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Exhibiting Historical Art: Out of the Vault: Stories of People and ThingsMain MenuWorld MapClick pins to learn more about the object that originated thereTimelinePre-Columbian Gold Headband800 A.D. - 1500 A.D.Gold Eagle PendantsSepik River Headrest20th centuryStatue of Saint Barbara17th century France, polychromed wood, artist unknownCabinet door from the Imperial Palace of Beijing with Imperial DragonChen Youzhang, 1755Bronze LampHead of John the BaptistLauren Linquest, '19Ida Rubenstein, 1909 Sculpture by Jo DavidsonCassone ChestWater-Carrier Vase with Bamboo Pattern and BambooLenore Vanderkooi, 1996Lotus Flowers in a Wood VaseRevolutions Per Minute: The Art RecordOpening page
Bamboo
12016-04-07T13:25:53-07:00Gabrielle Levittfef81e0cc950ae9cbe13371188f50a537d14ca7185325The addition of bamboo to the water-carrier vaseplain2016-04-21T11:05:44-07:00Gabrielle Levittfef81e0cc950ae9cbe13371188f50a537d14ca71The water carrier has a bamboo handle, another concept from ancient Japanese culture. Vanderkooi harvests her own bamboo, washes it and microwaves it to destroy parasites before incorporating it in her ceramics. The bamboo is functional, further adding to the idea of simplicity in daily rituals in our modern society.
Bamboo is a tree-grass, meaning that it grows in leaf surface and extends high upwards but the base remains the same. It can grow up to 90 cm in 24 hours and maintains its height for 30 to 60 days.
Bamboo has a special significance for the Japanese. It has been used since the Jomon Period, from 10,000 B.C. to 300 B.C., and most of the 2,000 species of bamboo are native to Japan. It has been used for everything from toothbrushes to ceremonial baskets. Bamboo symbolizes purity, resilience and strength, thus representing the material culture of Japan.
Basket making is a particularly skillful craft that has been around since the eighth century in Japan. Basket making required six to ten years of intense apprenticeship. Once completed, baskets were used for Buddhist tea ceremonies, the art of flower arranging (ikebana), and water carrying. Vanderkooi chose to create this ceramic vase with bamboo to keep Japanese traditions alive, a phenomenon strongly encouraged by the Japanese government since World War II. The government even created the Living Natural Treasure Program to designate artists for basket making, solely to ensure this tradition continues.
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1media/9ce7e8f529665df61078f8f0268e6d1a.jpg2016-04-07T12:53:39-07:00Gabrielle Levittfef81e0cc950ae9cbe13371188f50a537d14ca71Water-Carrier Vase with Bamboo Pattern and BambooGabrielle Levitt28Lenore Vanderkooi, 1996splash2575992016-04-14T12:58:33-07:00Gabrielle Levittfef81e0cc950ae9cbe13371188f50a537d14ca71