When: closing on August 18, 2019
First of all, this is a far larger show than you can see in a lunch hour. I suppose you could get through it if you ran from end to end, but that's not really any way to appreciate the terrific pieces. So, I'm advising you to take an extra-long lunch hour, or go on a weekend or day off.
This is a survey of animals in Japanese art from ancient times to the present day, so we're covering a lot of ground. This series of screens is right at the entrance to the show and sets the tone nicely. It's colorful and fun and features lots of animals. And that's largely what the rest of the show does. The first room includes several ancient representations of dogs and horses, along with Kusama Yayoi (she of the polka dots, pumpkins and mirror rooms) dog sculptures. The thing I thought about all of these works was how friendly the animals were. They all seem to be smiling at you, and you just can't help but smile back. I couldn't anyway, and I was feeling irritable and stressed out when I went over there, so a cheerful welcome was just what I needed.
I also learned that the Japanese have a zodiac, very similar to the Chinese one. I'm the Year of the Dragon in the Chinese zodiac, and the same is true of the Japanese version. Large banners, one for each year were displayed on one of the walls, and the picture on my year was of the Japanese god of seas and storms, whose name happens to be Susano'o. How appropriate is that? The god slayed a dragon and removed a sword from its tail. I've decided the next time I get frustrated at work, I'll remember I'm really the god of seas and storms, slayer of dragons.
There's painting; there's sculpture (some of it massive); there's kimonos - really, something for everyone. This would be a good show to see with kids, since a lot of the art is accessible and fun. It's long, but you wouldn't have to see everything.
Verdict: This big show has lots of great stuff and is worth making time to see.
