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Suzanne Tswei

Local Color
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Sunday, November 18, 2001

BY SUZANNE TSWEI



The Honolulu Academy of Art's exhibit of these and other jade
pieces marks the beginning of an art exchange partnership with
the Shanghai Museum. Above, a censer lid from the Song dynasty
(960-1279) features more than a half dozen egrets resting among lotuses.



Stunning antique jade
highlights Shanghai art exhibit

JADE has no equal, the Chinese believed, when compared to all the precious materials Mother Nature has to offer. Confucius declared the green gemstone as an embodiment of all virtues. It is soft, smooth and shining, like kindness, he said. It is hard, fine and strong, like intelligence.


A dragon and phoenix pendant from the Warring States
period (475-211 B.C.)



Its sound, when struck, is a clear, ringing ting, like music. The dark stains often found on jade aren't blemishes to be hidden, but add beauty, like truthfulness. The brightness of jade is like heaven, while its firmness -- born of the mountains and waters -- is like earth.


A Qing dynasty (1644-1911) dish inlaid with gemstones.


A jadeite brush washer embellished with dragons, also from
the Qing dynasty.



Such a precious material -- even better than gold -- was treated with the utmost reverence. Carefully carved jade was first used in burials and other ceremonies, and as the arduous carving process became more refined over time, jade as transformed by human artistry came to be treasured as art.

There are 20 such treasures, dating from the Neolithic Liangchu Culture (31st to 22nd century B.C.) to China's last dynasty (Qing, 1644-1911), on display at the Honolulu Academy of Arts as part of the celebration of the Chinese Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii's 90th anniversary.

"Beauties of Nature: Selections from the Shanghai Museum" also includes 15 paintings from the famed Chinese museum. The paintings are by some of the best-known artists in the Shanghai school noted for lyrical, bold and colorful interpretation of scenes of everyday life. The exhibit is open through Dec. 16.

"This exhibit is an exceptional opportunity to see treasures from one of the world's greatest collections of Chinese art. Getting the pieces here is really a coup for us," said Julia White, the academy's curator of Asian art.

The jade, as well as the paintings, are some of the most splendid examples of Chinese art seldom seen outside of China. These pieces are on loan exclusively to the academy, which allows Hawaii art lovers the exclusive opportunity to see them.


A dark nephrite censer from the Qing dynasty (1644-1911) has
carved dragon handles andillustrates the artistic possibilities of jade.



This exhibit marks the beginning of a partnership between the academy and the Shanghai Museum for future art exchanges.

The jade pieces range in style from simple ritual pieces with abstract designs to intricately carved personal possessions of realistic relief. The colors vary from almost white (which is really agate) to dark brown.

It's worth paying the exhibit more than one visit not only for the jade, but also for paintings which show a Western influence on the traditional form of Chinese brush painting. Because of limited space, several of the paintings by Xu Gu, one of the most revered artists, will be rotated about every two weeks for the duration of the exhibit.

Xu Gu was particularly known for his elegant and expressive style. He was famous for paintings of landscapes, flowers, vegetables, insects and figures in light colors.

The exhibit includes an album of 10 paintings he created when he was 73 and considered to be among his masterpieces.


"Beauties of Nature"

Selections from the Shanghai Museum

Place: Maurice J. Sullivan Family Gallery, Honolulu Academy of Arts, 900 S. Beretania St.

Time: 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Tuesday to Saturdays, and 1 to 4 p.m. Sundays (closed Thanksgiving Day) through Dec. 16

Cost: $7; $4 seniors, students and military; free for members and children 12 and under; free on first Wednesday of each month

Call: 532-8700






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Suzanne Tswei's art column runs Sundays in Today.
You can write her at the Star-Bulletin,
500 Ala Moana, Suite 7-210, Honolulu, HI, 96813
or email stswei@starbulletin.com



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