Reflections of a Summer Scape: Clay, Prints and Paintings

Joan B Mirviss is pleased to present Reflections of a Summerscape: Japanese clay, prints, and paintings from June 20 to August 17, 2018. The exhibition is inspired by the colors and elements of the Japanese summer landscape from the sweltering heat of the mid-day sun to the blue-green of water, the vibrant reds of the peonies, the creamy tones of the abalone shells, the granular patterns of sand, and the smooth, carved surfaces of viewing stones.

Summer in Japan is generally scorching with the only relief from the heat being the cool clear nights. The colors red and yellow developed associations with the searing summer days while blacks and cool blue-greens became linked with the soothing temperatures of the nighttime. These colors were codified during the Heian period (794-1185). In the Edo period, firmly established colors and plant motifs came to signify specific times of the year. For June the plant was artemisia, the colors sprout green and yellow; for July, the lily and the colors red and dead-leaf yellow; and finally for August, cicades (in particular their wings) and the colors sky blue and cedar bark.

In Reflections of a Summerscape, we showcase clay works, prints and paintings that reflect the aesthetic of the Japanese summer, drawing on the associated colors as well as textures which reference the landscap's physical attributes. Thus a work by Makuzu Kōzan II (1859-1940) with it's bright yellow and cobalt blue floral patterns are featured along with subtler references such as the creamy white of a Ide Teruko (b. 1948) bowl or the fiery salmons and pinks of a Mori Tōgaku (b. 1937) vase. The ceramics' colors are enhanced and echoed by the borrowed views of foliage and buildings from nearby Madison Avenue through the gallery's windows. Additionally, we have chosen woodblock prints by Ohara Koson (1877-1945), Kawase Hasui (1883-1967) and Utagawa Hiroshige (1797-1858) for their depictions of summer themes such as verdant landscapes or birds and flowers. Paintings of early summer flowers by Yamamoto Baiitsu (1783-1856) and the summer moon in the cool of evening by Takeuchi Seihō (1864-1942) complete our gallery "summerscape".