Miss summer? Now that the weather is finally starting to get colder, get a taste of the intensity of the sun's gold rays by wallowing in gold of a different form.
Diamonds may be a girl's best friend, but as the Vedas say, "Gold is Immortality". Molded for human usage since at least the sixth millennium B.C., this precious mineral has universal appeal, adorning the crowns of sovereigns from the Queen of England to the Emperor of Mali. At the Sackler Gallery until Feb. 19, humanity's captivation with gold is explored in its various means. Organized by method of production rather than geographic origin, the exhibit "Gold - The Asian Touch" has 47 pieces from Japan, China, Turkey, Iran, Iraq, India and Tibet.
Visitors enter a small octangular room with softly glowing burgandy walls. The layout of the room retains the stylistic simplicity that is a trademark of Asian architecture and the Sackler Gallery in general: minimalism, clean lines and a reliance on architectural elements to enhance the art pieces.
While the bold walls positively affected the first exhibition room, one focal point of the second, and final, exhibition room is a Japanese Noh drama costume. The burgundy costume, though accentuated with very intricate dull gold embroidery, blended into the identically colored wall nearly to the point of obscurity.
The exhibit heavily emphasizes the Edo Period in Japan, which although is considered the height of Japanese culture, diminishes the importance of the variety and depth of craftsmanship both in Japan and in other countries. Since the permanent collections of the Sackler Gallery tend toward this trend, the overemphasis is unfortunate. Despite these minor criticisms, the advantages of this exhibit are readily apparent and easily appreciated.
Encased in glass rooms, the eccentricity of layout by technique draws visual connections between cultures and time periods. For example, the sole Tibetan work, a gold-plated wooden manuscript cover, depicts Buddha and the perfect beings but resembles the long, thin, rectangular shape of ancient Hindu religious texts. Two showcases over, a bronze Buddha in classic meditative lotus pose sits adjacent to the Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara, a Chinese deity "borrowed" from the religious traditions of northern Indian Hindus. Both beautiful, their proximity demonstrates the co-opting so common to eastern religion and culture. Emphasizing the often-commingled histories of the Asian continent, a star-formed Iranian picture tile depicts a rising phoenix, the legendary bird associated with Chinese mythology. In this respect, the artwork realizes the intermingling of cultures and the well-established trade routes binding societies throughout Eastern Asian and Asia Minor.
Lending further to viewer appreciation are liberal descriptions of origin, creation and execution that allow even the most inexperienced art viewer to fully comprehend the care and craftsmanship present in every piece. Additionally, sets of magnifying glasses near the entrance allow visitors to pretend they are five again, only instead of hunting bugs in the grass, they are looking at the minute detailing of Kono Haruaki's golden goose or the broad brushstrokes of a Chinese noble tapestry.
Displayed among the variety of gold-adorned screens, manuscripts, calligraphy, jewelry, statues, embroidery, and various vessels, one modern piece especially stuck out as an innovative use of gold. While based on the technique of placing gold foil in lacquer, a Japanese ceramic dish created by Yoshida Minori presents gold in an innovative fashion. Rather than lacquer, layers of glaze surround gold-leaf clematis creating a green enamel upon which the flowers appear to float.
With artistically and historically varied selections, which are above all else aesthetically pleasing, "Gold - The Asian Touch" lives up to the Chinese quote emblazoned upon a wall in the exhibit: "True Gold Fears Not the Test of the Fire." So when you need a quick escape from the increasingly cold outdoors, take respite in the Sackler Gallery, where the glimmering of ancient gold craftsmanship rivals the shimmer of its celestial counterpart. After 15 minutes lost in this art the question of whether or not diamonds really are a girl's best friend may arise.
Overall, good variety, historical background, and beautiful art make this a solid exhibit, but poor display choices occasionally detract from the beauty of select individual pieces.
