In the traditional arts of Japan, like painting, sculpture, ceramics, and wood-block prints, contradictory impulses in Japanese culture made themselves felt. From the exquisite refinement of form in a beautiful textile or a painting of a Japanese poetess to an appreciation of the irregular roughness found in nature or in a ceramic cup made for everyday use in a rural area. Expressions of utter serenity and withdrawal from this world found in paintings on folding screens are balanced by the violence, exuberance, and bawdiness of prints made during the Edo period. Art lecturer and teacher Laura Mueller will discuss these dichotomies in an engaging presentation on Japan's traditional arts.
About the Presenter
Laura Mueller worked at the Art Institute of Chicago for more than 20 years, as a lecturer, a study leader on trips to Europe, and a drawing teacher for the Members' Sketch Class. She has taught courses in literature, art history, and studio art at the college level as well as teaching children about art and art-making. Most recently she has been teaching private art classes for adults both on Zoom and in person. Laura has an enduring interest in the great influence Japanese composition has had on non-Japanese art.