Jan. 6, 1998 Museum of Art Contact Heather Brown (541) 346-0942 or John R. Crosiar 346-3135 NOTE TO EDITORS: A full listing of activities related to the principal exhibition, "Imaging Meiji," is attached. EUGENE--When "Imaging Meiji: Emperor and Era (1868-1912)" opens Friday, Jan. 16, at the University of Oregon Museum of Art, 1430 Johnson Lane, the 6,000 visitors expected during its 10-week stay will have access to a fascinating array of rarely seen woodcuts of late 19th-century and early 20th-century Japan. The winter exhibition, organized by Pennsylvania's Haverford College and continuing through March 29, examines Western influences on the artistic traditions of Japanese woodblock prints and celebrates modernity in Meiji-period Japan. Comprised of 52 printed works, primarily triptychs, from the collection of Jean S. and Frederic A. Sharf, "Imaging Meiji" features many prints that record real situations or actual events. Others depict the Meiji Emperor and the members of the Imperial family engaged in leisurely pursuits, a practice not accepted prior to the Meiji era. "The Meiji Emperor's inclination to embrace western ideas, dress and art is clearly evident in this collection of work," says David Robertson, director of the UO Museum of Art. He believes the exhibition illustrates Japan undergoing a radical cultural transformation. In addition, the technical virtuosity and the aesthetic appeal of the woodcuts in "Imaging Meiji" demonstrate that Meiji prints are not only important social documents, but also vital works of art in their own right, Robertson says. Unlike the well known woodblock prints (ukiyo-e) of previous centuries, the works on exhibit display bright new aniline dyes and subject matter which was novel to the average Japanese of the time. Maribeth Graybill, assistant professor of art history at Swarthmore College and co-organizer of the exhibit, will open the exhibition at 6 p.m. Jan. 16 with a talk on "Agents of State Ideology or Expressions of Popular Culture? Prints of the Satsuma Rebellion Reconsidered." Both the lecture, in Room 171 of Lawrence Hall, 1190 Franklin Blvd., and a reception, from 7-8:30 p.m. at the Museum of Art, are free and open to the public. In addition to "Imaging Meiji," the UO art museum has organized a complementary exhibition of Meiji-period painting and decorative arts of metalwork, lacquer, woodcarving and ceramics from the museum's own collections. "Made in Meiji: Japanese Art from the UOMA Collection" will be on view at the museum through March 22. "Discover Meiji," an interactive hands-on gallery for visitors of all ages to explore and learn more about Meiji Japan and its culture, also will be open from Jan. 16 through March 22 at the museum. These additional programs have been funded in part by a grant from the Ford Foundation to the University of Oregon Center for Asian and Pacific Studies and by the generosity of the Ballinger family in memory of Court Ballinger. Throughout the exhibition, the Museum of Art has scheduled related programs including a series of Meiji MusEvenings! programs at 6 p.m. each Wednesday and a Meiji Family Day from 1-3 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 31. Accessible to people with disabilities, the UO Museum of Art is located on campus on the Memorial Quad near the Knight Library. It is open from noon-8 p.m. Wednesday and noon-5 p.m. Thursday through Sunday. Suggested admission donation is $3, but MusEvenings! programs are free from 5-8 p.m. Wednesdays. The UO Museum of Art is a nationally accredited, state supported non-profit institution. The museum's 1997-98 exhibitions and programs are supported in part by a grant from the Oregon Arts Commission and the National Endowment for the Arts. For more information about "Imaging Meiji" and associated activities, call (541) 346-3027. A taped message about current museum exhibitions and events also is available 24 hours a day by calling GuardLine from a Touch-Tone phone at 485-2000, ext. 5665, or visit the UO Museum of Art's Internet web site at <http://uoma.uoregon.edu>. -30- [Pick up listing of related activities on next page.] #P-2113/A&E Related Events and Programs "Imaging Meiji: Emperor and Era (1868-1912)" University of Oregon Museum of Art Exhibitions-- Jan. 16-March 29: "Imaging Meiji: Emperor and Era (1868-1912)" Jan. 16-March 22: "Made in Meiji: Japanese Art from the UOMA Collection" (Curated by Cynthea Bogel, UO assistant professor of art history) Keynote Lecture-- Jan. 16: At 6 p.m., Maribeth Graybill, associate professor of art history at Swarthmore College, Haverford, Pa., and exhibition co-organizer, speaks on "Agents of State Ideology or Expressions of Popular Culture? Prints of the Satsuma Rebellion Reconsidered." Room 171, Lawrence Hall, 1190 Franklin Blvd. Free public reception follows from 7-8:30 p.m. at the Museum of Art. Interactive Gallery-- Jan. 16-March 22: "Meiji Discovery Room" introduces families and children of all ages to the history and culture of the Japanese Meiji era. Meiji Family Day-- Jan. 31: From 1-3 p.m., hands-on activities, refreshments and performances introduce the world of the Meiji Emperor, including the art of woodblock-printing, sushi making and the culture of Japan. Free. MusEvenings! Programs--Free programs at 6 p.m. Wednesdays Jan. 21: Sahomi Tachibana, internationally recognized dancer, instructor and educator, will perform a variety of traditional Japanese dances. Jan. 28: Claudia Ponton, UO art history graduate student and Soreng museum intern, will lead a gallery walk-through of the "Made in Meiji" exhibition. Feb. 4: Jeff Hanes, UO assistant professor of history, discusses "Changes in Meiji Material Culture." Feb. 11: Victoria Weston, assistant professor of art, University of Massachusetts, Boston, presents a historical overview of the paintings promoted by scholar Okakura Tenshin in the 1890s. Feb. 18: Diana Wright, assistant professor of art history at Western Washington University, Bellingham, presents a lecture, "From `She-Devil' to `Good Wife:' Japanese Women and the Meiji State." Feb. 25: Cynthea Bogel, UO assistant professor of art history and curator of "Made in Meiji," presents a lecture, "A Modern Tradition: Western Taxonomies and Meiji Artistic Canons." March 4: Allen Hockley, assistant professor of art history, Dartmouth, presents "Image, Imaging, and Imagination: Japanese Photography (1860-1890)." March 11: Takashi Fujitani, associate professor of history, University of California, San Diego, discusses "Emperor and Nation in Modern Japan: Thoughts on Visibility and Power." March 18: Frederic Sharf, collector and lender of the works in the exhibition "Imaging Meiji," discusses "The Art of Collecting." March 25: Workshop on "The Art of Ikebana Floral Design," followed by a special sake wine-tasting ($5 fee for workshop). -30- #P-2113/addendum/A&E