Joyful Japanesque Jumblings

Even when it makes no authentic sense whatsoever"Zen" has become a favorite byword for American marketing to convey a pared-down, basic sensuality. It's compelled advertising creative staffs to come up with ways to make that visual--and that has done a lot to propel contemporary design. I've seen:

"Zen" bathrooms
"Zen" dresses
"Zen" stools
"Zen" telephones

And, from Saturday's New York Times: mattresses, with the line "Put some Zen in your ZZZ's."

"Artistic Luxury: Faberge, Tiffany, Lalique"

This is a jaw dropping exhibition at the San Francisco Legion of Honor. It's not just the opulence, but also the sheer gorgeousness. "Japan"jumps out when you least expect it. Not literally, but but in the underlying aesthetic values of some of the best pieces. My favorite: a large chignon comb of horn. The tines transformed into the tails of two cavorting swallows, one of which carried in its bill a sprig--in reality, a single, gold wire sprouting tiny leaves of diamonds. The principles inspired by Japan: Plain surfaces, combining of opulent and ordinary materials, beautiful textures, subtle colors, asymmetry, drama, and closely-observed naturalism cleverly adapted to functional shapes. Here's the exhibition:

http://www.famsf.org/legion/index.asp

I was invited to speak for this show on Tiffany and the Art of Japan. After I saw it, I changed my whole plan because Tiffany is just one side of the subject that you see here, and not even the best. Don't have a title yet, and they took the old one off the schedule. Will post it soon!

In a great magazine...

The Spring 2009 issue of Style 1900 has featured my article, "Japan's Mark on American Art Pottery" with an eye-catching layout and wonderful photos. It is an abridged version of "Clay and Glaze: The Journey to Modern," Chapter 8 of my book, The Influence of Japanese Art on Design (Gibbs Smith, 2008).

Style 1900 is a great magazine dedicated to the first clearly "modern" era of American design. It specializes in beautifully presented articles for anyone with any level of interest in any aspect of Arts & Crafts, Art Nouveau, and early modernism, whether you want history or design ideas. Each article has suggestions for further reading and places to see collections, so it's a great gateway publication. Along with my Japanese and Rookwood pots, this issue has articles on Navajo design, English embroidery, Italian Art Nouveau and how to make a Bungalow-style bathroom.

Check them out at: www.style1900.com