Exhibition Talk: Hidden Beauty in Edo Design

Late-Edo-period design in both textiles and lacquerware is distinguished by a penchant for near-invisible tiny details and minutely worked techniques that situate value in time and skill rather than precious materials. This program discusses the philosophical and practical background to iki — an understated aesthetic that characterizes much of Shibata Zeshin’s work — and examines the beauty of hidden design in Japanese and Western culture. Panelists Sharon S. Takeda, Senior Curator and Department Head, Costumes and Textiles at Los Angeles County Museum and distinguished independent scholar Terry Satsuki Milhaupt join curator Joe Earle in a dialogue on a variety of topics, including the impact of Western design on Japan and, reciprocally, Japan’s influence on the West. Followed by a reception.

Tickets: $10/$8 Japan Society members, $5 seniors & students. Please call the Box Office at (212) 715-1258, Mon. – Fri. 11 am – 6 pm, Weekends 11 am – 5 pm.