Wabi Sabi—A Visual Arts Exhibition of Sun Valley Museum of Art

Wabi Sabi JANUARY 14–MARCH 26, 2022

THE MUSEUM 191 Fifth Street East, Ketchum, Idaho Tue–Fri, 10am–5pm Sat, 11am–4pm HAILEY CLASSROOM 314 Second Ave South, Hailey, Idaho Scheduled Class Times SUN VALLEY MUSEUM OF ART P.O. Box 656, Sun Valley, ID 83353 208.726.9491 • svmoa.org

COVER: Shiro Tsujimura, teabowl, c. 2015, ceramic, collection of Henry Whiting INTRODUCTION PANELS: Yeesookyung, Translated Vase (2013 TVG5) (detail), 2013, ceramic shards, epoxy, 24 karat gold leaf, courtesy the artist and Locks Gallery, Philadelphia Frances Trombly, Indigo with Canvas Frame, 2020, handwoven cotton canvas, indigo dyed rayon and wood, courtesy the artist and Emerson Dorsch, Miami BACK PANEL: Mark Newport, Tuck, 2019, embroidered fabric, courtesy the artist, Greg Kucera Gallery, Seattle, and Simone DeSousa Gallery, Detroit

INTERIOR, TOP TO BOTTOM, TOP TO BOTTOM, LEFT TO RIGHT: Frances Trombly, Weaving (Weld with ­Canvas Warp), 2020, handwoven, ­hand-dyed (weld) silk and rayon, cotton, maple, courtesy the artist and Emerson Dorsch, Miami Shiro Tsujimura, teabowl, c. 2015, ceramic, collection of Henry Whiting Yeesookyung, Translated Vase (2014 TVW24), 2014, ceramic shards, epoxy, 24 karat gold leaf, courtesy the artist and Locks Gallery, Philadelphia Mark Newport, Sleeve, 2019, embroidered ­f abric, courtesy the artist, Greg Kucera ­G allery, Seattle, and Simone DeSousa Gallery, Detroit

ccording to Japanese legend, an aspir-

aging, irregularity and the impermanence of all

ing student of the tea ceremony, Sen no

things. Nuanced and reflective, the aesthetic is

Rikyū (1522–1591), sought an apprenticeship with

linked to solitude and contemplation.

a recognized tea master, Takeno Joo. To test

RIkyū’s commitment and skill, the master asked

nese aesthetic of wabi sabi, which is both a

the young man to tend his garden. The appren-

philosophy and a design approach, into the 21st

tice thoroughly cleaned the garden and then

century, exploring the ways that mending and re-

carefully raked the ground until it was perfect.

pair, restoration and transience remain compel-

But before showing his work, Rikyū shook a

ling notions for many artists. Each of the artists

cherry tree so that its flowers fell to the ground.

in the exhibition makes objects that celebrate

This touch of imperfection brought beauty to

natural, unrefined and imperfect forms. Two of

the garden, ushering in the concept of flawed

the artists, Mark Newport and Yeesookyung,

beauty known in Japanese as wabi sabi.

repair and reimagine new objects out of dam-

aged or broken ones. Their fragmented, color-

Four artists with widely differing histories

This exhibition takes the traditional Japa-

and cultural traditions created the artwork in

ful, mended pieces celebrate ideas of renewal.

this exhibition, but each approaches their work

A respect for nature and purity of material is

with a respect for the concepts embedded in

evident in Shiro Tsujimura’s ceramic work and

wabi sabi. With roots in Zen Buddhism, wabi

in Frances Trombly’s fiber pieces. Both artists

translates as “incomplete” or “imperfect” and

approach their practice with a deep respect for

refers to the beauty found in asymmetric, simple,

their medium and a desire to simplify form while

quiet forms; sabi describes the enhancements of

challenging tradition.

Wabi Sabi JAN 14–MAR 26, 2022

SUN VALLEY MUSEUM OF ART MUSEUM EXHIBITION Often defined as flawed beauty, the wabi sabi aesthetic connotes asymmetry, awkwardness and evidence of the forces of nature and time. It embraces the unconventional and broken as beauty—reminders of the world’s fragility and transience. The four artists in this exhibition come from diverse traditions. Based in East Asia, Yeesookyung and Shiro Tsujimura bring an innovative approach to ceramics in places where cultural practices are rigorously prescribed. American artists Mark Newport and Frances Trombly have each chosen the medium of fiber, historically perceived in the Western world as a lesser art, relegated to female and craft traditions. Whether raised in the East, where ideas of imperfection and wabi sabi have been cultivated for centuries, or with Western ideals of beauty and perfection, each of these artists makes art that is unconventional, raw and, in its imperfection, deeply appealing.

Transforming ripped, torn or worn pieces of cloth, Mark Newport emphasizes the place of repair with enhanced stitchery that leads to new patterns, bursts of color and a reconsideration of original form. Newport sometimes refers to his threads as stitches or scars, and while he employs traditional darning techniques, he defies the expectation that the repair should be blended in to hide the tear. Instead, Newport accentuates the “wound,” introducing new colors or textures into the host cloth.

Notions of renewal and restoration are also present in Yeesookyung’s ceramic vessels. She carefully assembles remnants of discarded Korean pots into wholly new forms, employing the traditional method of kintsugi—drawing attention to the place of repair with conspicuous lines of gold lacquer clearly articulating where one pot shard meets the next. In assembling disparate pieces from multiple originals, Yeesookyung re-presents these pieces in precarious and irregular new forms.

Shiro Tsujimura’s ceramic objects are uncontrived, simple forms with rustic surfaces that are enhanced by the clay’s imperfections and the fire’s trace. This collection of teabowls has been assembled

by Henry Whiting, who chose them to complement the Frank Lloyd Wright studio in which he lives in Bliss, Idaho. The simplicity and purity of the Japanese aesthetic resonated with Wright, and so too with Whiting. Tsujimura’s teabowls, which at first glance appear simple and alike, are each unique shapes; every element of the pot is meant to be noticed as it nestles into two hands for tea drinking. Tsujimura’s teabowls are aligned with Japanese traditions that are centuries

old but, made by an artist who came to ceramics without the restrictions imposed by a traditional apprenticeship, reflect an iconoclastic approach that allows him to work in multiple clay bodies and traditions.

Frances Trombly’s hand-woven textiles speak to a different kind of purity. She uses color sparingly, allowing the weave and warp of the material to create surface. Presented as sculptures, the bare fabrics drape and flow around simple wooden structures, some of which suggest painting’s armature. She presents material in its barest, most essential form and leaves glitches or mistakes evident, emphasizing the relationship between maker and form and honoring the time necessary for the labor.

EXHIBITION OPENING CELEBRATION Fri, Jan 14, 5–6:30pm The Museum, Ketchum FREE Join us as we celebrate the opening of Wabi Sabi. ­Collector Henry Whiting will speak about his collection of Shiro Tsujimura ceramics at 5:30pm.

ART TALK: ON THE JAPANESE TEABOWL TRADITION WITH HENRY WHITING AND SHOKO AONO Thu, Jan 20, 6pm The Community Library, Ketchum FREE, pre-registration requested Also available via livestreaming at comlib.org Attracted to the shared aesthetics of Frank Lloyd Wright and Japanese ceramics, Henry Whiting has begun to fill his Wright home, Teater’s Knoll, with ceramics by Shiro Tsujimura, whose teabowls take inspiration from centuries-old Japanese traditions but reflect a decidedly contemporary approach. Whiting will be in conversation with Shoko Aono, Director of the Ippodo Gallery in New York, who represents Tsujimura and is an expert in Japanese art, culture and ceramics.

EVENING EXHIBITION TOURS Thu, Jan 27, Feb 10 and Mar 10 4:30pm and 5:30pm (2 sessions) The Museum, Ketchum FREE, pre-registration required (space is limited) Enjoy a glass of wine as you tour the exhibition with SVMoA’s curators.

GALLERY WALK Fri, Feb 18 and Fri, Mar 11, 5–7pm The Museum, Ketchum FREE

ADULT CLASSES CREATIVE JUMP-IN: CLOTHES MENDING WITH JEANNA WIGGER Sat, Feb 26, 10am–3:30pm Hailey Classroom, Hailey $80 / $90 nonmember 16 years and older, beginners welcome Join a small group of menders to repair your loved but damaged clothes. Bring a worn, torn garment in need of mending, and learn the best way to repair it by hand, making it stronger at the broken parts. Some hand-sewing experience is helpful but not required.

Group size will be limited to allow each participant to get one-on-one instruction. Garments that can be successfully repaired using the methods taught in this class may include pants with holes, rips or tears; shirts and sweaters; scarves; missing buttons; and torn seams. Repairs NOT covered in this workshop are zippers, complicated outdoor gear, hemming or mends on precious clothing. Plan to repair one garment to completion.

Jeanna Wigger has been creating with textiles for over 30 years. Her experience ranges from quilting, knitting and garment sewing to embroidery and needle felting. In 2017, she started Sage Woolens, a creative business with a mission of making useful products from discarded wool textiles and mending vintage wool clothing.

CRAFT SERIES WORKSHOP: BEAUTIFUL MENDED RINGS WITH LISA HORTON Sat, Mar 26, 10am–1pm Hailey Classroom, Hailey The wabi sabi philosophy embraces imperfection and the happy accident. Repairs are not considered detriments but opportunities to honor the piece through embellishment. In this class, students will form a C-shaped, textured sterling silver band ring, sized slightly too small. We will then expand the ring to the proper size and mend the cut edges with an ornamented, riveted-on strap.

Lisa Horton began her jewelry-making journey

by learning to repair treasured flea-market finds, and she quickly progressed to making pieces with metal clay. She has now moved into traditional metalsmithing, adding sheet metal to the metal clay. Lisa has been teaching jewelry-making for 10 years.

FAMILY PROGRAM AFTERNOON ART (for families with kids ages 5–12) Fri, Feb 4, 11, and 18 2:30pm and 3:30pm (2 sessions) The Museum, Ketchum FREE, pre-registration encouraged Families will make art and view the exhibition together. Projects will change weekly and always connect to the artwork in the exhibition. Participants are encouraged to register in advance, and walk-ins will be accommodated if space allows.

SVMoA requires all participants, staff and ­volunteers to wear face masks at The Museum and at all indoor SVMoA events regardless of ­vaccination status.