On Tuesday March 1, 2022, Joseph Gallivan interviews Sarah-Kate Nomura about Fashion and Fantasy: The Art of Netsuke [PRONOUNCED NET-scay] Carvings, which is on now at Portland Japanese Garden through April 17. Netsuke were toggles which were for holding a purse or pouch on to the belt of a kimono. Nomura talks about how they were a subtle style accessory in the Edo period. She takes us through the different themes of mythical figures, animals and human characters that typify these pocket-sized sculptures, which were carved from ivory and hard woods. And she shows off the masterful miniature works such as a birds nest with eggs trapped inside it, caricatures of tradespeople, and the gothic imagery of snakes and skulls.
This show was recorded on a Zoom H2N recorder Feb 23, 2022
FROM THE PRESS RELEASE
https://www.japanesegarden.org/events/fashion-and-fantasy-the-art-of-net...
Once immensely popular across Japan, netsuke (pronounced nets-keh), small accessories fashioned from wood, ivory, or porcelain, blurred the lines between function and art in their heyday. Fashion and Fantasy will showcase the fascinating world of these miniature Japanese carvings traditionally used to secure small pouches to men’s pocketless kimonos.
The first netsuke were made of small, dried gourds, slender pieces of wood or bamboo sticks. These rudimentary toggles developed into exquisite artistic carvings with the help of a subversive and fashionable mercantile class. During the Edo period (1603–1868), numerous edicts prevented the lower classes—farmers, craftsmen and merchants—from displaying opulence, while the upper warrior class enjoyed access to more refined and lavish clothes, houses and jewelry.
Netsuke, however, were technically functional objects and were thus allowed to be worn by the increasingly wealthy mercantile class. Netsuke developed into increasingly intricate, masterfully carved figures that displayed a delightful diversity of materials, styles and themes. Small and inconspicuous, netsuke encapsulated the aesthetic sense of iki, the fashionable, subdued elegance of the urban chic of Edo-period Japan.
“It seemed fitting to give the netsuke collection to the Garden as they do such a good job of showcasing Japanese culture. I have seen a sundial in another garden that was inscribed with the phrase, ‘Time began in a garden.’ Surely, that is true.”
JAMES R. COONAN
Drawing on a recent gift from The Netsuke Collection of James R. Coonan, Denise C. Bates and Lurline C. Menzies, this exhibition explores the breathtaking stories, artistic expression and imagination that netsuke capture. Each netsuke is highly detailed, imaginatively depicting people and animals from everyday life as well as folktales and fables. As you stroll across the manicured landscapes of Portland Japanese Garden, discover the whimsical world of these miniature fashion statements.
Exhibition Guest Director: Imme Hüttmann
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Joseph Gallivan has been a reporter since 1990. He has covered music for the London Independent, Technology for the New York Post, and arts and culture for the Portland Tribune, where he is currently a Feature Writer. He is the author of two novels, "Oi, Ref!" and "England All Over" which are available on Amazon.com
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