Author Description

"The Herbert F. Johnson Museum of Art is delighted to present 'JapanAmerica: Points of Contact, 1876-1970', which explores the role of artistic exchanges in Japanese-American relations through the lens of international expositions, those 'world's fairs' that periodically give countries the opportunity to show off the best and most innovative aspects of their contemporary culture to hundreds of thousands of visitors. It highlights the cross-cultural dialogue that developed between Japan and the United States over nearly a century, providing a stunning visual overview of the powerful influence that Japanese aesthetics had on American avant-garde painting, printmaking, decorative art, and design. Through a wide selection of outstanding artworks and the re-creation of several ephermeral displays shown at various fairs, 'JapanAmerica' vividly illustrates American perceptions of Japan and the ways that these perceptions were conditioned by Japan's contributions to international expositions. The show chronicles the changes within the two cultures as the world's artistic, political, and social landscape underwent major upheavals."