in all of history, art becomes something that is widely available to the public, and not just to a limited group of people with the means to collect art for themselves,” Eichman said. The study of art moved from exclusive masters to public education, where one could learn from several artists and study Western techniques, he said. A number of the artists in the exhibit originally studied oil painting, while others got their professional start creating illustrations for newspapers before moving to traditional brush painting, he said.
Some of the paintings in the show, which are from the collection of respected collector Terry Welch, are from national exhibitions that the Japanese government created in the 1870s as a way to suggest that “a new national style might be developed,” Eichman said.
“Transformation” is open through Oct. 15. The museum is at 900 S. Beretania St. and is open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sundays, Wednesdays and Thursdays; and 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays. $20 for adults, $10 for kamaaina. Children and members are free. honolulumuseum.org
More art happenings around town:
>> At the Hawaii State Art Museum, the exhibit “Fear of the Unknown” depicts a dark vision that contrasts with the tropical colors and sunny landscapes often seen in local art. The installation features works that often appear foreboding, such as Sally French’s painting “The Intruder,” inspired by a violent break-in of her neighbor’s home, or “Intimate Vast,” a sculpture by Nathan Ditzler and Laura Konecne that depicts tiny astronauts exploring a cratered landscape. Even Herb Kane, known for his elegant paintings of Polynesian seafaring vessels, represents “The Discovery of Hawaii” as a canoe surfing a big swell into a volcano-lit sunset. Open through September. Hawaii State Art Museum, at 250 S. Hotel St., is open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Mondays to Saturdays. hisam.hawaii.gov
>> Downtown Art Center hosts “Surrounded by Water,” an exhibition presented by the Hawai‘i Handweavers’ Hui and the Glass Fusion Collective, from Wednesday through Aug. 19. Artists were asked to consider how being surrounded by water affects individuals and communities in Hawaii, other islands and the world at large. Stacie Robinson, a researcher on monk seals and a ceramicist, juried the show. And after a popular exhibit in 2021, DAC brings back the work of famed printer John Kelly and his wife, sculptor and photographer Kate Kelly, from Tuesday through Aug. 13. The couple lived near a fishing village on Black Point from the 1930s to the ’50s, and Kate Kelly photographed the inhabitants at work and play. John Kelly is perhaps best known for the stylish illustrations he created for Matson ocean liners. Downtown Art Center, 1041 Nuuanu Ave., is open 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesdays to Sundays. A reception will be held First Friday from 5:30 to 8 p.m. downtownarthi.org
>> The Arts at Marks Garage hosts the exhibit “It’s Elemental,” featuring works inspired by the four classical elements: earth, water, air and fire. This week, a First Friday reception will be held from 5 to 8 p.m. The gallery, at 1159 Nuuanu Ave., is open noon to 5 p.m. Tuesdays to Saturdays. artsatmarks.com
