ONLINE lecture series 3

ningyo: THE BEAUTY AND ARTISTRY OF

JAPANESE DOLLS
THURSDAY, JANUARY 18, 2024
7:00PM-7:40PM (PT)
THIS PROGRAM WILL BE HELD ONLINE, ADMISSION IS FREE,
RSVP REQUIRED (CLICK HERE)

Japan’s dolls are famous throughout the world as elegant works of art that are more for display than play. Hina dolls, in particular, wear kimono and elaborate hairstyles, and for several centuries have been central in Hina Matsuri, a traditional festival celebrating girls. Others, such as turned-wood Kokeshi, finely sculpted Saga dolls, papier mache Hariko dolls, and folded paper Chiyogami dolls have been crafted and treasured in different regions of Japan for many generations.

In conjunction with Japan Foundation's video series, Doors to the Arts of Japan, Japanese art historian Meher McArthur will introduce some of Japan’s most well-known types of traditional dolls, from Hina to Kokeshi, touching on their materials, styles and production, as well as their functions. She will also showcase the works of contemporary doll maker Kimiko Muraoka Koyanagi, who is still creating exquisite dolls at the age of 91 years old. The short lecture will be followed with a brief Q&A session.

About the lecturer

Meher McArthur
Meher McArthur is an Asian art historian specializing in Japanese art, with degrees from Cambridge University and London University’s School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS). She was Curator of East Asian Art at Pacific Asia Museum, Pasadena, CA (1998-2006) and for over a decade has curated traveling exhibitions for International Arts & Artists (IA&A), most recently Washi Transformed: New Expressions in Japanese Paper (2021-2024) on view at the Mingei International Museum in San Diego until January 7, 2024. Her most recent exhibition SHIKI: The Four Seasons in Japanese Art opened at the Sturt Haaga Gallery at Descanso Gardens in February 2023. She was Creative Director for the Storrier Stearns Japanese Garden, Pasadena (2014-2020), Academic Curator for Scripps College, Claremont (2018-2020) and Art and Cultural Director for JAPAN HOUSE Los Angeles (2020-2022). Her major publications include Gods and Goblins: Folk Paintings from Otsu (PAM, 1999), Reading Buddhist Art (Thames & Hudson, 2002) and The Arts of Asia (Thames & Hudson, 2005), Confucius (Pegasus Books, 2011), Folding Paper: The Infinite Possibilities of Origami (IA&A, 2012), New Expressions in Origami Art (Tuttle, 2017), Washi Transformed: New Expressions in Japanese Paper  (IA&A, 2021) and An ABC of What Art Can Be (The Getty Museum, 2010).

More DOLL stories？Check our video seires:
Doors to Arts of JAPAN

NINGYŌ: Art and Beauty of Japanese Dolls

These videos introduce the diversity of Japanese dolls over their long history, including seasonal festival dolls, local folk dolls, and dolls as works of art. It also explores the appeal of these dolls, which have been popular among people of all ages and genders across time. Click Here!

The next ONLINE LECTURE SERIES will be about YAKISHIME (High-fired unglazed ceramics) will be held on Tuesday, February 20.