… It is with great sadness that we announce the death on February 14, 2014 of our teacher and friend James Cahill. This exhibition is dedicated to his memory …
The theme of the exhibition emphasizes the fact that the past never really disappears. Most of the paintings and works of art in the show were created long ago and will continue to exist in the distant future. By researching, writing and publishing the works, Kaikodo hopes to contribute to their immortality. The Chinese paintings encompass a variety of subjects, including an early snowscape dating to the14th century, a portrait of Zhu Yicun, an important cultural figure during the early Qing era, painted by Yu Zhiding (1647-1713), and on a lighter note a charming and colorful album of “ Fruit and Vegetables” by the 19th century artist Tang Luming. Perhaps the most important painting is a Korean landscape, rare for its 16th century date, which is accompanied in the Journal by an illuminating essay by Kazuko Kameda-Madar.
The works of art in “The Immortal Past” exhibition are quite varied in media and includes jade, ceramic, textile, bronze, silver, porcelain, wood and lacquer. Two important early objects being offered are a Han dynasty Money Tree, and intriguing type of funerary object rarely seen on the market today and an extremely rare Tang dynasty gilt-silver drinking game set, the “Analects Jade Candle,” one of only two known at present.
The exhibition at Kaikodo also encompass several works created in the last several years: photographic works by Michael Cherney, which are mounted as fans that pay homage to ink monochrome paintings of ancient times, a more bold and colorful fan painting by Luo Jianwu, a grand horizontal painting by Mansheng Wang, “Lotus Pond in Summer,” and a most distinctive and captivating work created by Robert Kushner that consists of white peonies painted on a collage of Japanese woodblock printed papers enhanced with gold leaf. While these contemproary works are sure to take their place in the immortal past, we are delighted to have them and their artists with us in the present.