The Easel

10th September 2024

Meiji Modern: Fifty Years of New Japan

Robyn Schiff | Artforum | 1st September 2024

Japan’s Meiji period (1868 to 1912) saw dramatic cultural change as international trade commenced. Consumers were drawn to “the idea” of European luxury in consumer goods, advertising and fashion. Japanese art suddenly depicted modern tableaux – a woman browsing a shopping catalogue or making a phone call. From there it was but a short step to propaganda, with European imperial pushiness being matched by Japanese aspirations to become a modern state, and global power.

Why ‘Art & Science Collide’ is a risky theme for the Getty’s new PST festival

Christopher Knight | LA Times | 29th August 2024

The wealthy Getty Foundation plans its PST art festivals big. These occur every five years or so and have previously focused on the art history of LA. This year’s “extravaganza”, involving over 70 exhibitions and innumerable supporting programs, addresses the “collision” of art and science. No-one is quite sure if all the events will address this theme, nor whether art and science are, in fact, colliding. Still, it’s a popular topic (think AI) at a time when museum attendances are still anaemic, post-COVID.

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