tag:peatix.com,2011:1 2024-06-26T22:14:37+08:00 Peatix Asian Civilisations Museum tag:peatix.com,2024:event-4013681 2024-07-25T19:00:00SGT 2024-07-25T19:00:00SGT

ACM Conversations Fukusa and the Culture of Spectacle in Premodern Japan Thursday, 25 July 2024, 7–8pmNgee Ann AuditoriumAsian Civilisations MuseumTHIS TALK IS FREE.Registration (with a $10 refundable deposit) is required. Fukusa, silk squares decorated with woven patterns, embroidery, or dyed in ink and colours, played a central role in ceremonial gift-giving in Japan between the seventeenth and late nineteenth centuries. Gifting was an essential part of social life, and the use of fukusa was embedded in traditions of formal etiquette that emphasised performance and display. More decorative than functional, they were draped over gifts on special occasions to add a layer of physical and metaphorical beauty that spoke to the refinement of donor and recipient alike. This talk looks at fukusa as part of a wider culture of spectacle that includes the arrangement and display of artistic objects in reception rooms for visits from distinguished guests, the embellishment of garments, and the ornamentation of articles used in the tea ceremony. In so doing, it argues that today’s popular stereotype of premodern Japanese art as “minimalist” overlooks the rich diversity of its aesthetic traditions. Light refreshments will be served from 6pm onwards at the basement foyer. Speaker Christine M. E. Guth led the Asian specialism in the Post-graduate History of Design Programme at the Victoria and Albert Museum & Royal College of Art from 2007 to 2016.  She has written widely about Japanese art and cultural exchange between the United States and Japan. Her books include Hokusai’s Great Wave: Biography of a Global Icon (2015) and Craft Culture in Early Modern Japan: Materials, Makers, and Mastery (2021). This talk is generously sponsored by Royal Insignia.Key Supporter FAQ Before registering, please read the following: 1. Why is there a refundable deposit of $10? The deposit ensures that all registered participants attend. The deposit will be refunded 24-hours after the event. If the event is cancelled, a full refund will be given. Please write to us on Peatix or email us at NHB_ACM_Conference@nhb.gov.sg 24 hours before the event start time if you need to cancel your ticket. Late cancellations and no-shows will be subject to the $10 fee.2. Where is the meeting point and what time should I be there?The meeting point is the Ngee Ann Auditorium on the basement level of the museum. Please arrive at least 10 minutes before the talk for registration. The talk begins at 7pm. Light refreshments will be served from 6pm onwards at the basement foyer.3. Visiting the permanent galleriesYou can visit the galleries before the talk; they close at 7pm. Tickets to the exhibition are available at the Front Desk.4. Further enquiriesWe’d be happy to answer them for you! Drop us a note via Peatix or email us at NHB_ACM_Conference@nhb.gov.sg.