Szilágyi András (szerk.): Ars Decorativa 25. (Budapest, 2007)
Events 2006
FERENC HOPP MUSEUM OF EASTERN ASIATIC ARTS, CALENDAR OF EVENTS, 2006 On view for the entire year of 2006 was the exhibit MAKI-E Nineteenth Century Japanese Lacquer Art from the Collection of the Feme Hopp Museum of Eastern Asiatic Arts, which presented some 250 masterpieces of Japanese lacquer art. The exhibit, which opened in May 2005, was preceded by a large-scale restoration project that included the cleaning, conservation and restoration of every object. On view alongside this exhibit were new acquisitions to our contemporary Japanese lacquer collection bought from present day Japanese workshops. The museum’s new collection profile opened the door to the purchase of these new works. Also a part of our program to present Japanese art was the exhibit The World of Kabuki Stars: Ninetieth Century Woodblock Prints from the Collection of the Tokyo National Theatre, staged in the main building of the Museum of Applied Arts. The exhibit, which was brought to Budapest by the Japan Foundation, offered a glimpse into the unique world of Edo-period culture through typical objects of Japanese art. These two exhibits were accompanied by a variety of programs on Japanese art and culture held in the two museum buildings. The exhibit Full Moon Burning in Fire. Contemporary Chinese Ceramics from the Workshops ofjingdezhen was a small chamber exhibit showing our new acquisitions to the Chinese collection. Masterpieces of the former imperial manufacturer, also purchased as part of our contemporary collecting program, superbly demonstrate how modern Chinese ceramics have continued this traditional type of Chinese ceramics and also show what innovations have been devised. The placement of old and new forms and techniques next to each other offers an excellent opportunity for comparison, hence the unusual organization of this exhibit with the new acquisitions side by side with pieces from our permanent display on the history of Chinese ceramics. The works from the workshops of Jingdezhen will be on view as part of the permanent exhibit. We participated in the Museum of Fine Arts’ exhibit Van Gogh in Budapest with the loan of several Japanese woodcuts, and cooperation among museums led to the exhibit of Indian dolls in the Ethnography Museum showing the diversity of Indian dress. On the Night of Museums, we greeted visitors with „light guides” specially made for the occasion, calling attention to the importance of fire, light and gold in eastern cultures through the objects on display. As for children’s programs, once again our summer eastern crafts and play camp in the garden of the Rath Museum proved a great succes, while our publication Asia in your pocket for young people won the award of excellence from the Ministry of National Cultural Heritage. Zsuzsanna Renner 175
