Thursday, April 15, 2004FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE APR 14, 2004
"Isamu Noguchi and Contemporary Japanese Ceramics" Films and Lecture The Rad Smith Program in Japanese Art
Sponsored by the Japan Society of Boston
Wednesday, May 5, 2004 Museum of Fine Arts, Remis Auditorium 465 Huntington Avenue Boston
Two films on Isamu Noguchi will be shown with generous support from PBS and Alternate Current Productions of New York
4:00 pm (Admission free)
"Isamu Noguchi: The Sculpture of Spaces" by Charlotte Zwerin (1997, 52 mins.) traces the revolutionary vision of one of the world[base ']s great modern sculptors by exploring his diverse work
American Masters Series, "Isamu Noguchi: Stones & Paper" by Hiro Narita (1997, 60 mins.) surveys Noguchi[base ']s distinguished career and his unique mixed ethnic and cultural background with special emphasis on his unusual relationship with Japan
7:00 pm ($10 MFA members, seniors, students/$13 general admission)
"Isamu Noguchi and Contemporary Japanese Ceramics" presented by Louise Cort, specialist on Japanese ceramics, and Bruce Altshuler, former director, Isamu Noguchi Garden Museum
Celebrated as one of America[base ']s finest 20th century sculptors, Isamu Noguchi (1904-1988) is also considered to be the most creative artist bridging Japanese and Western aesthetics. Known for is stone and metal sculpture, furniture, landscape and stage design and his Akari paper lanterns, Noguchi also produced strikingly original ceramic sculpture during several extended visits to Japan. His work stimulated artists working in traditional genres and set off a wave of experimental innovation by Japanese potters. Louise Cort and Bruce Altshuler speak on their recently acclaimed exhibition "Isamu Noguchi and Modern Japanese Ceramics."
For tickets, please call the Museum of Fine Arts box office at 617-369-3306 or see www.mfa.org.
The Rad Smith Program in Japanese Art is an annual event at the Museum of Fine Arts sponsored by the Japan Society of Boston in memory of the late Rad Smith, noted art collector and former board member of the Society.
This event is part of the Japan Society of Boston[base ']s Centennial Celebration which kicked off January 1 and will continue through 2005 with dozens of special programs including Kabuki Theatre at the Cutler Majestic Theatre, an exhibition and symposium on John Manjiro, the first Japanese person to live in America, the 150th anniversary of the diplomatic relationship linking Japan and the U.S., with exhibitions of Japanese art at the Museum of Fine Arts, Children[base ']s Museum and Peabody Essex Museum, conferences and presentations at Harvard, Tufts, Wellesley and MIT, film retrospectives, sporting events and many more explorations of Japanese culture. For more information, visit www.us-japan.org/boston.
The Japan Society of Boston is a tax-exempt American organization whose mission is to promote cultural and economic ties and active interchange between Japanese and Americans for mutual understanding, benefit and enjoyment. As the oldest Japan Society in the United States, it serves as a bridge for a network of individuals, cultural and academic institutions and business and financial firms that are linked together by a strong interest in Japan and a shared recognition of the importance of the US-Japan relationship.
For more information on the Japan Society of Boston contact Dawn Singh, 857-544-0739 or dawn@dawnsinghpublicity.com.
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE APRIL 14, 2004
Japanese Film Director, Masahiro Shinoda, Featured at Harvard Film Archive Presented by the Japan Society of Boston, the Harvard Film Archive and the Reischauer Institute
Two films by Japanese film director, Masahiro Shinoda, will be presented at the Harvard Film Archive May 14th and 16th. His classic film "Double Suicide" and his latest production, "Spy Sorge," will be screened with introductory remarks by the director. The program is sponsored by the Japan Society of Boston, the Harvard Film Archive and the Reischauer Institute following the conclusion of the Ozu Film Retrospective April 2-May 11. As a contemporary and student of Yasujiro Ozu, Shinoda is considered to be one of the leading modern filmmakers in Japan.
"Double Suicide" (1969) is an avant-garde interpretation of a traditional Kabuki play based on an 18th century puppet-theatre drama (bunraku). The striking visual elements Shinoda created result in this highly experimental film that is called his masterpiece. It is the story of a love triangle and the cultural, social and moral sacrifices made by a wealthy businessman, a beautiful courtesan and the man[base ']s wife.
Shinoda[base ']s latest (and reportedly final) production is "Spy Sorge" (2003) based on the Russian spy, Richard Sorge, who operated a masterful spy ring in Japan for the Soviet Union in the years just prior to World War II. Sorge succeeded in delivering military secrets that he gathered through access to the Japanese and German embassies in Tokyo. At the time of his arrest by Japanese police, Sorge was quoted as saying, "there are no longer any secrets in Japan for me to steal." He was executed at Tokyo Prison in November, 1944, but the unveiling of his operation and capture were not revealed by the police for months due to the shocking nature of his success.
Shinoda spent ten years planning the film and $20 million for the production of "Spy Sorge." It is filmed on location in Shanghai and Berlin and on a set of Tokyo[base ']s Ginza Street of the 1930[base ']s using digital technology.
Showtimes and locations are:
Friday, May 14, 8 pm "Double Suicide" (Shingu ten no Amijima) Directed by Masahiro Shinoda (remarks by the director) Japan 1969, 142 min. Japanese with English subtitles Yenching Auditorium, 2 Divinity Avenue, Cambridge Free
Sunday, May 16, 7 pm "Spy Sorge" Directed by Masahiro Shinoda (remarks by the director) Japan 2003, 182 min. Japanese with English subtitles Harvard Film Archive, 24 Quincy Street, Cambridge Tickets: $8 general public/$6 students, seniors. Available at the Harvard Film Archive 30 minutes before showtime.
For further information, visit www.harvardfilmarchive.org.
This event is part of the Japan Society of Boston[base ']s Centennial Celebration which kicked off January 1 and will continue through 2005 with dozens of special programs including Kabuki Theatre at the Cutler Majestic Theatre, an exhibition and symposium on John Manjiro, the first Japanese person to live in America, the 150th anniversary of the diplomatic relationship linking Japan and the U.S., exhibitions of Japanese art at the Museum of Fine Arts, Children[base ']s Museum and Peabody Essex Museum, conferences and presentations at Harvard, Tufts, Wellesley and MIT, film retrospectives, sporting events and many more explorations of Japanese culture. For more information, visit www.us-japan.org/boston.
The Japan Society of Boston is a tax-exempt American organization whose mission is to promote cultural and economic ties and active interchange between Japanese and Americans for mutual understanding, benefit and enjoyment. As the oldest Japan Society in the United States, it serves as a bridge for a network of individuals, cultural and academic institutions and business and financial firms that are linked together by a strong interest in Japan and a shared recognition of the importance of the US-Japan relationship.
For more information on Masahiro Shinoda or the Japan Society of Boston, contact Dawn Singh, 857-544-0739 or dawn@dawnsinghpublicity.com
Background materials available:
Filmography for Masahiro Shinoda
Plot summary "Spy Sorge"
JPEGS: Stills from "Spy Sorge" (4)
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