The Curated Object

Exhibitions Toronto. Private Pleasures: Japanese Porcelain of the Edo Period. The Gardiner Museum. The Curated Object

Food Tray
Japan, Arita kilns
c. 1690-1700
Glazed porcelain, enamels
The Macdonald Collection

Large Jar with Garden Design
Japan, Arita
c. 1660
H: 24.7 cm
The Macdonald Collection

Kettle
Japan, Arita
c. 1670-90
L: 19.4 cm
The Macdonald Collection

Ko-Imari Flask
Japan, Arita
c. 1660
H: 25 cm
The Macdonald Collection

Teabowl and Saucer with Design of a Lady in a Garden
Japan, Arita
c. 1680 - 1700
Bowl H: 4 cm; Saucer D: 11.8 cm, G05.12.22 
The Macdonald Collection

Small Dish with Melon Design
Japan, Arita
c. 1650
L: 17.9 cm 
The Macdonald Collection

Nabeshima Dish with Misty Bamboo Design
Japan, Okawachi
c. 1680 - 1700
D: 14.9 cm 
The Macdonald Collection 

Nabeshima Dish with Hydrangea Design
Japan, Okawachi
c. 1680 - 1720
D: 14.8 cm 
The Macdonald Collection

Large Female Figure
Japan, Arita
c. 1680
H: 31.5 cm, G07.18.1 
The Macdonald Collection

Scalloped Dish with Tiger and Bamboo
Japan, Arita
c. 1650
D: 21.2 cm
The Macdonald Collection
 
Private Pleasures: Japanese Porcelain of the Edo Period

June 3 - Sept. 12, 2010

By JoAnn Greco

Showcasing highlights of the private collection of Torontonians Bill and Molly Anne Macdonald — which is currently in the process of being donated to the Gardiner — this comprehensive exhibit examines the role of Japanese porcelain in the Edo (1603-1868) court, as well as its influences and eventual influence.

This extremely productive era found its beginnings in the great prominence attached to Chinese and Korean, as well as Dutch (Holland being the only foreign nation during this period allowed to retain a presence in Japan) porcelain. Lacking its own ceramic industry, Japan undertook its own effort at creating one. When it did so, it naturally looked to these popular predecessors, borrowing motifs from the Chinese, and the familiar blue-and-white color schemes of Dutch Delftware.

Eventually a Japanese porcelain industry did thrive, settling around Arita on the southwestern island of Kyushu. The rest of the exhibit — rich in censers, plates, and enameled vases — is devoted to exploring the development and dominance of this new business. The Japanese crafted their own styles and methods — primarily the more densely-patterned imari and the more elegantly simple kakiemon. Soon enough, these works became so popular that they were being imitated by Europeans — including, ironically, the Dutch.

In addition to these pieces — so many of which remain strikingly modern — the exhibit also includes woodblock prints, textiles and lacquers, juxtaposing these items with porcelains carrying similar themes.

For more information: The Gardiner Museum

Exhibitions Ontario. Dead Sea Scrolls: Words that Changed the World. Royal Ontario Museum. The Curated Object

Qumran Pottery

Photo courtesy of the Israel Antiquities

Authority

Book of War

11Q14

Scroll type: Non-biblical text

Date: 1st century CE (20-50 CE)

Language: Hebrew

Discovered: Cave 11, 1956

Photo courtesy of the Israel Antiquities

Authority

Scroll Jar

 

Scroll Jar

Photo courtesy of the Israel Antiquities

Authority

Scroll Jar

Photo courtesy of the Israel Antiquities

Authority

Psalms

11Q5

Scroll type: Biblical text

Date: 1st century CE (1-50 CE)

Language: Hebrew

Discovered: Cave 11, 1956

Photo courtesy of the Israel Antiquities

Authority

Dead Sea Scrolls: Words that Changed the World  

June 27, 2009

The ROM offers a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see these historical treasures from June 27, 2009 to January 3, 2010 in Canada’s largest Dead Sea Scrolls exhibition

One of the most important exhibitions in the history of the Royal Ontario Museum (ROM) opens in Toronto on Saturday, June 27, 2009. Until January 3, 2010, Dead Sea Scrolls: Words that Changed the World will be displayed in the Garfield Weston Exhibition Hall, located on Level B2 in the ROM’s Michael Lee-Chin Crystal.

The Dead Sea Scrolls have been the objects of great scholarly and public interest, as well as heated debate and controversy, since their discovery over 60 years ago. The ROM will display 16 authentic Dead Sea Scrolls during its six month engagement—eight different Scrolls for each three-month period—including fragments from the books of Genesis, Deuteronomy and Psalms. A fragment of the Ten Commandments, a text containing the most prominent biblical laws and obligations that, according to Jewish and Christian traditions, form the foundations of the relationship between man and God, will be featured for a limited time. Four fragments, never before publicly displayed, are being conserved especially for the exhibition. More than 200 artifacts on loan by the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA), augmented by objects from the ROM’s own renowned collections, illuminate the environment in which these ancient texts were written.

“The ROM is privileged to present this extraordinary exhibition showcasing these deeply significant writings,” states William Thorsell, ROM Director and CEO. “In doing so, the Museum will bring together archaeology and culture, along with exceptional programming. Our ambitious lecture series, for instance, will explore compelling ideas related to the Dead Sea Scrolls, launch provocative and enlightening inter-faith discussions, and create a deeper understanding of the Scrolls. What a magnificent opportunity for us all to explore the Scrolls’ place in human history and their contemporary relevance.”

Dr. Risa Levitt Kohn, an alumna of both York University and University of Toronto and Director of the Jewish Studies program at the San Diego State University, is guest exhibition curator at the ROM. Dr. Levitt Kohn was the curator of the enormously successful Dead Sea Scrolls exhibition at the San Diego Museum of Natural History in 2007. She comments, “This is a highly unique opportunity for a Canadian audience to view the Dead Sea Scrolls. Among the Scrolls are some of the oldest discovered texts of the Hebrew Bible—writings that have had lasting influence on western culture as they continue to resonate today. This exhibition tells an important story of discovery as these Scrolls and their words shed light on the life, faith and culture of ancient Judea at the dawn of modern Judaism and Christianity.”

THE EXHIBITION

For 2,000 years, desert caves concealed the Dead Sea Scrolls, a collection of mainly parchment scrolls containing sacred literature of ancient Israel. There, above the salt-laden waters of the Dead Sea, they remained untouched by light and other elements for centuries until their discovery in 1947.
In partnership with the Israel Antiquities Authority, the ROM will display fragments from 16 authentic Dead Sea Scrolls during the exhibition’s six month engagement—eight different scrolls for each three-month period. Four Scrolls (two each during the two rotations) are being specially conserved by the IAA’s Dead Sea Scrolls Conservation Lab for this first ever public display. Scrolls displayed during the first three months include:

• Genesis: approximately 20 manuscripts of the Book of Genesis, the first book of the Hebrew Bible, were found in the caves. This scroll contains some of the oldest fragments of Genesis. The displayed fragments contain portions of the story of the death of Jacob’s wife Rachel and of Joseph’s encounter with the wife of Potiphar.

• Psalms: the book of Psalms, represented by 35 manuscripts from 250 BCE to 68 CE, is the biblical book most frequently found in the caves near Qumran.

• Daniel: the eight copies of the book of Daniel found in the caves are the closest in date to the actual composition of the book itself. As a result, these copies are our earliest evidence for the original form and content of Daniel (thought to be composed ca. 165 BCE).

• The non-biblical Book of War, a ceremonial blessing to be recited over the surviving community of Israel after the final battle at the end of time. The blessing describes how God will enable the universe to produce fertility and prevent disease and destruction by wild animals and plagues.

All Scrolls are presented with full interpretations, translations, and background information, within the context of the tumultuous period in which they were written and hidden. As well, numerous audio visual elements, including aerial footage of Israel and a soundscape of reading/chanting of specific texts, plus additional graphics, maps, and simulations effectively enhance the story of the Scrolls. Immersive and ambient, large-format images depict Israel’s landscape, evoking the hot and dry Judean Desert, further transporting visitors back to the time of the Scrolls’ origins.

The IAA is lending over 200 artifacts, including lamps, ossuaries, amphorae, jugs, stone table ware, and most notably, architectural fragments from Herod’s Temple. From the ancient upper city of Jerusalem come a number of significant coins from the Jewish Wars with the Romans, as well as Roman roof tiles imprinted with the stamp of the 10th Roman Legion. Objects, including storage jars, cooking pots, and jewellery originate from Sephorris, an important town in central Galilee. An inspiring assortment of objects discovered in Khirbet Qumran, the site near the cave discoveries, include jars, sandals, an inkwell, and numerous ceramics such as cooking pots and plates.

Objects from the ROM’s own renowned collection of Hellenistic objects are also displayed, including oil lamps and colourful Roman glass, from Jerusalem and surrounding areas. These will further augment visitors’ understanding of daily life in the ancient land of Israel.

The science of preserving and interpreting the scrolls will be incorporated into the ROM’s presentation. These highlighted methods include the use of infrared photography to enhance the appearance of the soiled and weathered texts; DNA analysis to match individual scroll fragments; multi-spectral imaging; chemical analysis of clay scroll jars to determine the location of the source of the clay; Carbon 14 dating to precisely date the scrolls; paleography to establish a chronology based on the evolution of styles of ancient handwritings; archaeology of nearby settlements of the same period; and the conservation and preservation of the Scrolls. 

For more information please visit: Royal Ontario Museum of Art

Posted by Joanne Molina

Exhibitions Ontario. Darwin: The Evolution Revolution. The Royal Ontario Museum. The Curated Object

Annie’s Box 
This wooden writing box is filled with mementos collected
by Darwin’s wife in memory of their first daughter, Annie,
who died when she was 10 years old. 
Loan courtesy of Professor Richard D. Keynes ©  Craig Chesek, AMNH

Darwin’s study   
An elaborate reproduction of Charles Darwin’s study from
Down House is one of the centerpiece attractions of Darwin,
the most in-depth exhibition ever mounted on this highly
original thinker. 
©  Denis Finnin, AMNH

Darwin’s microscope 
One of Darwin’s original microscopes is just one of Darwin’s
many personal items on display in this elaborate reproduction
of Darwin’s study from Down House. 
Loan courtesy of English Heritage (Down House)
©  Denis Finnin, AMNH

Tree of Life 
A reproduction of the first-known sketch by Charles Darwin
of an evolutionary tree describing the relationships among
groups of organisms 
© By permission of the Syndics of Cambridge University
Library

Go it Charlie! Cartoon
This reproduction of a caricature of a young Charles Darwin
riding a giant beetle was drawn by fellow beetle collector
Albert Way in 1832.   
© By permission of the Syndics of Cambridge University
Library

Darwin: The Evolution Revolution
March 8, 2008 to August 4, 2008

This comprehensive exhibition explores the extraordinary life of Charles Darwin (1809-1882), whose curiosity, observations and discoveries nearly 150 years ago forever changed the perception of the origin of species and launched modern biological science.  In addition to his theory of evolution, Darwin is known for his work as a botanist, geologist, and naturalist. From specimens of Galápagos finches to original manuscripts and notebooks, the exhibition, on display in the spacious new Garfield Weston Exhibition Hall in the Michael Lee-Chin Crystal, and work of Darwin.

For more information please visit: The Royal Ontario Museum

-Joanne Molina

Exhibitions Ontario. Chinese Design. Everyday. The Design Exchange. The Curated Object

Credit: Leslie Chen

Chinese Design. Everyday
February 8 – April 13 2008

The Chinese New Year will ring in with the opening of a new exhibit at the Design Exchange. This exhibition will provide a foundation for understanding design in the greater China region and the role it plays in everyday life. 

Visitors will be introduced to an extensive graphic history along with numerous artifacts from the contemporary era in the context of everyday life. A marriage of the millennia-old Chinese cultural heritage and the most current Western and international trends will be examined through a display of contemporary design objects, traditional household items like package design and dinnerware, Mahjong table, fashion and the latest in lap- top computers. 

Sponsored by the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office (HKETO) in Canada, the official representative of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, the opening night of the exhibition will feature the “Hong Kong: Gateway to China” – a selection of designs and products taken from the “Project 9707”, a design project to celebrate and augment the achievements and talents of Hong Kong design launched recently by the Hong Kong Design Centre to promote Hong Kong’s creativity industry. 

Curator Professor Wendy Siuyi Wong, is Chair of the Department of Design and the Associate Director of the York Centre for Asian Research, York University. Dr. Wong has built on her previous exhibition, Chinese Graphic Design Towards the International Sphere, held at the Cooper Union School of Arts in New York and her extensive research on Chinese graphic design history, undertaken with the
support of the SSHRC Standard Research Grant.

For more information please visit: The Design Exchange
-Joanne Molina

Exhibitions Ontario. H20 - New Scenarios For Survival. The Design Exchange. The Curated Object

Photo credit: Luisa Bocchietto

H20 - New Scenarios For Survival
March 8-April 27th 2008   

March 8th opens an Italian exhibit consisting of posters by Italian graphic designers who tackle the political, social, and environmental aspects of water. This thought provoking project will be exhibited at the Design Exchange and the Istituto Italiano di Cultura.

Posters represent feasible and realizable proposals and projects, for the collection of water, its purification, transportation, distribution, recycling process and climate change. The exhibit explores issue of fairness regarding the distribution of water and a democratic approach to water resources. Also explored are those who have interpreted the lack and relative waste as an opportunity to market bottled water as a product. 

This exhibit explores the infinite points of view from which this fluid and ever-changing element can be encountered: formless, odourless, tasteless and yet a primary nutrient without which life could not exist. 

This highly regarded work will subsequently travel to Spain and be featured in the 2008 World’s Fair. The exhibit is curated by architect Roberto Marcatti and supported by the Italian Chamber of Commerce, Enwave Energy Corporation, the Italian Cultural Institute-Consulate General of Italy.  Azure Magazine is recognized as a media sponsor. 

March 7th Press Conference at noon followed by a Curatorial Lecture at 1pm
H20 is part of digiftest, a three-day biennial International Festival of Design and Media Culture  presented by Design Exchange in partnership with Harbourfront Centre and Ontario Science Centre.  Digifest runs from March 27th-29th.

For more information please visit: The Design Exchange 
-Joanne Molina

Exhibitions Ontario. The Black Star Sapphire of Queensland. The Royal Ontario Museum. The Curated Object

The Black Star of Queensland. Private Collection. Photo: ROM.

The Black Star Sapphire of Queensland
Until June 15, 2008

Catch a rare glimpse of The Black Star of Queensland, one of the largest gem quality sapphires in the world. This brilliant six-point black star sapphire is on display for the first time since 1969.

This incredible gem was found in the 1930s in the town of Anakie in Queensland, Australia. It weighed an amazing 1156 carats. It was purchased uncut by the Kazanjian Brothers in 1947 and later cut and polished to its present-day 733 carats. It is now surrounded by 35 sparkling diamonds in a white gold setting.

The Black Star Sapphire of Queensland explores the beauty and science surrounding sapphires — how they are formed in nature, where and how they are mined, and their significance in various cultures. Don’t miss this once-in-a-lifetime chance to catch this shining star before it’s gone.

For more information please visit: The Royal Ontario Museum

-Joanne Molina

Exhibitions Ontario. Early Typewriters. The Royal Ontario Museum. The Curated Object

Barlock -4, Photo Courtesy of the Martin Howard Collection


Caligraph, Photograph Courtesy of the Martin Howard Collection


Columbia, Photograph Courtesy of the Martin Howard Collection


Crandell, Photograph Courtesy of the Martin Howard Collection

Hammond, Photograph Courtesy of the Martin Howard Collection

Hammonia, Photograph Courtesy of the Martin Howard Collection

Lambert, Photograph Courtesy of the Martin Howard Collection

Odell, Photography Courtesy of the Martin Howard Collection

Victor, Photograph Courtesy of the Martin Howard Collection

Early Typewriters
through June 29, 2008

Early Typewriters presents the renowned collection of Torontonian Martin Howard, the largest of its kind in Canada. The exhibit showcases 20 antique typewriters from the very beginning of their history, in the 1880s and 1890s.

Early Typewriters exhibits a variety of the world’s oldest typing machines, highlighting their sophistication, diversity and development over time. Period letterhead, advertisements and photographs will also help contextualize the typewriters and the world in which they were used. The advent of the typewriter was meant to solve the problem of fast and accurate communication methods for businesses expanding in the late 19th century. Their diverse designs and mechanisms catalogue the many ingenious techniques devised by mechanical engineers to type letters onto paper.

For more information please visit: The Royal Ontario Museum
-Joanne Molina

Exhibitions Ontario. Trade Winds: Chinese Export Wares from the 8th to 20th Centuries. The Royal Ontario Museum. The Curated Object: International Decorative Arts Exhibitions

Qing dynasty, 19th century
Wallpaper, Ink and colour on paper
Gift of Mr. Noah Torno

Trade Winds: Chinese Export Wares from the 8th to 20th centuries
Dec 1- l April 6, 2008

For hundreds of years, traders have endured hostile deserts, perilous mountains and treacherous seas in an attempt to bring precious Chinese wares to the rest of Asia, Europe and the Americas. Now, discover over 100 of these exquisite artifacts including porcelain, textiles, silverware and much more – items that captured the attention of people around the world. This intimate exhibition explores the history of the lucrative Chinese export market from the 8th to the 20th centuries. Teas, silks, spices, furniture and more were transported to the rest of the world via the Silk Road, across the ice-capped mountain passages of Central Asia. Eventually, the discovery of a sea route from Europe to China 1498 led to thriving maritime trade and signalled the height of this extremely profitable era. In the early years, traders exported Chinese merchandise that was produced for domestic use. As demand increased, Chinese craftsmen began to modify their products for international tastes. Foreign merchants were eager to procure these profitable goods from this exotic and mysterious land. Over time, however, the novelty began to wear off and foreign craftsmen learned to replicate Chinese artistry in their own products. Interest in Chinese products declined. The resurgence of modern-day China as a global trading partner provides a fitting bookend to this fascinating history.

For more information please visit: The Royal Ontario Museum

--Joanne Molina