Art

Japanese Inro

chengtsu — Fri, 13 Apr 2007 20:07:03 +0000

This book draws extensively on the Victoria & Albert Museum's collection of inro, one of the finest and most comprehensive in the world. Traditional Japanese dress did not include pockets. One of the most highly decorative pocket substitutes was the inro. Worn exclusively by men, inro were suspended from a sash by netsuke. The inro became an object of high fashion and is now prized by collectors. Profusely illustrated throughout, this book looks at the diverse origins of the inro and follows its development through to the twentieth century. It also covers the inro's construction, techniques, and materials used, and the craftsmen who made them. Photographs and transcripts of craftmen's signatures provide a useful reference for dealers and collectors. The author's original research reveals the sources of many inro designs, including paintings, ukiyo-e prints, and especially woodblock printed books. Precise dating of inro and the methods which may be used to obtain an approximate date are also discussed. Japanese Inro incorporates the very latest research and is the most comprehensive book on the subject to date. This is an excellent book for specialists, as well as anyone interested in Japanese art.

Hi, Dharma!

chengtsu — Fri, 13 Apr 2007 20:07:03 +0000

"A searing piece of work, resonant and beautifully structured."
—Time Out

In this critically acclaimed action comedy from Korea, a group of thugs running away from an escalating gang war finds refuge in a Buddhist monastery. As they don the robes and settle in, the gangsters' rascal-like behavior begins to wear on the monks, who decide to come up with a series of games for their obnoxious guests. DVD includes Dolby Digital 5.1 sound, Chapters, and Trailers.

Korean, Cantonese with on/off English subtitles. Color, 2002; 97min.

Burma

chengtsu — Fri, 13 Apr 2007 20:07:03 +0000

The academic study of Burma, especially the study of its cultural history, has been unfortunately neglected over the last 50 years -- but the conference papers published here together form a major contribution towards the redress of that neglect. This volume presents papers from a two-day conference organized in London in 2000 by The British Museum and the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London. Current research is included on the topics of prehistory, architecture (monastic and secular), the cult of the nats, lacquer, illustrated manuscripts, mural paintings, sculpture, textiles, and the Ferrars Archive of Burma photographs at the Royal Geographical Society.

The Turandot Project

Ginevra — Thu, 20 Sep 2007 17:12:31 +0000

A fascinating chronicle of an unprecedented cross-cultural collaboration. In 1997 renowned conductor Zubin Mehta and celebrated Chinese film director Zhang Yimou joined forces on a production of Puccini’s opera Turandot in the Forbidden City of Beijing. The production was an undertaking on an epic scale with enormous sets, breathtaking hand-sewn Ming Dynasty costumes and hundreds of soldiers posing as extras. A fascinating chronicle of an unprecedented cross-cultural collaboration, The Turandot Project combines the pageantry of this opulent opera production with a spectacular cinematic portrait of the struggles and triumphs of Zubin Mehta and Zhang Yimou to mount their production in this most historic venue of China. In English, Italian and Mandarin with English subtitles.

Lu Yanshao

Eve — Thu, 09 Aug 2007 21:03:35 +0000

Throughout the ages, Chinese painters have experimented with a myriad of styles and techniques in order to express their emotions and personal aesthetic, as well as express a philosophical point of view. In the twentieth century, Chinese painting has taken on new meaning and forms as artists integrate Western aesthetic ideas and reinvent their individual visions of beauty and of the world. The East Asian Paintings Modern Chinese Masters series provides an introduction to several of the most famous modern Chinese painters, including clear full-color photographs and close-ups that provide insight into each artist's painting style. A short collection of quotes at the end of each book summarizes the artist’s philosophy on life and art.

Wu Changshuo

Eve — Thu, 09 Aug 2007 21:01:41 +0000

Qian Songyan

Eve — Thu, 09 Aug 2007 20:59:22 +0000