Exhibition at the British Museum

+ highlight objects on display in the exhibition
+ for more information visit the British Museum site
+ for full British Museum press release
+ to buy illustrated exhibition catalogue, edited by Simon Kaner

Dogu are from the earliest-dated tradition of pottery manufacture in the world, dating to the prehistoric Jomon period, which began 16,000 years ago. Most of the figures in the exhibition are from about 2500 BC to 1000 BC (the Middle and Late Jomon periods) and show the development of the sculptural form over time. Many of the objects on display are designated Japanese National Treasures or Important Cultural Properties and all are on loan from public and private collections in Japan. Most have never been seen outside Japan before. The exhibition will also explain the origins, development and disappearance of dogu, and demonstrate how they shed light on the archaeology of prehistoric Japan.

The exhibition is sponsored by Mitsubishi Corporation. Additional support has been given by the Arts and Humanities Research Council of the UK, the Japan Foundation, and the Sainsbury Institute for the Study of Japanese Arts and Cultures. Transportation support has been provided by Japan Airlines (JAL). A Japan-UK 150 event. For further information or images please contact:
Hannah Boulton on 020 7323 8522 / hboulton@britishmuseum.org
Esme Wilson on 020 7323 8394 / ewilson@britishmuseum.org

Third Thursday Lectures

Every Third Thursday of the month, the Sainsbury Institute hosts a lecture on a topic related to the art and culture of Japan. Talks begin at 6pm (50-minute lecture followed by refreshments). Speakers are all specialists in their field and the talks are intended to be accessible to those with no prior knowledge of Japanese history. Admission is free and all are welcome. Booking essential. To book a seat email us or fax 01603 625011 up to two days before the lecture stating your name, number of seats required and a contact number. Unless indicated otherwise the lectures are held at the Sainsbury Institute, 64 The Close, Norwich NR1 4DH + map

15 October | 6pm
Love Spotting:
Intimacy and Power in Japanese Manga
Ulrich Heinze
Sasakawa Lecturer in Contemporary Japanese Visual Media
Sainsbury Institute and School of Film and Television Studies, UEA

19 November | 6pm
Turkey, China and Japan:
Three Case Studies in the Development of
Modern and Contemporary Art
David Elliott
Artistic Director, 17th Biennial of Sydney
Special venue: Blackfriars' Hall, St Andrews Plain, Norwich NR3 1AU

17 December | 6pm
Japan in Late Victorian London:
The Japanese Native Village in Knightsbridge
and The Mikado, 1885
Sir Hugh Cortazzi
Special venue: Hostry, Norwich Cathedral

Words for Design

: Museum of Asian Art, Corfu

24-25 October
Words for Design International Workshop, Corfu

The Words for Design Workshop is an international series that explore the etymology of the term 'design' in different cultural contexts by bringing together specialists from Japan, Europe and the Americas. The workshop is co-organised by Fujita Haruhiko (Professor of Aesthetics and Art Theory at the University of Osaka, Japan), Despina Zerioti (Director, Museum of Asian Art, Corfu) and Nicole Coolidge Rousmaniere (Director, Sainsbury Institute). The workshop is sponsored by the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, the Museum of Asian Art, Corfu, and the Sainsbury Institute. Speakers include:

Lasse Brunnström
Professor in Design History, School of Design and Crafts (HDK)
University of Gothenburg
Haruhiko Fujita
Professor of Aesthetics, Osaka University
Sheila Gies
Department of Clothing Design and Technology, Manchester Metropolitan University
Director, Brazil 3B Scientific Imp Exp. Ltd., Brazil.
Masatomo Kawai
Professor Emeritus, Keio University
Kazumi Murose
Urushi lacquer artists and 'Living National Treasure'
Ibrahim Soner Ozdemir
Lecturer, Yeditepe University, Turkey
Nicole Coolidge Rousmaniere
Director, Sainsbury Institute
Soranart Sinuraibhan
Associate Dean for Internal Affairs, Kyon Kaen University, Thailand
Keisuke Takayasu
Associate Professor of Aesthetics, Ehime University
Artemis Yagou
Deputy Course Leader of Interdisciplinary MA in Design,
AKTO Art and Design, Greece
Despina Zernioti
Director, Museum of Asian Art, Corfu

For more information contact sisjac@sainsbury-institute.org

Dogu Public Symposium

: Hollow masked dogu, Late Jomon (1500-1000 BC), Nakappara, Nagano prefecture, Chino City Board of Education, Important Cultural Property

7 November | 9.30am-5.30pm
Dogu: ancient art and modern inspiration

This symposium will examine the impact of dogu on art, archaeology, cultural heritage and modern identity building. The event is sponsored by the Japan Foundation, in conjunction with the The Power of Dogu exhibition at the British Museum.

Venue: Stevenson Lecture Theatre
British Museum
Free admission; booking advisable via The British Museum

+ for more information visit the British Museum site

JAPAN-UK 150

JAPAN-UK 150, a series of events in the UK organised to celebrate 150 years of friendship between two two countries, will run from autumn 2008 until the end of 2009. It will feature a wide range of activities designed to encourage exchange in such fields as culture, the arts, sport, education and science. This is an opportunity to gain fascinating insights into both the traditional and contemporary aspects of Japan.

+ JAPAN-UK 150 official site | + JAPAN-UK 150 upcoming events

To top