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MEDIA ALERT: Members of the press are invited to the McNay for the members preview of The Orient Expressed. Tuesday, October 4 at 5:00 pm. Interview oportunities with guest curator,Gabriel P. Weisberg, PhD, and McNay representatives.
The McNay Prese nts an Exhibition about the East Inspiring the West
Visitors to The Orient Expressed (October 5, 2011 to January 15, 2012) may experience the cultural phenomenon known as Japonisme, the Western world's fascination with all things Japanese in the late 19th century, arousing the imagination of artists and consumers alike. More than 150 Japanese-inspired works of art and decorative objects are on view at the McNay this fall. Paintings and prints by Mary Cassatt, William Merritt Chase, and James Ensor; as well as decorative arts by Gorham, Sèvres, and Tiffany & Co.; showcase Western artists' appropriation of Japanese aesthetics.
After Commodore Matthew C. Perry of the US Navy negotiated the opening of Japan to the West in 1854, Japanese art spread rapidly as it was widely and avidly collected by both European and American artists and art critics. Japonisme impacted the visual arts as well as architecture, graphic design, literature, music, theatre, and all aspects of the decorative arts including fashion. Western artists adopted Japanese emphasis on nature, along with asymmetrical compositions, bold colors, and rich patterns, moving away from Western academic tradition.
Organized by the Mississippi Museum of Art, The Orient Expressed is curated by Gabriel P. Weisberg, PhD, professor of art history at the University of Minnesota and a noted authority in the field. To complement The Orient Expressed, the McNay's exhibition Cassatt and the Orient: Japan's Influence on Printmaking is also on view.
A wide array of educational programs is offered in conjunction with this exhibition. Please visit mcnayart.org for more information.
Second Helpings
Restaurant Discount Program
Treat yourselves to The Orient Expressed, then take your McNayadmission ticket to participatingrestaurants and enjoy special offersfrom local restaurants.Click HERE for a complete list of restaurants, or visit www.mcnayart.org
Admission to The Orient Expressed
An extra admission charge applies during The Orient Expressed (General Admission + $5). General admission is FREE on H-E-B Thursday nights (4-9 pm), as well as on AT&T First Sundays of the month. On Thursday nights and First Sundays, the extra admission charge applies only for entrance to the select exhibition.
The Annie Laurie Swaim Hearin Memorial Exhibition Series
Organized by the Mississippi Museum of Art, Jackson
Lenora and Walter F. Brown and the Elizabeth Huth Coates Charitable Foundation of 1992 are generously funding the exhibition at the McNay. Media sponsorship is provided by the San Antonio Express-News.
Image credit: Louis Rhead, Swans (detail), 1897. Color lithograph. Collection of Jane Voorhees Zimmerli Art Museum, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick. Ralph and Barbara Voorhees American Art Fund, 85.055.002.002.
Images available upon request.
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