Nature/Natural

Exhibition

Exhibition Overview

Nature/Natural
Nature/Natural
Kris Ercums, curator
Gallery 408, Spencer Museum of Art, University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas

人生到處知何似
應似飛鴻踏雪泥
To what can our life on earth be likened?
To a flock of geese,
Alighting on the snow,
Sometimes leaving a trace of their passage.
Su Shi 蘇軾 (1037–1101)
One pervasive characteristic of East Asian art is its enduring pursuit to illuminate the relationship between natural phenomena—such as the connection between humans and the landscape, the change of seasons, or even the cracks in an old bowl—and an abstract concept of Nature. As in English, “Nature” in its broadest sense holds a rich spectrum of meaning in Chinese, encompassing many separate concepts and words.

However, it was in the concept of ziran 自然 (literally “being so of itself” or “spontaneity”) that Chinese thinkers explored the questions of the universe through the expression of the natural world found in poetry and painting. Artists looked at the landscape, found insight into the universe, and took up brush and ink as an attempt to convey this understanding. The 5th-century poem “Quaffing Wine” by Tao Yuanming 陶淵明 (365–427) speaks of the “authentic intent” or “timeless, unmoving conception” that nature reveals:

A timeless, unmoving conception lies hidden in these phenomena, but just as one seeks to express it, the words are already forgotten.

Rather than a background for human action, Nature is an integrated concept that includes humans as part of a seamless continuum.

Encountering these concepts, Korean and Japanese artists appropriated, imbued, and even departed from this view of the natural world, adding their own cultural perspectives. In the Korean Peninsula, shamanic traditions, a rich visual culture of Buddhism, and an austere Confucian simplicity were synchronized in new ways that expressed an abiding delight in the natural world. And in Japan, ideas from continental Asia merged with local animistic beliefs that emphasize balance between nature and humans. Through poetry and painting, the changing, yearly cycle of seasons became a predominate theme in Japanese art, embodied in this 9th-century poem:

The hue of the cherry
fades too quickly from sight
all for nothing
this body of mine grows old—
spring rain ceaselessly falling.
Ono no Komachi 小野小町 (c. 825–c. 900)

Exhibition images

Works of art

early 1570s, Ming dynasty (1368–1644)
circa 1750, Qing dynasty (1644–1911)
1800s, Qing dynasty (1644–1911)
1800s, Qing dynasty (1644–1911)
late 1700s–early 1800s, Qing dynasty (1644–1911)
late 1600s, Kangxi period (1662–1722), Qing dynasty (1644–1911)
mid 1800s, Qing dynasty (1644–1911), mark and reign of Daoguang (1821–1850)
late 1100s, Goryeo dynasty (918–1392)
after mid 1100s, Goryeo dynasty (918–1392)
Goryeo dynasty (918–1392)
1200s–1300s, Goryeo dynasty (918–1392)
800s, Silla dynasty (57 BCE–CE 935)
1500s, Joseon dynasty (1392–1910)
1200s–1300s, Goryeo dynasty (918–1392)
late 1200s–1300s, Goryeo dynasty (918–1392)
Miyagawa Kōzan
late 1800s, Meiji period (1868–1912)
late 1500s–early 1600s, Ming dynasty (1368–1644)
Suzuki Harunobu
1770, Edo period (1600–1868)
Suzuki Harunobu
1770, Edo period (1600–1868)
Suzuki Harunobu
1770, Edo period (1600–1868)
Suzuki Harunobu
1770, Edo period (1600–1868)
Suzuki Harunobu
1770, Edo period (1600–1868)
Suzuki Harunobu
1770, Edo period (1600–1868)
Suzuki Harunobu
1770, Edo period (1600–1868)
Suzuki Harunobu
1770, Edo period (1600–1868)
Suzuki Harunobu
1770, Edo period (1600–1868)
Suzuki Harunobu
1770, Edo period (1600–1868)
Edo period (1600–1868)
Edo period (1600–1868)
Edo period (1600–1868)
Edo period (1600–1868)
Edo period (1600–1868)
Edo period (1600–1868)
Shima Seien
circa 1930
Tosa Mitsuoki, Asukai Masaaki
mid 1600s
Okuhara Seiko
1901, Meiji period (1868–1912)
独湛性瑩 Ōbaku Dokutan, Dokutan Shōkei, 乙華發 Ikka Hatsu
1704, Edo period (1600–1868)
Namikawa Sōsuke
1890–1915
Namikawa Sōsuke
1890–1915
mid-late 1700s, Qing dynasty (1644–1911)
mid-late 1700s, Qing dynasty (1644–1911)
Guangxu period (1874–1908), Qing dynasty (1644–1911)
Kinkōzan workshop
circa 1910, Meiji period (1868–1912)
1200s, Southern Song dynasty (1127–1279)
Iwamura Sadao
1936
Northern Qi dynasty (550–577)
1500s, Joseon dynasty (1392–1910)
late 1800s, Meiji period (1868–1910)
late 1800s, Meiji period (1868–1912)
Rongqing
late 1800s, Qing dynasty (1644–1911)
Shichibei
Edo period (1600–1868)
1700s, Edo period (1600–1868)
circa 1750, Edo period (1600–1868)
circa 200 BCE–150 CE
circa 200s CE, Kushan dynasty
800s, Tang dynasty (618 CE–907 CE)
circa 1400s, Muromachi period (1338–1573)
1700s, Edo period (1600–1868)
1100s–1300s, Southern Song dynasty (1127–1279)–Yüan dynasty (1279–1368)
circa 800s, Tang Dynasty (618–907)
600–700s, early Tang dynasty (618 CE–907 CE)
Katsushika Hokusai
circa 1829–1833, Edo period (1600–1868)
Katsushika Hokusai
early 1830s, Edo period (1600–1868)
late 1800s, Qing dynasty (1644–1911)
Edo period (1600–1868)
Utagawa Hiroshige
1850s, Edo period (1600–1868)
Katsushika Hokusai
circa 1831, Edo period (1600–1868)
Utagawa Hiroshige
1857, 11th month, Edo period (1600–1868)
Yi Fujiu
1753, Qing dynasty (1644–1911)
Ike no Taiga
circa 1750, Edo period (1600–1868)
Uragami Gyokudō
circa 1810–1820, Edo period (1600–1868)
Nakayama Kōyō
mid 1700s, Edo period (1600–1868)
Jun Kaneko
1989
Utagawa Hiroshige
1858, 4th month, Edo period (1600–1868)
Utagawa Hiroshige
1857, Edo period (1600–1868)
Utagawa Hiroshige
1858, 4th month, Edo period (1600–1868)
1600s, Ming dynasty (1368–1644)
Shunkōsai Hokushū
1826, 1st month, Edo period (1600–1868)
Shunbaisai Hokuei
circa 1831, Edo period (1600–1868)
Utagawa Kuniyoshi
circa 1845–1847, Edo period (1600–1868)
Utagawa Kunisada
1855, 7th month, Edo period (1600–1868)
Toyohara Kunichika
1892, 10th month, Meiji period (1868–1912)
月岡芳年 Tsukioka Yoshitoshi, Matsui Eikichi
1889, Meiji period (1868–1912)
Gekko
early 1800s, Edo period (1600–1868)
Wu Chi-Tsung
2009
Matsumoto Masao
circa 1920s, Taisho period (1912–1926)
Yeesookyung
2009
late 1600s–early 1700s, Joseon dynasty (1392–1910)
Hwang Jong-ha
circa 1930s
Kanō Tsunenobu
late 1600s–early 1700s, Edo period (1600–1868)
Katsushika Hokusai
1825, Edo period (1600–1868)
Kawanabe Kyōsai
circa 1880s or 1890s, Meiji period (1868–1912)
Suzuki Harunobu
1765, Edo period (1600–1868)
Chōbunsai Eishi
early 1790s, Edo period (1600–1868)
Keisai Eisen
1828, Edo period (1600–1868)
Jifei
1600s, Edo period (1600–1868)
Suzuki Shōnen
circa 1910, Meiji period (1868–1912)
Suzuki Shōnen
circa 1910, Meiji period (1868–1912)
1800s, Qing dynasty (1644–1911)
Fūgai Ekun
late 1500s–early 1600s, Momoyama period (1573–1615) or Edo period (1600–1868)
Kawanabe Kyōsai, Sawamuraya Seikichi
1874, Meiji period (1868–1912)
early 1800s, Edo period (1600–1868)
1800s–early 1900s, Edo period (1600–1868) or Meiji period (1868–1912)
1773, Edo period (1600–1868)
early 1900s, Meiji period (1868–1912)
Hashimoto Kansetsu
1911, Meiji period (1868–1912)
Nakahara Nantenbō
1800s–early 1900s
Nakahara Nantenbō
1800s–early 1900s
Kojima Rōtetsu
1800s
Komuro Suiun
circa 1920, Taisho period (1912–1926)
1916, Taisho period (1912–1926)
late 1800s, Meiji period (1868–1912)
late 1800s, Meiji period (1868–1912)
late 1800s
late 1800s–early 1900s
late 1800s, Meiji period, 1868–1912

Events

March 3, 2012
Activity
10:00AM–4:00PM
Gallery 408
March 4, 2012
Activity
12:00–4:00PM
Gallery 408
March 10, 2012
Activity
10:00AM–4:00PM
Gallery 408
March 10, 2012
Tour
10:00–11:30AM
Gallery 317 Central Court, Gallery 408
March 11, 2012
Activity
12:00–4:00PM
Gallery 408
March 17, 2012
Activity
10:00AM–4:00PM
Gallery 408
March 18, 2012
Activity
12:00–4:00PM
Gallery 408
March 24, 2012
Activity
10:00AM–4:00PM
Gallery 408
March 25, 2012
Activity
12:00–4:00PM
Gallery 408
March 31, 2012
Activity
10:00AM–4:00PM
Gallery 408
April 1, 2012
Activity
12:00–4:00PM
Gallery 408
May 10, 2012
Talk
10:00–11:00AM
Gallery 408
November 3, 2012
Activity
10:00AM–4:00PM
Gallery 408
November 4, 2012
Activity
12:00–4:00PM
Gallery 408
November 10, 2012
Activity
10:00AM–4:00PM
Gallery 408
November 11, 2012
Activity
12:00–4:00PM
Gallery 408
November 17, 2012
Activity
10:00AM–4:00PM
Gallery 408
November 18, 2012
Activity
12:00–4:00PM
Gallery 408
November 24, 2012
Activity
10:00AM–4:00PM
Gallery 408
November 25, 2012
Activity
12:00–4:00PM
Gallery 408
April 12, 2014
Activity
10:30–11:30AM
Gallery 319, Gallery 408
May 3, 2014
Activity
10:00AM–4:00PM
Gallery 408
May 4, 2014
Activity
12:00–4:00PM
Gallery 408
May 10, 2014
Activity
10:00AM–4:00PM
Gallery 408
May 11, 2014
Activity
12:00–4:00PM
Gallery 408
May 17, 2014
Activity
10:00AM–4:00PM
Gallery 408
May 18, 2014
Activity
12:00–4:00PM
Gallery 408
May 24, 2014
Activity
10:00AM–4:00PM
Gallery 408
May 25, 2014
Activity
12:00–4:00PM
Gallery 408
May 31, 2014
Activity
10:00AM–4:00PM
Gallery 408
June 1, 2014
Activity
12:00–4:00PM
Gallery 408