Saturday University Lecture Series: Color in Asian Art - Material and Meaning

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Dip into dimensions of color and pigment in Asian art with eight in depth talks. From legend and ritual, to trade and cultural exchange, to technical innovation and changing artistic practices—the use of bold colors has been considered alternatively excessive, precious, or brilliant throughout history. What rare pigments and closely guarded techniques produced some artworks, and what artistic innovations and social changes produced others? Join us to enjoy a spectrum of talks on colors produced from the earth, sea, fire, plants, and insects.

Colors of the Earth, Colors of the Sky: Bingata Textiles of Okinawa
John Marshall, artist and researcher of Japanese textile arts

Unique and vibrant textiles created in Ryukyu (Okinawa), known as bingata, are prized for their variety of colors and lively designs. In a center of trade between East and Southeast Asia, textile producers sourced pigments from many places, combining them with their own aesthetics and techniques. Their tradition will be illustrated with historical garments, contemporary versions, and some of Marshall’s own work.

About the Presenter

John Marshall is an American fiber artist who began studying textile arts in Japan as a teenager. He specializes in natural dyes and the traditional Japanese techniques of katazome (stencil dyeing) and tsutsugaki (cone drawing). His publications include Singing the Blues and A Collector’s Guide to Indigo.

OTHER LECTURES IN THIS SERIES

OCT 3

Dragon's Blood and the Blood of Dragons

OCT 10

The Colors of Space and Time

OCT 17

Shades of Green and White

OCT 24

Pigments and Artistic Interventions

OCT 31

Indigo in Two 15th-century Chinese Paintings

NOV 7

Korean Culture in Five Colors

NOV 14

Colors of the Earth, Colors of the Sky

NOV 21

Turquoise, The Sky Blue Stone

QUESTIONS? CONTACT US

gardnercenter@seattleartmuseum.org