by Jeffrey Stanley
On November 20th Yuval Ortiz-Quiroga’s and Mark Buenzle’s 11th grade IB Art classes spent a day in Manhattan at the Japan Society learning about textile-making via the work of Keisuke Serizawa, a legendary modern master of this artistic medium.
“One of the goals of the IB curriculum is to look at things from a global perspective,” said Yuval, hence he was thrilled that BFS received the invitation. The Japan Society’s education program holds such events three times a year in which art students from two high schools are invited to share the day together. Given the number of public and independent high schools in New York City, being selected is somewhat akin to winning the lottery. BFS was partnered with students from Gotham Professional Academy who are currently painting a Japanese manga style mural based on the stories of famed 19th century Japanese author Miyazawa Kenji.
“Ohio gozaimas.” Well, that’s how it sounds if you’re from the US. It means good morning in Japanese. “Arms relaxed at the side, and bow, bending from the waist.” Suzanne de Vegh, head of the Society’s education, arts and culture programs, explained and demonstrated the salutation as a kickoff to the morning’s events. She then had the students watch a short documentary on Serizawa (1895-1984) and his intricate stenciling methods as a prelude to seeing his work currently on display in the Society’s art gallery. Students were given a detailed tour of the exhibit by de Vegh and docent Jody Harrow who had studied in Japan with Serizawa himself. Many of the works, primarily in cloth or paper, were abstract, others whimsical, all stylized.
Serizawa was born on the heels of the arrival of Commodore Perry’s infamous black ships in Japan in 1850 which changed the country forever. This timing gave Serizawa a special place as an artistic link between Japan’s ancient traditions and those of the West. Some of his displayed works were Western-influenced, such as his depiction of scenes from Aesop’s fables in Japanese style, or his depiction of revered Buddhist masters such as Jizo Bhodhisattva using medieval Christian iconography as though they were saints. Still, throughout his long career Serizawa remained fiercely loyal to Japan’s folk art traditions as a way of preserving and celebrating them in the face of increased Western contact.
Students and faculty from the two schools comingled during the tour, and during the Japanese lunch served afterward. They were then given a stenciling demonstration by artist Yoshiko Ebihara, and divided into interschool pairs in order to try their own hands at Japanese textile work Serizawa-style.
The students' work will be on display at the Japan Society on December 10th from 5 to 7pm at a reception for friends and families from both schools. For more information on attending
Responding to Serizawa click here to view the invitation.
Trips like this are important for students in all grades,” said Yuval. “For IB in particular it helps students place their work in a larger visual culture context as well as make connections with non-Western art.” De Vegh had visited Yuval and Mark’s classes the week before to prep them for the field trip, and came again the week after for a followup. “Some students were already interested in fashion design, textiles, stenciling, pattern, calligraphy or Japanese art,” Yuval said. “This in-depth experience will allow them to make broader connections to art of the past and present within their work and thinking.”