College of East Asian Studies

Opening Reception:
Wednesday, September 12, 2018 at 12:00pm
College of East Asian Studies Gallery
FREE!

For more than a century, American artists, architects and landscape designers have been inspired by the beauty, simplicity and underlying philosophy of traditional Japanese arts. The aesthetic characteristics that inform these arts and the underlying spiritual basis can be traced back to monasteries in China and Japan where they have evolved for over a thousand years in the arts of Zen. This exhibition explores the prominent role and significance of the tea ceremony as an art and spiritual practice in China and Japan. Objects displayed have been selected from the Wesleyan collection and loaned by tea enthusiasts in the Wesleyan community. Several media are represented, including ceramics, lacquer ware, bamboo, wood, iron, textiles and calligraphy. In addition, photographs from National Geographic photographer Michael Yamashita ’71 will be featured. This exhibition is curated by Stephen A. Morrell and supported by a grant from the Freeman Foundation.

Tea from Uji, Japan served during exhibition programs is provided by, Great Eastern Sun, Asheville, NC.

RELATED EVENTS (Free and open to the public)

Tea Ceremony Talk and Demonstration with Curator Stephen Morrell
Monday, September 24, 2018 at 4:30pm
College of East Asian Studies Gallery at Mansfield Freeman Center

Film Screening: Rikyu (1989)
Directed by Hiroshi Teshigahara
Monday, October 1, 2018 at 4:30pm
Seminar Room, Mansfield Freeman Center

Gallery Talk with Curator Stephen Morrell
Saturday, October 13, 2018 at 2pm
College of East Asian Studies Gallery at Mansfield Freeman Center

Lecture by Assistant Professor of Art History Talia Andrei: Tea Culture and Japanese Aesthetics
Wednesday, October 17, 2018 at 4:30pm
Seminar Room, Mansfield Freeman Center

Tea Ceremony with Ikumi Kamanishi and Curator Stephen Morrell
Saturday, November 3, 2018 at 2pm
College of East Asian Studies Gallery at Mansfield Freeman Center

Sung Poetry and Tea with Assistant Professor of East Asian Studies Ao Wang and Curator Stephen Morrell
Tuesday, November 6, 2018 at 4:30pm
College of East Asian Studies Gallery at Mansfield Freeman Center

Listen to Associate Director of Visual Arts Benjamin Chaffee interview Curator Stephen Morrell about the exhibition on the Center for the Arts Radio Hour here (starting at 23:00):

GALLERY HOURS
Open Monday through Friday, 12pm-4pm
(The exhibition will also be open two Saturdays: October 13 and November 3, 2018, 12pm-4pm)

The exhibition will be closed Saturday, October 20 through Tuesday, October 23, 2018; and Saturday, November 17 through Sunday, November 25, 2018.

College of East Asian Studies, Wesleyan University
Mansfield Freeman Center for East Asian Studies
343 Washington Terrace, Middletown CT 06457
860-685-2330

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