Artist Richard Jackson tells stories of Pasadena's art scene in the 1950s and 60s.

Last Friday, we closed out our 2011-2012 Active Cultures season with two great talks by artist Richard Jackson and architect Andrew Liang. This series has been a fascinating way for our members and visitors to engage with broad topics in new ways as two seemingly disparate topics find commonalities in an informal setting, and last week was no exception.

Richard Jackson started things off with entertaining stories about his life as an artist in Pasadena. In the 1950s and 60s, Old Town Pasadena looked very different than it does today– it was a run down, bohemian area of artist studios and dive bars, and a place where Jackson happily lived and worked for many years. In fact, the space he rented for 13 years only cost him $100 a month! He also talked at length on his work doing light construction and maintenance at the Pasadena Art Museum’s second building, now the Norton Simon. “Pasadena Art Museum kept me alive,” he said, due to the many construction problems he was often paid to fix. This job supported his passion for art for many years. Finally, he talked about how the development of Old Town, while good for the city, was bad for the artists who lived there as the area gentrified.

Andrew Liang then got up to speak on the rapid urbanization of China, joking, “Richard, if you hated the gentrification of Pasadena, you’re really going to hate this!” The numbers were staggering: by 2015, half of China’s population will live in urban areas, second only to India. Unlike urban growth in other countries, the expansion of cities are aggressively pursued by the Chinese government on a national scale, resulting in a recent explosion of growth that has taken China to its present level of urbanization in mere decades. Liang’s visual contrast between the Shanghai skyline in 1980 and today was particularly striking– while there were no high-rise buildings in the 80s, today there are twice as many as New York City.

Both speakers referenced how gentrification affects art, and expanded further once they sat down for discussion. Both stated that when artists reach a critical mass in a given area it can take on a trendy feel, attracting more people to the area and driving up rents and property values. Jackson noted how artists moved out of Pasadena once they couldn’t afford it any longer, and how the same phenomenon has taken hold in other L.A. neighborhoods like Chinatown and Culver City. Liang brought up how many Chinese municipal governments have actually created art districts where studios can be affordable as well, and how even those can become gentrified and commercialized.

Since this was our last Active Cultures of the season, we’re now looking forward to the third season of Fusion Fridays! While details are still being finalized, mark your calendars for May 18th when we’ll kick off the season in style. In the meantime, check out our recaps from last year’s Fusion Friday events here, here and here. ~CM

Cornell's "Hotel du Nord (Little Dürer)"

Art and Coffee has been a great new way for our members and visitors to learn more about our major exhibitions, and today’s event was no exception. Continuing our focus on our Pacific Standard Time show 46 N. Los Robles: A History of the Pasadena Art Museum, curator Bridget talked about Assemblage, an important movement in modern and contemporary art, and used the fantastic works in our exhibition as examples.

Assemblage developed from the pasted collages developed by French Cubists in the early 1910s. As an outgrowth of two-dimensional collage, artists put together found materials or objects creating a new three-dimensional art. The artists were also influenced by their surroundings, the buildings and cities left in fragments as a result of the First World War. Assemblage was present in New York beginning in the 1930s with Joseph Cornell and later, Robert Rauschenberg.  In 1950s California, assemblage became prominent in the work of artists like George Herms, Ed Kienholz and Llyn Foulkes, all of whom are represented in 46. N. Los Robles.

Bridget focused particularly on Joseph Cornell’s work, and began by pointing out that his work often defies categorization into one particular artistic movement. As a self-taught artist, Cornell was associated with the Surrealist movement in the 1930s and 1940s and was chiefly known for his box constructions, including Hotel du Nord (Little Dürer) in 46 N. Los Robles.  In this work Cornell framed various found objects combining the high and lowbrow, ranging from reproductions of paintings to dime-store jewelry. Bridget spoke about how Cornell would gather found objects (or send assistants out searching for him!) and wait for the perfect combination before creating a box. As with many of the works in 46 N. Los Robles, this isn’t the first time Hotel du Nord has been in this building– a Cornell retrospective was held at the Pasadena Art Museum in the 1960s (check out these fantastic pictures of the show here, including his boxes installed where our Himalayan gallery is today!).

46 N. Los Robles features many wonderful examples of Assemblage work, so make sure to check them out before the show closes on April 8. Also mark your calendar for March 9, the last Art and Coffee of this exhibition, as well as the many related programs coming up soon!~CM

Curatorial staff replacing the newly conserved roundel.

Over the past couple months, you may have noticed our lovely wooden roundel absent in the courtyard. Today, we’re happy to announce its return from rehab– at a conservation facility, of course.

Decorative elements such as these were common architectural features in China for centuries, and can still be seen today. Often gilt or painted, these carved wooden features came in all shapes and sizes to add interest to both indoor and outdoor spaces. In addition to this roundel, you can also find examples of Chinese wood carving decorations outlining the celadon doors on either side of the courtyard.

Closeup of dragon and bats on roundel, after conservation.

This particular piece features a dragon with bats among the clouds. We’ve already shared the symbolism of the dragon in Chinese culture in our Lunar New Year post. Bats are also considered lucky symbols as the Chinese word for “bat” is a homonym for “luck,” and are often shown in groups of auspicious numbers.

The roundel has a long history in our building– it hung in the courtyard in the days of Grace Nicholson, and remained in the garage of her secretary after her death as the building became the Pasadena Art Museum. When Peg and Everett Palmer and the Pacificulture Foundation moved into the space shortly after the Pasadena Art Museum relocated, they contacted the secretary and found the roundel in pieces. They painstakingly pieced it back together and hung it on the courtyard wall where it returns today.

The roundel before conservation.

Because of the inherent fragility of wood and its initially fragmented state, we brought in a conservator to improve its condition, generously funded by the Questers. The conservators acted with the goal of preserving the existing wood and paint remnants by gently cleaning the surface and applying a resin to protect the remaining paint. They also used an infill sparingly to preserve structural integrity and prevent moisture from penetrating the wood. With these methods, we’ll be able to keep this beautiful piece on display much longer. We encourage you to come see the improvements in person! ~CM

Our first guest speaker in January was Dr. Craig D. Reid, a stuntman, fight choreographer, and film historian, who spoke about The Power of 1970s Kung Fu Cinema. He shared personal anecdotes from his involvement in martial arts films, including how early on in his career he provided voiceovers for the versions of Chinese language films dubbed into English. He also gave us a broad history of these films and talked particularly about the accomplishments of Bruce Lee.

After a quick segue we heard from photographer Misty Keasler, who flew in from Dallas to discuss her study of Love Hotels: The Hidden Fantasy Rooms of Japan. In her quest to photograph these spaces intended for couples to meet in privacy, she found herself navigating aspects of these institutions not open to many, and needing to explain her interest in these extraordinarily lavishly themed rooms to hotel managers. We saw her photographs of rooms with carousel horses, Hello Kitty, and even one made to look like the inside of a subway car!

The conversation then opened up to everyone with Craig and Misty moderating and answering questions. After our formal program ended, participants stayed to have their books signed by Misty and Craig, and to continue the discussion with our speakers and friends over a glass of wine or beer. This was one of our most personal and engaging Active Cultures yet.

Missing out on the conversation? Come to our finale on February 17, 2012, at 7:30 pm, where artist Richard Jackson will speak on the development of the art scene in 1960s and 70s Pasadena and professor Andrew Liang will explore China’s rapid urbanization. Free for members, $10 general admission, and you can even reserve your tickets now on Eventbrite! See you there! ~KS

The Yangzhou performers bring several traditional Chinese stories to life. One story is that of Wu Song and the Tiger (image above). Wu Song is a fictional character who appears in Shuihu Zhuan (Water Margin), one of the four great Chinese classic novels. In this vignette, Wu Song leaves a tavern noted for its strong wine and finds himself at a ridge where a legendary man-eating tiger lives. Awoken from his wine-induced sleep, Wu Song breaks his staff trying to fend off the tiger. The weaponless Wu Song then pins the tiger and beats him to death, and finds himself a hero to the communities nearby.

The puppet performances are just one reason to visit these artists during their stay here. In the courtyard, the Jiangsu artists continue to demonstrate several traditional crafts, including sugar sculpture, paper cutting and more. The sugar sculpture might be the most unique demonstration, as the artist carefully drizzles and spreads melted sugar onto marble in beautiful, delicate designs. This traditional art form has been around for over 2,000 years, primarily in wheat-producing areas. The maltose from the wheat is commonly used in those areas, and the sugars are caramelized to a golden color before being spread onto the marble slab. This particular artist, Bolin Zhang (at right, click to enlarge) attaches a thin stick to his creations for display (and eating!).

Don’t miss the opportunity to see these artisans at work this week. They’ll be in the courtyard through Friday, and giving puppet show performances today and tomorrow at 3:30. Hope to see you here! ~CM

Visitors at the 2011 Lunar New Year Festival

The Year of the Dragon is almost here! You might think that we finished celebrating the new year a couple weeks ago, but there’s one more party to go to: Lunar New Year!

While January 1 celebrates the new year by the Gregorian calendar, many cultures traditionally celebrate by the lunar calendar, including those of China, Korea, Vietnam, Mongolia, and Tibet. In Japan, the new year has been celebrated on January 1 since the Meiji Restoration when the country officially adopted the Gregorian calendar, though the associated traditions have remained.

Lion Dance at 2011 Festival

While each culture has their own unique ways of celebrating Lunar New Year, it’s often celebrated as a family event with specific dishes; visits to a temple, shrine or other religious place; and gifts of money to children. But every culture has their own traditions as well, some of which even vary within the culture itself. Chinese celebrations are often accompanied by loud firecrackers traditionally used to scare away evil spirits. In Korea, some travel to the east coast to catch the first sunrays of the new year. And in Vietnam, sweeping is taboo during the celebration, as it symbolizes sweeping the year’s luck away.

A Korean dragon, now on view in "Auspicious Beauty"

January 23, 2012 marks the beginning of the Year of the Dragon. The dragon is one of twelve cycling zodiac signs that are assigned to each lunar year and is an auspicious sign, one of strength and good luck. Certain personality traits are popularly associated with each of the zodiac animals, and the typical “dragon” personality is no doubt related to the traditionally imperial use of the symbol: people born in the year of the dragon are thought to be noble, strong, intelligent, and passionate. This makes the year a popular one for parents– in China, more babies are born in the year of the dragon than any other year!

Every year, Los Angeles is treated to a wide variety of Lunar New Year celebrations. Last year, Pacific Asia Museum contributed our own unique event, designed to celebrate the breadth of cultures that observe the holiday. This Saturday, January 14, we’re excited to hold our second annual Lunar New Year Festival with performances, crafts, games, food trucks and more. The event is free and open to the public, and a full schedule is available on our website. Come ring in the year of the dragon at Pacific Asia Museum! ~CM

We then heard from bassist, composer and educator Cory Combs, who flew down from San Francisco to discuss modern music in Indonesia and how it shapes the nation’s cultural identity. He played clips of several music genres like traditional gamelan, American jazz and more recent developments with a variety of influences from around the world. Both speakers spoke to the role of technology in their work: from the cassette tape to meditation apps, it was clear that technology had enabled the spread and development of ideas. As Vincent and Cory  shared the stage and opened up discussion to the audience, everyone wondered to what extent cultures can exist without external influences, if something is lost from meditation if it is mediated through technology, and much more.

What’s up next? Active Cultures takes a break in December for the holidays, but we’ll be back on January 20, 2012, at 7:30 p.m., when film historian and fight choreographer Dr. Craig D. Reid will discuss The Power of 1970s Kung Fu Cinema, and photographer Misty Keasler will share images and insights from her book Love Hotels: The Hidden Fantasy Rooms of Japan. Free for members, $10 general admission. You can even reserve your tickets now on Eventbrite! ~KS

The Pasadena Art Museum’s first step on its way to becoming an artistic center was the acquisition of the Galka Scheyer collection in the early 1950s, featuring works from the “Blue Four”: Lyonel Feininger, Alexei von Jawlensky, Wassily Kandinsky, and Paul Klee. 46 N. Los Robles begins with selections by these four artists, and then examines  the continued growth of the Pasadena Art Museum. One key individual in this growth was the legendary Walter Hopps, who served as curator for many years and brought in many of the artists connected to his Ferus Gallery (who are also prominently featured in many Pacific Standard Time exhibitions). Because of the historic exhibitions that took place within our walls, including the California Design exhibitions, New Painting of Common Objects (exhibition poster at top), and many solo shows, we’ve brought in amazing works by Larry Bell, Marcel Duchamp, Robert Irwin, Ed Kienholz, Claes Oldenburg, Ken Price, Edward Ruscha, Andy Warhol, and many others to tell the story of this legendary institution.

As Pacific Asia Museum finishes its 40th Anniversary year, it’s exciting for us to look back on the entire history of our site. “I think its really important because it creates continuity for this building and this museum,” says Jay Belloli, the guest curator of the exhibition. “It was another important life in this building, and I think it’s important for the people involved in Pacific Asia Museum to be aware of it.”

Members will get a sneak peek at our opening reception tonight, the 17th, which promises to be a party to remember. Hope to see you there! ~CM

In October we heard from social researcher Alex Leavitt about the Cult of Hatsune Miku, a widely-popular singing software from Japan, and from documentary filmmaker Jennifer Maytorena Taylor about Muslim youth culture as depicted in her films New Muslim Cool and Ramadan Primetime. We saw clips that included performances of pop music by Miku and urban Muslim American hip hop in Jennifer’s film. Audience members asked many great questions and sparked exploration of new topics, including a consideration of how different dominant age demographics in Japan and the Middle East affect the youth cultures of both regions. The evening ended as audience members continued to enjoy their refreshments and their discussion with our speakers and slowly trickled out of the museum.

Sad you missed this one? Our next Active Cultures is on November 18 at 7:30 pm, where Vincent Horn will discuss Buddhist Geeks, a media project he co-founded where wisdom and technology unite, and bassist and composer Cory Combs will share his insights into the modern sounds of Indonesian music. Free for members, $10 general public, and you can even get your tickets in advance on Eventbrite! Hope to see you there! ~KS

The Joseon Dynasty was the longest-ruling Confucian dynasty in Korea, and encouraged these ideals throughout an increasingly consolidated Korean state. This period also saw the height of the classical arts and unprecedented growth in trade and scientific advancement.

The artistic golden age featured a genre of painting called minwha, or folk painting, that reflects societal values, religious ideas, and popular humor. Usually placed in a room in folding screen format or hung on walls in scroll format, this genre illustrates various subjects including scholars’ equipment, characters related to Confucian virtues, and natural themes such as birds-and-flowers and a range of animals. These minwha not only decorated the rooms of many households but were also understood to bring good luck, ward off evil spirits, and show moral virtues. In contrast to highly revered literati painting by scholar-gentlemen, minwha received little respect as an art form but continued to enjoy strong support among the growing middle class during periods of political stability.

In our exhibition,we’re showcasing an  eight-panel screen of flowers and rocks we recently acquired (shown above). The motif represents wealth and eternity, and would likely have decorated a women’s personal space to fill the household with auspicious meaning. A screen such as this one would have been prepared as a wedding dowry and cherished as a family heirloom for generations.

Auspicious Beauty: Korean Folk Painting opens Friday, October 7 and runs through March 25, 2012. But don’t wait to come see it– we’re kicking off its opening day with a special Korean Arts Council mixer following Friday’s Art and Coffee, which will discuss two key Korean pieces in our about-to-close 40 Years of Building the Pacific Asia Museum Collection. Other related programs include a Free Family Festival and a Curator’s Tour, so make sure you keep an eye on our Events Calendar so you don’t miss out!

Image:  Screen of Flowers and Rocks, Korea, Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910); 19th century. Ink and mineral pigments on silk, Pacific Asia Museum Collection, Gift of Dr. Don W. Lee in loving memory of his parents, Lee Bum-Soon and Min Young-Eui. 2009.16.4