In historical Japan, commentaries on Buddhist scripture and the production of poetry provided two means of communicating about the ephemeral nature of human existence. As our own eyes are dyed with the features of calligraphies, objects, and paintings presented in this exhibition, we reanimate the past performances of words imbued with deep spiritual and emotional significance captured in this art.

Sinéad Vilbar is curator of Japanese art at the Cleveland Museum of Art whose recent publications include Shinto: Discovery of the Divine in Japanese Art (2019) and Reeds and Geese: Japanese Art from the Collection of George Gund III (2017). Vilbar has a BA from Yale College, and a PhD from Princeton University.     

In conjunction with Asia Week New York, March 12–19+, 2020. 

Free. Registration required. 

The exhibition will be open until 6:30 p.m. Registrants for the lecture have free admission to the galleries after 5:30 p.m. 

The exhibition The Art of Impermanence: Japanese Works from the John C. Weber Collection and Mr. and Mrs. John D. Rockefeller 3rd Collection is on view February 11 through April 26, 2020.