Sugiura Noriyoshi (1964- ), Ritsudo, 2017, madake, rattan, 23.5 x 21 x 11 in. Collection of the Carl & Marilynn Thoma Foundation.
BENDING THE RULES An exhibition of Japanese bamboo art from the Carl & Marilynn Thoma Foundation celebrates innovation in an ancient material. BY BEN LIMA
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biquitous and environmentally friendly, the humble bamboo plant has been used by artists to create a marvelous variety of works, from traditional craft to contemporary performance art. Some sense of this range can be found in Twisted, Plaited, Sculpted, an upcoming exhibition at the Crow Museum of Asian Art Dallas Arts District, that showcases Japanese bamboo art from the Carl & Marilynn Thoma Foundation. According to Crow curator Natalia Di Pietrantonio, the show originated in a visit to the foundation. “After seeing the breadth of their collection, we noticed that in the 1950s, Japanese artists created radical and modern sculptures from bamboo and other fibers sculpted into improbable and organic shapes. Some are towering in stature while others are smaller, like handbaskets and trays,” she said.
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Honma Hideaki (1959- ), Knot, 2006, menyadake, nemagaridake, 25.75 x 20.75 x 17 in. Collection of the Carl & Marilynn Thoma Foundation.