Beautiful Art, Japanese Lacquerware

Stationery Box in Kōdaiji style from Momoyama period (1573-1615). - Photo by: metmuseum.org

Lacquareware is produced in several areas in Asian countries, especially China, Korea, Japan, Vietnam, Myanmar and maybe a few others. The origin of this art might start from China then spread into many other countries. Lacquerware has beautiful shiny finishes that resemble porcelain products that also originated from China.

The beautiful of lacquerware start from the beginning of the process that requires the layer of lacquer to be applied over and over again and the curing process that take several days to weeks. The total time to complete one product might take several months to years.

While in Japan the usage of lacquer (in Yayoi era) was so extensive from basket, farming tools, fishing gear, in many other materials - in order to protect these materials from damage easily. Then the usage of lacquer evolved as a craft during the Asuka period. The transformation was influenced by the Chinese arts that transferred to Japan. There were large amounts of lacquer were required during that period, that requires the amount of lacquer harvested to be controlled.

Old Chinese lacquerware from Ming dynasty, Wanli era (1573-1620). - Photo by: collections.lacma.org

One of Maki-e motifs. - Photo by:  Pqks758

Another antique stacking boxes with Maki-e. - Photo by: ancientpoint.com 

The advancement of the craft not limited to just painting and scraping, but also the usage of other materials such as ‘mother of pearls’, brass, copper, lead, silver, platinum and gold. Here in Japan the usage of the valuable metals is more popular and known as Maki-e (蒔絵, literally: sprinkled picture).

This technique was developed during the Heian period (794 – 1185) and became popular during the Edo period (1603–1868). This technique requires high skill, craftsmanship – that most of the young artists will go through many years to produce high quality arts with this technique.

There are many other techniques for Japanese lacquerware, but the Maki-e was considered one of the best technique mastered by Japan. Other than the technique, the motifs and the shapes of the materials that produced from Japanese craftsman also presenting the authenticate designs.

Even though we can still find the Japanese Maki-e lacquer products, the price can be expensive – most of it is antique products. The time intensive works to produce this art might be one of the reasons why not many artisan works on it.

Here I will include few videos related to Japanese Lacquerware works and arts in order to help you understand more on this topic.

Micro Post: Whooping Crane

Elaborate courtship dance of whooping cranes.

Cranes are the symbol of long life and fidelity in eastern Asia. They inspired artists to picture them in their paintings since antiquity. Human admire cranes for its qualities such as mate for life, their elaborate courtship dance, their white plumage and many other.

Whooping crane also can be found in North America and almost extinct when their total numbers were less than 20 birds by 1941 - caused by lost of their wetland habitats. Their breeding areas are in the Midwest and Canada, and migrating to the Gulf coast during the winter. Their number had increased up to 600 today through captive breeding, wetland management and by teaches young cranes to migrate.

Whooping crane will keep on moving while searching for foods.

It can be in small flock.

Conservation work; feeding the young.

Whooping crane is a large bird that can reach height up to 1.5 meter (4.9 feet) and have a wingspan up to 2.3 meters (7.5 feet). Males weigh on average 7.3 kg (16 lb), while females weigh 6.2 kg (14 lb). The next largest bird in the same family is the great egret which is over a foot (30 cm) shorter with weight one-seventh the weight of this crane.

Whooping Cranes will keep on moving, browsing and probing for food rather than hunting patiently and stealthily like heron. They can be in small flocks too. Other than that, cranes are known for its elaborate courtship dance and usually painted by artists against white snow background. 

Flying above the water.

Flapping its wings.

Flying in small group.

Popular subject in painting.

Kirikane, Japanese Fine Art Made of Gold

Kehalusan seni "Kirikane" diterapkan pada pinggan kaca ini.

Kirikane (截金), the Japanese art using thin sheet of gold pieces that are rarely heard. This art brought from outside of Alexandria is said to come as part of ancient Egypt around the 3rd century BC. But this art in Japan was brought from China as part of Buddhist art decorations for statues and paintings.

Maybe you have not heard about it because in Japan this art is re-introduced since Kirikane got less attention previously. Kirikane art is not easy to master by everyone because it is not only uses materials such as gold, silver and platinum, but the pieces of precious metals that are used are very thin and difficult to handle without skill and patience.

This art was brought to Japan from China during the Tang Dynasty (618-907) and examples can still be seen to this day such as Tamamushino Zushi at Horyuji Temple. This art is very popular around the 11th century up to 14. It was then almost disappeared due to the lack of decoration of Buddhist art in Japan.

Best applied Kirikane techniques.

Ball container with Kirikane.

Akane Yamamoto expressing Kirikane through art glass.

Today this art is given a new style, although some still retained its original art on a small scale. Through the efforts of activists of the new generation of Japanese art, Kirikane been used for larger media covers wider range of decorations. Among the famous Kirikane artists is Akane Yamamoto, one of successful artist who bring back Kirikane globally with "Kirikane Glass" she'd produced.

Although Akane using new media in the production of "Kirikane Glass" design, she still displays the characteristics of original Kirikane through traditional pieces of sheet metal that is used, it is the fine shapes of lines, diamonds, triangles, squares and geometric as on the classic Kirikane. Anyway, with the use of glass, Akane highlights this art through deeper dimension.

Beside her, the other artists are also using Kirikane according to their inclination for this art can be used with various media. Just Kirikane art has a distinctive shape that can be observed easily through the piece of sheet metal that it’s used.

The classical usage of Kirikane in Buddhist Art.

It can also be used on many other items.

Wooden box decorated with Kirikane.

This art needs to be done with high accuracy as the precious metal pieces used very thin. It requires very careful handling to ensure that the work done to produce a final result as desired.

• Usually two types of metal sheets used in the decoration consist of gold, silver and platinum. These plates have to undergo a heating process (with its own technique) to attach to one another to increase thickness.
• These pieces will be cut using a bamboo knife (metal blade cannot be used) over cutting board that covered with buckskin - to produce a good cutting.
• It subsequently attached using adhesive (from seaweed, funori and ' hide glue ', Mikawa) on items to be decorated with Kirikane.

  

Looking at the results of the Kirikane, then you will definitely agree that it should be preserved as a legacy for the next generation. Although it is less known compared to other Japanese cultural arts, but it has a very high value in describing the cultural wealth of Japan and this telling us that every art in every culture too are just as precious as Kirikane and need to be preserved.

Orang Asli Craft Museum, Kuala Lumpur

The main entrance to the Orang Asli Craft Museum.

Orang Asli Craft Museum (Muzium Seni Kraf Orang Asli) is located at Jalan Damansara, next to the building of the National Museum, Kuala Lumpur. It is different with Aboriginal Museum, in Gombak, Selangor. As the name implies, it's intended to introduce the art of aboriginal craft in addition to other matters related to the culture of within these communities.

Apart from the craft items it also shows the connection between the items and the life of the people through their stories of myths and legends, culture and beliefs. The exhibits are on permanent display and some exhibited seasonally.

The galleries which have been enlarge, are divided into eight segments which show the life of the aboriginal, which includes background of tribal natives, geographical distribution and demographics, sculptures, carved masks, traditional residence, hunting equipment and fishing, mortality, musical instruments, accessories and woven garments. All the materials are delivered using a variety of methods including the use of multimedia to further ease the process of learning about the lives of the indigenous people of this.

Collection of masks on display.

Wood carvings by indigenous communities.

Fishing equipment.

Ticket prices Orang Asli Craft Museum

Visitor Type

• Citizen: RM 2.00
• Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (PWDs): RM 1.00
• Children aged 12 and under (citizen): free of charge
• Secondary School students dress uniforms (citizen): free of charge
• High School Students not dressed in uniform (citizen): RM 2.00
• Member of International Council of Museums (ICOM): free of charge
• Not a citizen: RM 5.00
• Children (6 to 12 years) (non-citizens): RM 2.00
• Children younger than 6 years (non-citizens): free of charge

Opening Hours

• 9.00 am - 6.00 pm (daily)
• Closed on the first day of Aidilfitri and Aidil Adha

Transport

Visitors can take a taxi or bus KL HOP-ON HOP-OFF, free bus (Go KL) or other alternative transportation based in KL Sentral Station, the commuter, LRT, monorail or walk for 20 minutes. You also will have opportunity to use the MRT service when it opens later.

Contact Person

Asmawi Bin Mohamed Yunus - Chairman MSKOA Museum (asmawi@jmm.gov.my)

Address:

Orang Asli Craft Museum, Department of Museums Malaysia, Jalan Damansara, 50566 Kuala Lumpur

Tel:   603-22671000 samb.154 / 171/153

Fax: 603-2282 7294/2287 1275

Email: pr.mskoa@jmm.gov.my

Islamic Arts Museum, Kuala Lumpur

Front entrance of the Islamic Arts Museum, Kuala Lumpur.

Islamic Arts Museum is located near the National Mosque, Kuala Lumpur and is part of the attraction of a variety of attractions available surrounding the area of Taman Tasik Perdana. It’s opened since 12 December 1998 and is the largest museum of Islamic Art in Southeast Asia with a total of more than 7,000 artifacts that come from various corners of the world.

The museum is divided into 12 main galleries are classified according to the type of artifacts displayed through located at different levels; the level-3 and level-4. At Level 3, it houses collection of Al-Quran and manuscript, Construction & Engineering (Islamic architecture), Indian Gallery, Chinese Gallery, the Malay World Gallery of Ancient and also reconstructed room of Ottoman Syria, while at level-4 also featuring collection of textile items, weapons and armors, ceramics and glasses equipment from the Islamic World.

Among the highlights is this dome.

Engineering construction (architecture).

Museum's gift shop.

The museum has been widely recognized from various parties. Among them are as follows:

2014 - Platinum Award-Tourist Attraction (Culture, Arts and Heritage) Category - awarded by Kuala Lumpur Mayor's Tourism Award.

2014 - Top 10 Travelers' Choice Museums (10th in Asia) - awarded by TripAdvisor.

2015 - Top 10 Travelers' Choice Museums (10th in Asia) - awarded by TripAdvisor.

Ticket Museum of Islamic Art

Visitor Type

• Adults: RM 14.00
• Students (with student card): RM 7.00
• Elderly (Malaysians above 55 years and over): RM 7.00
• Children (6 and under): Free
• Ticket prices will be charged at RM 12 and RM 6 when special gallery is not open.

Opening Hours

• Open daily from 10.00 am - 6.00 pm.

Transportation

• You can take any transportation to go to Masjid Negara including, bus, taxi and train.