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TAASA MEMBERS’ DIARY June 2007

TAASA MEMBERS’ DIARY March – May 2007

TAASA NSW EVENTS

Great cities of Asia: Shanghai Old and New: City of Dreams
Powerhouse Museum , Sydney . 26 May 2007

(Download brochure and registration form)

TAASA is planning to run a series of one day symposiums on ‘The Great Cities of the East’.

The first of these will be held on Saturday 26 May 2007 at the Coles Theatre, Powerhouse Museum, and will focus on ' Shanghai Old and New: City of Dreams. In the 1930s Shanghai was considered to be the most cosmopolitan city in Asia, and now as we move into the 20th century it has become one of the most vibrant cities in China .

Dr James Hayes will set the scene both geographically and historically, looking at the early period of Shanghai as a port in its own right during the Ming and early Qing period and describing the topography of the Shanghai and Yangtse delta regions.

Chief Justice James Spigelman will speak on the Treaty Port days of Shanghai, when Western traders established their township downstream from the Chinese city. Anne Warr, the China Director of architectural firm Allen Jack & Cottier, who has lived in Shanghai since 2003 and is one of the founding members of Save Shanghai Heritage, will lead us through the wonder of Shanghai's 'conservation areas', some of the city's new and old buildings, its colourful characters, revolutionaries and refugees. Andrew Field, a lecturer in the Department of History at the University of New South Wales, will focus on 'Nightlife and Modernity in Interwar Shanghai: 1919-1937': providing a virtual tour of the Paramount, Paradise and Metropole ballrooms, he will show how dancehalls provided exciting new forms of sociability and sexuality for the urban masses and contributed to the identity and image of the 'Paris of the Orient'.

TAASA NSW Textile Focus Group

The topic of study for the textile focus group during 2007 is ‘Symbols’.

The first meeting of the year was 14 February in the Briefing Room, Powerhouse Museum, when the Powerhouse Museum's Curator of Decorative Arts, Christina Sumner, showed examples from the Powerhouse collection.

 Wed 21 March 6.00-8.00 pm: Heleanor Feltham will give a broad-ranging introduction to symbols on textiles. TAASA members $5.00, non-members $7.00. Inquiries Dee Court  02 9969 2031  02 9969 2031 or Gill Green  02 9331 1810  02 9331 1810 .

 TAASA VICTORIAN EVENTS

  Tues 24 April 6.15pm: Caroline Fry on 'The Conservation of a nationally significant oil painting at the Vietnam National Fine Arts Museum '. The Victorian Writers' Centre, 1st Floor, Nicholas Building, 37 Swanston Street (opp. St Pauls); enter via Cathedral Arcade. Members $5.00, nonmembers $10.00. Inquiries  03 9428 0282  03 9428 0282

  Sun 3 June: 'Byobu - Japanese screens', joint afternoon seminar with the NGV to accompany the exhibition Golden Screens (4 April-9 September 2007) at the National Gallery of Victoria International, St Kilda Road, Melbourne. Further details to follow, or contact NGV Public Program bookings on  03 8662 1555  03 8662 1555 .

TAASA MEMBERS’ DIARY
DECEMBER 2006 – FEBRUARY 2007

TAASA VICTORIAN EVENTS
No event has been arranged for December 2006 as the Victorian End-of-Year party and auction was held Tuesday 28 November. Nor is one organised for January. During 2007, it is planned to hold events bi-monthly, and details of the first for 2007 are below.

Tuesday 27 February, 6.15pm:
Debra Parry on 'Temples of Karnataka, South India'.
Venue: The Victorian Writers' Centre, 1st Floor, Nicholas Building, 37 Swanston Street (opp. St Pauls). Enter via Cathedral Arcade. Members $5.00, non-members $10.00. Enquiries:  03 9428 0282  03 9428 0282 .

TAASA NSW EVENTS
Asian Art Auction Preview Woollahra 21 February 2007
Mossgreen Auctions will be inviting TAASA members to a special preview on the evening of 21 February 2007 of the major auction of Asian art they are holding in Sydney on 26 & -27 February. The auction is of items from two major private collections, that of the late Raymond Mitchell (a long-time member of TAASA) and that of Julian Sterling. The first collection consists of Chinese, Japanese, Tibetan and Southeast Asian artifacts, the second of Chinese and Southeast Asian bronze sculptures and works of art. The auction will be held at premises at 111 Queen Street, Woollahra. Further details to come; meanwhile, further information from Judith Rutherford, 02 99417 2585 or email judithrutherford@bigpond.com.

NSW Textile Focus Group
Wednesday 13 December 6.00pm:
The Textile Group's end-of- year party - come enticingly dressed in your Asian best! Powerhouse Museum (Briefing Room), refreshments provided. Admission $5.00 TAASA members, non-members $7.00. Inquiries Dee Court  02 9969 2031  02 9969 2031 or Gill Green  02 9331 1810  02 9331 1810 .

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TAASA Member’s Diary June to September 2006

THE GREAT WALL OF CHINA: EIGHTH WONDER OF THE WORLD?

Saturday 30 September 2006

A Seminar presented by the Powerhouse Museum & TAASA Coles Theatre, Powerhouse Museum

The Ming dynasty Great Wall at Jinshanling, Luanping, Hebei. Photograph: Jean-Francois Lanzarone, Powerhouse Museum, 2006-07-27

The Great Wall of China is the world's largest heritage structure. During the course of its history the Great Wall - or rather the many long walls that constitute what we call the Great Wall - has undergone a remarkable transformation, evolving from a military barrier, built by successive dynasties over more than 2000 years, into a national icon and one of China's most visited tourist destinations.

Known in China as the "Ten-thousand li Great Wall (wanli changcheng) and often referred to as 'The Eighth Wonder of the World', the Great Wall has fascinated people for centuries.

To mark the opening of the first major international exhibition about the Great Wall of China, a joint project of the Powerhouse Museum, Sydney and the National Museum of China, Beijing, the Powerhouse Museum and TAASA present a one-day seminar to explore the technological, military and cultural histories associated with one of China's most famous and enduring monuments.

The exhibition catalogue The Great Wall of China, edited by Claire Roberts & Geremie R. Barme is available from the Powerhouse Museum shop for a special price of $45 (usually $55)

9.30-10 am Registration, Coles theatre foyer

10.00-10.20 am Introduction to the exhibition - Claire Roberts
The Great Wall of China exhibition charts the history of the Great Wall over the course of 2,500 years and its transformation from a military barrier built by successive dynasties into a national icon and one of China's most visited tourist attractions.

10.20-11.00 am The Great Wall: History, Myth and Heritage - Bruce Doar
The presentation of the Great Wall of China as an item of China's cultural heritage - tangible and intangible, has not obviated the need to disentangle history from myth. Today the Great Wall serves as a casebook study of the vicissitudes of China's cultural heritage.

11.00-11.30 am Morning tea

11.30-12.10 pm The Jade Gate and the Silk Road - Jocelyn Chey
The Jade Pass or Yumenguan, 75 km north of Dunhuang, was a strategic pass on the ancient Silk Road. On the western side of Yumenguan the Silk Road split into two main routes, the longer one following a string of oases along the southern side of the Taklamakan Desert to Khotan and Kashgar and the northern route, which skirted Mongolia.The Jade Pass became famous in Chinese history and literature one thousand years ago in the Tang dynasty.

12.10-12.40 pm Tang poets and the walls - Susette Cooke
The Tang Dynasty (618-906AD) was not only the Great Age of Chinese Poetry, but an era of energetic imperial expansion, when Chinese armies, colonists & officials spread far beyond the geographic lines of the Great Wall and its related fortifications. Famous poets of the age, like Li Bo and Du Fu, evoked the walls in their poetry as symbol and reality.

12.40- 2.00 pm. Lunch
Exhibition Viewing & Catalogue signing.

2.00-2.40 pm The Legacy of the Khitans - Daniel Kane
The Khitans, a nomadic people from what is now Inner Mongolia, established the Great Khitan State in 907. In 937 they extended their territory south of the Great Wall, and established their southern capital at what is now Beijing. The Great Khitan State, known to the Chinese as the Liao dynasty (from 916) rivaled the Chinese Northern Song dynasty (960-1127) in size, prestige and power. It collapsed in 1125, and the Khitans were assimilated into neighbouring ethnic groups. Over the past twenty years or so, a number of Khitan tombs have been discovered, which reveal a rich & unusual culture.

2.40-3.20 pm Mapping for the Kingdom - Jeremy Clarke SJ
A discussion on the Jesuit maps of the Great Wall undertaken during the reign of the Kangxi Emperor (17th century) within the context of the Jesuit presence in China and in particular the Manchu-Qing court.

3.20-4.00 pm Winds of Change - Sang Ye
Yes, the Great Wall is 'great', but it is, after all, only a Wall. Like all walls, it cannot withstand indefinitely the winds of social transformation, neither can it hold back dynastic change. Two peoples - the Mongols and the Manchurians penetrated the defenses of the Wall to establish the Yuan and Qing dynasties in quite different ways. The same can be said for two more recent wall invaders; Christianity and the steam train.

Saturday 30 September 2006 speakers

Jocelyn Chey is a Visiting Professor at the University of Sydney. She worked on Australia-China relations for the Australian Government for 20 years, with postings to China and Hong Kong, concluding with appointment as Consul-General in Hong Kong (1992-1995).

Jeremy Clarke SJ is a Jesuit studying Chinese history at the Australian National University, focusing especially on the Catholic Church in China in the contemporary period.

Susette Cooke is a Lecturer in China Studies in the Institute for International Studies at the University of Technology, Sydney. Her research focuses on China's northwestern border regions.

Bruce Gordon Doar is an Adjunct Senior Fellow engaged in The China Heritage Project at The Australian National University and co-editor of the e-journal, China Heritage Quarterly.

Daniel Kane is Professor of Chinese at Macquarie University. He has just returned from a field trip to the ruins of the Liao Supreme Capital and other archeological sites related to the Khitans.

Claire Roberts is Senior Curator, Asian decorative arts & design at the Powerhouse Museum. She recently completed a doctorate in Chinese art history at The Australian National University.

Sang Ye is a writer and oral historian originally from Beijing. Based in Brisbane, he is a Research Fellow at the Australian Research Council Federation Fellowship Project at The Australian National University.

TAASA VICTORIAN EVENTS

Tuesday 26 September, 6.15pm: Robert Bradlow, Head of Decorative Arts at Sotheby's Australia, on 'Market Trends in Chinese Art'. Venue: The Victorian Writers' Centre, 1st Floor, Nicholas Building, 37 Swanston Street (opp. St Paul's). Members $5.00, nonmembers $10.00. Enquiries:  03 9428 0282  03 9428 0282 .

Sat 7 October, 11.00am: Carol Cains, curator, will give a floor talk in the 'Ikat: Asian resist dyed textiles' exhibition. Venue: NGVI. For TAASA members only. Free entry, meet at Reception Desk. Enquiries:  03 9428 0282  03 9428 0282
.
Tue 28 November, 6.15pm: End-of Year Party and Auction.
Venue: The Victorian Writers’ Centre, 1st Floor, Nicholas Building, 37 Swanston Street (opp. St Paul’s). Further details to come. Enquiries:  03 9428 0282  03 9428 0282 .

TAASA NSW EVENTS

Intimate encounters with Indian painting: Connoisseurship Workshop with Professor B. N. Goswamy
Tuesday 17 & Wednesday 18 October 2006, 10.00am-5.00pm Centenary Theatre, Art Gallery of New South Wales

Distinguished scholar and art historian Professor B.N. Goswamy presents an exclusive two-day workshop which aims at a deeper understanding of the refined and sumptuous world of Indian miniature painting. Goswamy has previously presented this signature workshop, which provides a fresh and clear vision of the work of Indian painters at Mughal and other imperial courts, in Europe, India and the USA He is Professor Emeritus of Art History at Punjab University, and has been a Visiting Professor at European, American and Canadian universities. He is a contributor to the catalogue of the Goddess: Divine energy exhibition at the AGNSW, in conjunction with which TAASA is presenting this event. While attendance at the workshop requires no previous knowledge, a commitment to attend both days is required. Professor Goswamy has limited the workshop size to best engage with participants and create a pleasurable and intimate encounter with Indian painting.

Cost $350 TAASA members, $450 nonmembers. Includes two days of workshop, exhibition viewing, lunch and refreshments. Booking essential, numbers strictly limited. Refunds not available. Information and bookings: Judith Rutherford  02 9417 2585  02 9417 2585 , email judithrutherford@bigpond.com
.
NSW Textile Focus Group

All meetings at 6.00pm at the Powerhouse Museum (Briefing Room). Refreshments provided. Admission TAASA members $5.00, non-members $7.00. Inquiries Dee Court  02 9969 2031  02 9969 2031 or Gill Green  02 9331 1810  02 9331 1810 .

Wed 13 September: Chris Reid on Shamanism in Borneo.
Wed 18 October: Deb Hill on ‘A Thai protective shirt’
Wed 15 November: Robyn Maxwell, topic tba

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TAASA Member’s Diary June to September 2006

A TAASA Symposium in conjunction
with the University of Sydney
Menzies Room
Women's College, University of Sydney

Image © River Books, Ruins of Angkor in 1909

A TAASA Symposium in conjunction with the University of Sydney Saturday 22 July 2006 Menzies Room Women’s College, University of Sydney Angkor: Artefacts to Empire will offer TAASA members and the Sydney public a unique opportunity to hear outstanding international scholars who are attending the UNESCO sponsored Angkor - Landscape, City and Temple’ conference held at the University of Sydney in mid-July. The assembled researchers, experts in their fields, will cover a range of topics from the fabric worn by Angkor’s inhabitants, to the impact of this momentous period in Southeast Asian history upon contemporary Cambodian culture.

Angkor Abstracts: Abstracts.pdf (19.26 Kb)

Saturday 22 July 2006 SPEAKERS

9.15-9.45 am Registration
9.45-9.55 am Welcome and introduction
9.55-10.25 am Representations and stories: Angkor from the 19th to 21st centuries - Christophe Pottier
10.25-10.55 am The Impact of Angkor on Cambodian History - David Chandler
10.55-11.15 am Coffee
11.15-11.45 am The hydraulic history of the West Baray: an example of environmental data contributing to cultural debates at Angkor - Dan Penny
11.45-12.15 pm An introduction to new data on Khmer kiln sites - Ea Darith
12.15-12.45 pm Angkor’s Contact with China - John Miksic
12.45-13.45 pm Lunch
13.45-14.15 pm Virtual fashion - Angkorian style - Gill Green & Tom Chandler
14.15-14.45 pm Restoration of the Baphuon - Pascale Royère
14.45-15.15 pm Buddhist Scupltures of Banteay Kdei - Masako Marui
15.15-15.35 pm Coffee
15.35-16.05 pm Intangible heritage of Angkor: the foundation myth of the Khmer - Ang Choulean
16.05-16.15 pm Conclusion - Roland Fletcher

Christophe Pottier was appointed Head of the École française d’Extrême-Orient centre in Siem Reap in 1999. Since then he has carried out research on Angkorian construction techniques, has reassessed the aspects of the monumental chronology and focused on the organization of the settlement pattern in Angkor. He is currently Director of the Greater Angkor Project, the Cambodian-French Archaeological Mission on the Angkor Region, and the Angkor Medieval Hospitals Archaeological Project.

David Chandler is an Emeritus Professor of History at Monash University and the author of seven books about Cambodia, including ‘History of Cambodia’ (3rd edition, 2000; 4th edition forthcoming 2007) and ‘Facing the Cambodian Past: Selected Essays 1971-1994’ (1996).

Dan Penny is an environmental scientist with many years experience working in Thailand and Cambodia. His research is concerned primarily with reconstructing past environments and environmental change in mainland Southeast Asia. He is currently an Australian Research Council Research Fellow, and a Director of the University of Sydney’s Greater Angkor Project.

Ea Darith obtained a Bachelor of Arts at the Royal University of Fine-Arts of Cambodia in 1995, then a Masters degree from Kyoto University in 2000 on Southeast Asian Ceramics, concentrating upon Khmer Ceramics. He now works for APSARA Authority in charge of the Ceramics Conservation Centre in Angkor. Darith is also responsible for joint research work in Angkor, especially with the Japanese teams.

John Miksic is Associate Professor of Southeast Asian Studies and a member of the Asia Research Institute, National University of Singapore. He specializes in Southeast Asian archaeology of the early historic period.

Gill Green holds a Master of Arts from the Australian National University. She is author of ‘Traditional Textiles of Cambodia. Cultural Threads and Material Heritage’, RiverBooks 2003, Vice President of TAASA, and Honorary Associate in the Department of Art History and Theory,

Tom Chandler is a lecturer and PhD researcher in the Faculty of Information Technology at Monash University. His research interests include Virtual Heritage and Archaeological Visualisation. Tom has participated in four archaeological field seasons with the University of Sydney’s Greater Angkor Project in Cambodia and also recently with the Dahkleh Oasis Project in Egypt.

Pascal Royère has been a full time Architect of the French Institute for Oriental Studies since 1994, and Project Chief of the Baphuon Temple Restoration Program since 1995. He has comprehensive experience in the design and construction techniques of the Angkorian builders and continues his research on the evolution of temple forms.

Masako Marui has been a member of the Sophia University Angkor International Mission since 1994. Between 1997 and 2003, she was based at Siem Reap, in charge of the archaeological project at Banteay Kdei. In 2005, Masako Marui was appointed Lecturer at the Institute of Asian Cultures at Sophia University in Tokyo.

Ang Choulean is currently a Lecturer of Historical Anthropology at the Department of Archaeology, Royal University of Fine Arts in Phnom-Penh and Research Associate of the École française d’Extrême-Orient. His research expertise in the religious anthropology of Cambodia draws from the classical disciplines of epigraphy, archaeology, and linguistics to develop a diachronic dimension in the analysis of ethnographic data.

Enquiries:
TAASA
Ann Guild  (02) 9957 1711  (02) 9957 1711
Email annguild@optusnet.com.au
Organised by TAASA in conjunction
with the University of Sydney.
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REGISTRATION FORM Angkor Rego.jpg (109.26 Kb)
22 JULY 2006
TAASA/AGNSW Society members $75
TAASA Life members Free
Non-members $85
Full-time students and pensioners
(not Senoir Card holders) $30

Costs include morning coffee, buffet lunch and afternoon tea.
Refunds are not available.

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TAASA/Powerhouse Museum Seminar - The Great Wall of China
Powerhouse Museum
30 September 2006

TEXTILE FOCUS GROUP
N.B. Textile Group meetings in May and July will be held on the third Wednesday of the month, not the second Wednesday as customary because the Powerhouse Briefing Room is not available those dates. Refreshments provided. Admission: TAASA members $5.00, non members $7.00 Inquiries : Dee Court 9969 2031 or Gill Green 9331 1810

Wed 17 May Dianne Finnegan – ‘Hmong Shamanism’
Wed 14 June Deb Hill, ANU Canberra, on ‘A Thai Protective Shirt’
Wed 19 July Raka Garg and Soraya Raju. Topic tbc, probably Korean or Siberian shamanic textiles

TAASA VICTORIAN EVENTS
Sat 27 May 10am-4pm
A TAASA/NGV seminar in conjunction with the NGV exhibition Mountains and Streams. Venue: Cleminger Theatre, NGV ,St Kilda Road Admission: $65.00, concession $55.00 TAASA/NGV members $45.00 students $35.00 Speakers: Mae Anna Pang ( NGV) Thomas Bartlett ( La Trobe University) Liu Yang (AGNSW)

Tues 25 July 6.30 pm Carol Cains, curator, NGV, will give a talk on South-East Asian and Indian Art in the NGV collection. Venue: The Victorian Writers’ Centre, 1st floor, Nicholas Building, 37 Swanston Street Admission : members: $5.00,non members $10.00. Enquiries:  03 9428 0282  03 9428 0282

Tues 26 September 6.30 pm Robert Bradlow of Sothebys, topic tba. Venue; The Victorian Writers’ Centre, as above. Admission: members $5.00 non members $10.00 Enquiries  03 9428 0282  03 9428 0282

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TAASA Member's Diary December to May 2006

VICTORIAN SEMINAR

MOUNTAINS AND STREAMS
Chinese Paintings from the Asian Collection, NGV

Saturday 27 May, 10am – 4pm

Presented by NGV & TAASA
The National Gallery of Victoria & The Asian Arts Society of Australia

THE WISE FIND PLEASURE IN WATER
THE VIRTUOUS FIND PLEASURE IN MOUNTAINS.

The Analects of Confucius (c. 6th-5th century B.C.)

The exhibition Mountains and Streams draws on the NGV’s collection of Asian art from the 14th century to the 21st century. It includes significant paintings on scrolls and porcelains as well as Daoist jade carvings, archaic bronze and photographs.

Cost $65/ $45 TAASA and NGV Members/ $55 Concession/$35 Student
Venue Clemenger BBDO Auditorium, NGV International, 180 St Kilda Rd Melbourne Event code P0709 Bookings  (03) 8662 1555  (03) 8662 1555 , 10am–5pm

10am Registration North Foyer, NGV International Chairperson,
Ann Roberts, Art Consultant, TAASA Management Committee Member

10.20am  Welcome

10.30am Landscapes of the Mind Speaker Dr Mae Anna Pang, Senior Curator Asian Art, NGV. This paper will explore the inner landscapes of the mind, which in itself has become a spiritual refuge for the scholar-recluse, as a vehicle for self-expression and creativity.

11.10am Morning Tea (provided) North Foyer, NGV International

11.40am Eremitism in Chinese Landscape Painting of the Ming and Qing Dynasties. Speaker Dr Liu Yang, Curator Chinese Art, AGNSW
This lecture explores the idea of retreating from society into a life of reclusion in the mountains, and examines the multiplicity of eremitic imagery in Ming and Qing landscape paintings.                      

12.20pm ‘Guopo, shanhe zai’ :The state has failed, our land remains
Speaker Dr Thomas  Bartlett , Senior Lecturer in History, La Trobe University Gu Yanwu (1613-82) was one of the most highly regarded poets of the Qing dynasty, and was a leading scholar of his generation.  His loyalty to the fallen Ming dynasty moved him to profound reflections on the enduring strengths of China's bedrock Confucian culture, and the prospects for renewal.

1pm Questions

1.15 pm Lunch (not provided) Includes time to enjoy a viewing in the mezzanine café of Land of the Immortals, a DVD that complements the exhibition and exhibition catalogue.

Afternoon sessions will be conducted in the Asian Temporary Exhibition space, Level 1

2.30pm • Dr Mae Anna Pang will guide you through the exhibition

• Exhibition viewing
• Demonstration of Chinese Ink Painting by Kim Hoa Tram (Shen Jinhe in Chinese) whose work is included in the exhibition. Kim will also discuss aspects of his work and the tradition of Chinese painting.
 
4pm Seminar concludes

Special discount on the exhibition catalogue for TAASA seminar participants Mountains and Streams from the collection of the National Gallery of Victoria, by Dr Mae Anna Pang. Available from the NGV Shop.

For the full range of Mountains and Streams programs, please visit our website www.ngv.vic.gov.au

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TAASA Member's Diary March - May 2006

TAASA NSW EVENTS
TAASA Lecture
Cosmic Connections: Shamanic and Buddhist Rituals in Laos
Target Lecture Theatre, Powerhouse Museum
Tuesday 14 March, 7.00 for 7.30 pm
Patricia Cheesman gained her knowledge of traditional dyeing and weaving in Laos and Thailand. From 1973 to 1981 she worked on development projects in Laos, and since then has continued her researches into textiles and their cultural context. She has written several books, the most recent (2004) being Lao-Tai Textiles: The Textiles of Xam Nuea and Muang Phuan (for review, see TAASA Review 14/3, September 2005). Patricia recently produced a DVD, Cosmic Connections, which 'documents shamanic rituals never before recorded and which may never again be seen as ancient beliefs are rapidly being abandoned'. She will show this film, supplementing it with a lecture and more images of Lao-Tai peoples and their traditional clothing and practices. Admission: TAASA members $20.00, non-members $25.00. Further information, Gill Green  02 9331 1810  02 9331 1810 .

NSW Textile Focus Group
All meetings on the second Wednesday of the month (except where otherwise advised) at the Powerhouse Museum (Briefing Room). Refreshments provided. Admission: TAASA members $5.00, non-members $7.00. Inquiries Dee Court  02 9969 2031  02 9969 2031 or Gill Green  02 9331 1810  02 9331 1810 .

Tue 14 March: NB Tuesday date and see info above on Patricia Cheesman’s lecture.
Wed 12 April: Ann Inglis on ‘Shamanism and the Khasi people of NE India’.
Wed 17 May: speaker and topic to be advised.

TAASA VICTORIA EVENTS

Sat 11 March, 6.00-8.00pm: Haema Sivanesan, curator, will give a floor talk on the exhibition Lila/Play: Contemporary Miniatures and New Art from South Asia (see preview, p. 24 this issue). Venue: Span Gallery, 45 Flinders Lane, Melbourne. Members $5.00, non-members $10.00. Booking essential as numbers are limited, contact Ruth Clemens  03 9428 0282  03 9428 0282 .

Sat 8 April, 11.00am: Terry Smyth will give an Autumn Guided Tour of the Southern Chinese Plant Collection at the Royal Botanic Gardens. Venue: Visitors' Centre, Observatory Cafe, opposite the Shrine of Remembrance. Members $5.00, non-members $10.00, bookings Ruth Clemens  03 9428 0282  03 9428 0282

Sat 27 May, 10.00am-5.00pm: A TAASA/NGV Seminar in conjunction with the NGV exhibition Mountains and Streams (see, p. 27 this issue). Three speakers will be followed by a curator's floor talk and calligraphy/ink painting workshop. Venue: the Clemenger theatre, NGV International, St Kilda Road. Full fee $65.00, concession $55.00, TAASA/NGV members $45.00, students $35.00. Further details to come.

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 TAASA Member's Diary December 2005 to February 2006

Victoria  

Asia Society/TAASA Joint Event – 16 January 2006 at 6.00pm

Nancy Berliner, Curator of Chinese Art, Peabody Essex Museum

“Yin Yu Tang, the Lives and Voices of a Chinese Home”

Nancy Berliner is curator of Chinese Art at the Peabody Essex Museum and curator of Yin Yu Tang, a 200 year old rural Chinese house now at the Peabody Essex Museum. She received her Bachelor’s, Masters and PhD from Harvard University in the Department of the History of Art and Architecture and did additional studies at the Central Academy of Art in Beijing, China. She lived in China for many years – part of that time in a 17^th century courtyard home in Beijing -- and has traveled throughout rural China doing research on Chinese art and architecture. She is the author of Chinese Folk Art: The Small Skills of Carving Insects; Friends of the House, Furniture of China’s Towns and Villages; Beyond the Screen, Chinese Furniture of the 16^th and 17^th Centuries; and Yin Yu Tang, the Daily Life and Architecture of a Chinese House, which was selected as a Notable Book of 2003 by the New York Times Book Review Section. She has curated many exhibitions of Chinese art and published widely in magazines and newspapers.

Venue: Asia Society AustralAsia Centre, Level 1, 175 Collins Street

Asia Society/TAASA member $5.00      Non-members $10.00

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TAASA VICTORIA EVENTS
In 2006 events will be held at two-monthly intervals. Three Saturday events have been planned: two seminars and an Autumn visit to the Southern Chinese Botanical Collection at the Royal Botanic Gardens. In addition there will also be evening events. As details have yet to be finalized, please ensure you forward your email addresses to Debra Parry at debrap@asia.com, if you wish to be informed about forthcoming events. Details will also be placed on the TAASA website www.taasa.org.au and telephone contact is Ruth Clemens  03 9 428 0282  03 9 428 0282 .

It is hoped a walkthrough of the upcoming contemporary Indian art exhibition at Span Gallery in Flinders Lane, curated by Haema Sivanesan, will be held in March or April 2006 - dates to be advised.

TAASA NSW EVENTS

The Crescent Moon: Islamic Art & Civilisation in Southeast Asia will be opening at the National Gallery of Australia, Canberra in the first quarter of 2006. We are still waiting for final details but if there is sufficient interest we may organize a bus tour from Sydney and hopefully some of our Melbourne members may consider joining us in Canberra. If you would like to be kept informed please contact Judith Rutherford, telephone  02 94172585  02 94172585 or judithrutherford@bigpond.com

TAASA NSW Textile Focus Group
Textiles and their role in Shamanist practice is the theme for the Textile Study Group in 2006. Member's research interests stretch from Central Asia to Japan, from Siberia to Southeast Asia. Meetings take place from 6-8 pm in the Briefing Room at the Powerhouse Museum on the second Wednesday of the month starting in February 2006. For enquiries call Dee Court 9969 2031 or Gill Green 9331 1810

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ACTIVITIES NOVEMBER 2005 - JANUARY 2006

Sydney

END OF YEAR PARTY DONATIONS –

PLEASE CONTRIBUTE

Please donate Asian-related items large or small, old or new, such as collectables, textiles, books for the Bazaar – a great opportunity to clear out your cupboards and contribute to our ongoing events!

Telephone Ruth Clemens on 9428 0282 for enquiries and to arrange delivery of your

donations prior to the Party on 30 NovemberA TAASA Symposium
Saturday 15th October 2005

Target Theatre
Powerhouse Museum

The program will include:

Introduction
Louise Mitchell – Curator
The cutting Edge: fashion from Japan
The Japanese have long been at the vanguard of international fashion. Drawn from the collections of the Kyoto Costume Institute and the Powerhouse, as well as private and public collections, this exhibition highlights the avant garde and the use of innovative textiles in Japanese fashion, with garments and textiles by leading designers such as Issey Miyake, Rei Kawakubo, Yohji Yamamoto and the younger generation including Junya Watanabe, Jun Takahashi and Hiroki Ohya.

Louise Mitchell is a Curator of International Decorative Arts and Design at the Powerhouse Museum, Sydney where she is responsible for the European jewellery, textiles and fashion collections. Louise is curator of The cutting edge: fashion from Japan exhibition

The History of Sartorial
Modernity in Japan
Tony Slade
From the Meiji Restoration in 1868 Japan was suddenly exposed to a range of clothing styles and philosophies that its previous isolation had concealed. Japan is unique in its experience of adopting, appropriating and restyling foreign clothes because it did so without colonization and before full-scale industrialization. It is this remarkably idiosyncratic aesthetic history that is the foundation for the distinct and revolutionary styles of the Japanese fashion designers of today.

Toby Slade is a Ph.D candidate at the University of Sydney researching the modernity of Japanese clothing. In 2003 he won a prestigious, two-year, Japanese government scholarship to research clothing history in Japan at the University of Tsukuba.

When Fashion Becomes Art
Bonnie English
Over the past 30 years, Japanese fashion designers proposed radical new clothing concepts to the western world which challenged the conventional meaning of dress. Issey Miyake has become the 'Picasso of Fashion'. His clothing design is more akin to sculpture and he is considered one of the most remarkable and formative creative forces in Japan. Yohji Yamamoto and Rei Hawakubo have revolutionized streetwear and have adopted an uncompromising philosophy of dress. This lecture will acknowledge and celebrate the contribution that these three designers have made to the evolution of fashion.

Bonnie English is a Senior Lecturer in Art Theory and past Deputy Director at Queensland College of Art, Griffith University, Brisbane. After receiving a scholarship from the Australia-Japan Society (Qld) to travel to Japan, she was co-curator and catalogue editor of Tokyo Vogue: Japanese and Australian Fashion (Brisbane City Hall Gallery, 1999).

Gothic Lolitas and Takuya Angels –
Street style in Japan
Melanie Eastburn
Melanie will discuss street fashion in Japan from the 1990s to the present, focusing on the documentary portrait photographs featured in Shoichi Aoki's groundbreaking street style magazine FRUITS. She will cover a range of approaches to dress, from the secondhand and handmade to designer devotion. The extreme cuteness of kawaii styles, the appeal of anime and references to historical Japanese dress will also be investigated.

Melanie Eastburn is Curator of Asian Art at the National Gallery of Australia where she is currently preparing black robe, white mist, an exhibition of work by the nineteenth-century Japanese Buddhist nun Otagaki Rengetsu.

Guided tour of the exhibition
with Louise Mitchell.

TAASA/ Powerhouse Members $75 each
Art Gallery Society Members $75, Non-members $85
Full time students under 26 with student I.D. $30
Refunds not available. Lunch not included.

Registration Form.pdf (48.24 Kb)    Registration Form.jpg (323.06 Kb)

For further information call Susan Miller on  02 95551971  02 95551971

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TAASA VICTORIAN EVENTS

Wed 28 Sept. 6.15pm: Dennis Martin on Vietnam - indigenous culture at the crossroads of China and Southeast Asia (rescheduled from July). Venue: The Victorian Writers' Centre, 1st floor, Nicholas Building, 37 Swanston Street (opp. St Paul's). Members $5.00, non-members $10.00. Enquiries:  03 9428 0282  03 9428 0282 .

Wed 26 Oct. 6.15pm: Diana Cousens on The Diary of Jamgon Kongtrul, a Tibetan Buddhist Master. Venue, cost, inquiries - as above

Wed 30 Nov. 6.00 pm - 8pm: End-of-Year Party. Drinks, refreshments, a silent auction, door prizes and entertainment. Venue, cost, inquiries - as above.

TAASA NSW EVENTS

Celebrating the Moon Festival
Sunday 18 September 2005, time tbc Glover Cottages, 124 Kent St. Sydney In conjunction with Chinese Alumni Association of Sydney University, TAASA members can celebrate the Moon Festival in the traditional way with Chinese poems, music, riddles, Chinese food and of course Moon Cakes. Numbers are limited. More information from Judith Rutherford  02 9417 2585  02 9417 2585 .

NSW End of Year Party – (early notice) Thursday 1 December, 6.00 pm Parkham Place Gallery, Surry Hills If you would like to rationalise/downsize your Asian art books and other Asian treasures this is the opportunity to donate them to the legendary TAASA Bazaar. Please contact Judith Rutherford (9417 2585), Susan Miller (95551971) or Gill Green (9331 1810).

TAASA NSW Textile Focus Group

All meetings on the second Wed. of the month (except NB November) at 6.00 pm at the Powerhouse Museum (Briefing Room). Refreshments provided. Admission TAASA members $5.00, non-members $7.00. Inquiries Dee Court  02 9969 2031  02 9969 2031 or Gill Green  02 9331 1810  02 9331 1810 .Wed 14 Sept. Diane Schultz-Tesmar on textiles of Taiwan.

Wed 12 Oct. Rod Byatt on ‘Japanese braids and cords - temple, teahouse and battlefield.’
Thurs. 10 Nov. Jenni Kanaley and Alix Mandelson on textiles of East Timor
Wed 14 Dec: End of Year Party. Details to be posted later in the year

A TAASA Symposium
Saturday 13th August 2005
Domain Theatre
Art Gallery of New South Wales

TAASA & Art Gallery Society Members $75 each. Non-members $85
Lunch not included. Refunds not available.

Registration Form.pdf (48.24 Kb)

PROGRAM
Saturday 13 August 2005
10.00 am Registration

10.15 am Welcome

10.30-11.30 am Collecting Chinese and Vietnamese Antique Ceramics Augustine  Vinh
Augustine will talk about how he started his ceramic collection some thirty years ago as a college student, his experiences with fake items, and the lessons he learnt over the years. Augustine will discuss his interests in Chinese and Vietnamese ceramics, their form of decoration and authentication, as well as the appraisal of the artistic value of antique objects and the characteristic wares of each historical period. Augustine will also show his collection of shipwreck ceramics, so far the largest in Vietnam with more than 6,000 pieces, and talk about his recent involvement in an excavation of a newly found wreck off the coast of Vietnam.

11.30-12.15 pm Chinese Scholar-Officials and their Calligraphy James Hayes
In this talk, James will speak about his fascination with scholar-officials of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1912) deriving from his long residence in Hong Kong. Scholar-officials held the supreme place in Chinese society. As a long-serving American diplomat at Beijing once wrote, "the aim and end of all study, the line of ambition of every scholar … is to pass the government examinations, become a gentleman, a member of the honoured and privileged class, and obtain official position". James, a historian rather than an art historian, will provide background to the calligraphic images he has selected for his talk, together with photographs of a number of the officials themselves. An exhibition of James Hayes's donated collection of Qing Dynasty Scholarofficials' calligraphy will open at the AGNSW in September 2005, under the title "The Poetic Mandarin".

12.15-1.45 pm Lunch

1.45-2.45 pm A systemic approach to collecting Wooden Art Objects for
Peasants and Princes: Folk Art and Art for the Literati Daniel Tretiak
In his remarks, Dan will show toggles (particularly wooden animals), which are regarded as folk art, and a wide variety of scholar's art-wooden objects (usually zitan and huanghuali) used by China's literati in the past. He describes the network into which he taps to collect these objects-the Beijing dealers-and their networks. He highlights successes and some disappointments encountered in collecting and describes the maintenance and use of the objects he collects.

2.45-3.30 pm “If you don’t buy it, I will” Susan Miller
What happens when an American married to an Australian lives in Asia for a number of years? She realizes her passion is everything furniture. As many of us know once having lived abroad we get the bug - the antique bug. We may make mistakes but many of us know when we see a good thing. Join Susan Miller on her furniture journey of 20 years. She will present her collection which was intended for her antique shop but she can't part with. This is a collection of the heart. What ever has been learned in the process was a bonus. This journey has also led her to TAASA as she has been the secretary since 2003. This is for all those passionate collectors no matter what your interest is, no matter what your academic background may be.

3.30-4.00 pm  What to do with your collection - issues and choices Judith Rutherford
One of the difficulties that collectors face long term is what to do with their collections. Families are often not interested in the collection of treasured possessions that one day they may inherit. Judith, President of TAASA is also a self confessed obsessive textile collector. She will talk about the decisions she has made regarding her private collection and share some of the experiences that she has had with collectors and how they have dealt with issues regarding their collections.

SPEAKERS

James Hayes lived and worked in Hong Kong for 35 years, for almost half that time in the New Territories. Besides his calligraphic interests, he has written a number of books on Hong Kong history and society. He has always been a keen collector, especially of historical materials on Southeast China, much of them now in public collections. He is Ph.D (London) and Hon. D.Litt (Hong Kong).

Daniel Tretiak has lived in Hong Kong and Beijing since 1977. He collected the Chinese toggles and wooden scholar's objects discussed at this symposium while living in both places. He holds a Ph.D. in Political Science from Stanford University and has taught at York University in Canada and worked as a research scholar and business consultant in Hong Kong. He regularly visits the Beijing antique markets in search of items for his collection. He last visited Australia as a research scholar in 1980.

Augustine Vinh is an avid collector of blue and white shipwreck ceramics. He is the author of a forthcoming book on the blue and white ceramics produced by Chinese immigrants living in Viet Nam near the Vietnam-China border. Professionally, he is a Professor of Management at the Hanoi School of Business, Vietnam National University, and a Senior Consultant and Financial Advisor to a number of multi-national organizations including the Asian Development Bank and the World Bank.

Susan Miller an American from Syracuse, New York acquired an interest in Asian art and culture when she met and married her Australian husband Robert and moved to Malaysia in 1985. Kuala Lumpur was still a traditional Malaysian town with lingering post-war British colonial influences and Susan acquired a special interest in the antique Asian furniture. The family later moved to Taipei where again she was attracted to the provincial Taiwanese furniture. In Taipei Susan worked in an antique shop in Tien Mu, a well-known area of the city at the same time building up a serious collection of her own.

For further information contact Judith Rutherford Telephone or fax (02) 9417 2585
Email: judithrutherford@bigpond.com.au

TAASA & Art Gallery Society Members $75 each. Non-members $85
Lunch not included. Refunds not available.

 Registration Form.pdf (48.24 Kb)

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TAASA NSW EVENTS JUNE – AUGUST 2005

Celebrating the Moon Festival
Saturday 18 September 2005, time tbc Glover Cottages, 124 Kent St. Sydney In conjunction with Chinese Alumni Association of Sydney University, TAASA members can celebrate the Moon Festival in the traditional way with Chinese poems, music, riddles, Chinese food and of course Moon Cakes. Numbers are limited. More information from Judith Rutherford  02 9417 2585  02 9417 2585

TAASA Textile focus group
All meetings on the second Wed. of the month, 6.00 pm at the Powerhouse Museum (briefing Room). Refreshments provided. Admission TAASA members $5.00, non-members $7.00. Inquiries Dee Court  02 9969 2031  02 9969 2031 or Gill Green  02 9331 1810  02 9331 1810 . 8 June 6.00pm: Terry Bisley on Burma and textiles 20 July 6.00: Lenore Blackwood on India (NB note changed day) 10 Aug 6.00: Diane Schultz Tesmar on textiles of Taiwan.

TAASA VICTORIAN EVENTS

Wed 29 June 6.15pm: Carol Cains on Asian Art Collections Overseas. Venue: The Victorian Writers' Centre, 1st Floor, Nicholas Building, 37 Swanston Street (opp. St Paul's). Members $5.00, non-members $10.00. Enquiries:  03 9428 0282  03 9428 0282 .

Wed 27 July 6.15pm: Dennis Martin on Vietnam - indigenous culture at the crossroads of China and Southeast Asia. Venue: The Victorian Writers' Centre, 1st floor, Nicholas Building, 37 Swanston Street (opp. St Paul's). Members $5.00, nonmembers $10.00. Enquiries:  03 9428 0282  03 9428 0282 .

Wed 31 August 6.15pm: Leanne O'Sullivan on Temple Markets and Textile Treasures of Japan. Venue: The Victorian Writers' Centre, 1st Floor, Nicholas Building, 37 Swanston Street (opp. St Paul's). Members $5.00, nonmembers $10.00. Enquiries:  03 9428 0282  03 9428 0282 .

RAJPUT, SONS OF KINGS

A TAASA Symposium
Saturday 2 July 2005 Domain Theatre Art Gallery of New South Wales

Download the registration form (Rajput, Sons of Kings Registration form.pdf (55.08 Kb) or view the brochure (all the information is on this page). Rajput Brochure.pdf (410.84 Kb)

In conjunction with the exhibition Rajput: Sons of Kings, Rajasthan court paintings from the National Gallery of Victoria. 8th June to 4th September 2005 Art Gallery of New South Wales

FULL DAY SEMINAR PROGRAM

Saturday 2 July 2005

10.00am Registration

10.15am Welcome by Judith Rutherford – President of TAASA

10.30 – 11.15am Every painting tells a story: Rajasthan court paintings and related writings. - Carol Cains

Rajasthan court paintings depict a world of elaborate processions, deer hunting, elephant fights and political intrigue, centred around the maharana (the highest of the hereditary rulers of Rajasthan). Portrayed as supreme warrior, hunter and patron of art, music and dance, the maharana was accorded the status of a god and was central to temple ceremonies and court pageantry. The paintings vary in scale, from intimate gatherings between a maharana and his most trusted minister to formal darbar scenes attended by local and foreign dignitaries. Although this world no longer exists, the majestic aura of fairytale palaces and scenic lakes survives in these images.

11.15 – 11.45am Morning Tea

11.45 – 12.30pm Textiles of the Mughal & Rajput courts  - Susan Scollay

When the Mughals founded their dynasty in Delhi in 1526, India was already the world's leading supplier of luxury textiles. The Mughal Emperors followed the example of Akbar (1556-1605) in patronising court workshops that produced a wide variety of clothing and carpets. Independent Hindu kingdoms provided many services to the imperial power and received elaborate titles and favours from the court in return. The Rajputs were no exception and their interaction with the Mughal court resulted in a synthesis of style and form, both in their manner of dress and the luxurious textile trappings with which they surrounded themselves.

12.30 - 1.15pm From Fort to Palace: Royal Rajput Residences - Richard Runnels

India's Rajputs were not only fierce warriors, they were also great patrons of the arts which include the paintings on display and much of the architecture of northwest India. Explore how the royal Rajputs lived, from hilltop fortress to European influenced palaces. Illustrated with slides of the residences today as well as antique engravings, photographs, paintings from Richard Runnel's collection.

1.15 – 2.30pm Lunch

2.30 – 4.00pm Afternoon Program includes:

Free entry to the exhibition and a guided tour by the Curator Carol Cains

and

The choice of one of two Jewellery Workshops

Guided exhibition tour:
Rajput: Sons of Kings

Features 74 colourful paintings and drawings, created in the 17th to 19th centuries at the Hindu Rajput courts of north-west India. Capturing the vitality and luxurious sensuality of princely life, many of the paintings were produced at the court of Mewar (Udaipur), one of the most important and prosperous of the Rajput courts.

Workshops:
Symposium Participants will have the wonderful opportunity to attend ONE of the following "hands on" workshops. This is the first time that TAASA has offered workshops and we have had to limit the attendance to one workshop per participant and divide those attending into two groups to make this concept workable. Please indicate your preference when booking.

Workshop 1 Traditional Jewellery of India - Anne Schofield

The name Anne Schofield is well known and synonymous with the highest quality Australian and European jewellery. What is probably less known is that Anne has had a long interest in Asian decorative arts focusing mainly on jewellery. She will present examples from her own collection of Indian jewellery.

Workshop 2 Rajput pilgrimage devotional reminders - Joan Bowers

During her travels in the villages of Rajasthan Joan has put together a wonderful collection of Kuldevi (Goddess) and Kuldeva (God) deity miniatures, these are pilgrimage souvenirs consisting of tiny miniature paintings set into decorative jewels. Whereas a scholar would have chosen to focus on a village and collect treasures from there Joan has collected from over the whole State. Joan will bring along selected examples from her collection and you will have the opportunity not only to admire these amazing objects but also to handle them.

SPEAKERS

Joan Bowers, has an ongoing relationship with India and its traditions and culture. Her previous Galleries in Sydney created a wonderful Indian ambience with handicrafts produced in the villages. She works with Indian women’s co-operatives and supports maintaining the highest standards and traditional finishes in craft work.

Carol Cains, Curator of South and Southeast Asian Art, National Gallery of Victoria. Prior to moving to Melbourne, Carol was at the National Gallery of Australia. Her background is in textile conservation. Carol is the Exhibition Curator for Rajput: Sons of Kings.

Richard Runnels,  former member of the Vienna Symphony Orchestra and Artist-in-Residence at the Victorian College of the Arts. Richard is principal horn with Orchestra Victoria. His fascination with India was ignited when he first heard Indian music. Richard lectures on Indian art and culture at the W. R. Johnston Collection. He is the author of “Indian Painters – British Masters, Company Paintings from the W. R. Johnston Collection”.

Anne Schofield, became interested in antique jewellery & costume at Sydney University when involved with the Dramatic Society. Anne was a regular guest on the ABC TV programme, ‘For Love or Money’. She co-authored a book, Australian Jewellery 19th and early 20th century and is Australia’s leading antique jewellery dealer.

Susan Scollay is a specialist researcher, curator and consultant in the field of eastern and historic textiles and Islamic art. A doctoral candidate in the schools of history and art history at La Trobe University in Melbourne, she is also a contributing editor to HALI.

TAASA/ Art Gallery Society Members $75 each
Non-members $85
Lunch not included. Refunds not available.

Please return the registration form (Rajput, Sons of Kings Registration form.pdf (55.08 Kb) with payment to: Judith Rutherford, 189 Deepwater Road,, Castle Cove. 2069, Tel/Fax  02 9417 2585  02 9417 2585 Email: judithrutherford@bigpond.com.au

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TAASA NSW EVENTS JUNE – AUGUST 2005

Rajput: Sons of Kings

TAASA one-day Symposium
Saturday 2 July 2005, 10am-5.00pm
Domain Theatre, Art Gallery of New South Wales

Speakers are Carol Cains on Rajasthan court paintings; Richard Runnels on royal Rajput residences; Susan Scollay on textiles of the Mughal and Rajput courts. Anne Schofield and Joan Bowers will present a choice of two Workshops on aspects of Indian jewellery. Registration (includes guided tour of exhibition: $75.00 TAASA and AGNSW Members, $85.00 non-members. Further details and bookings, see brochure or www.taasa.org.au, or telephone Judith Rutherford  02 9417 2585  02 9417 2585 .

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TAASA Members’ DiaryTAASA Member’s Diary

March to May 2005

TAASA NSW Events

Textile Focus Group

All meetings on the second Wednesday of the month, 6.00pm at the Powerhouse Museum (Briefing Room). Refreshments provided. Admission TAASA members $5.00, non-members $7.00. Inquiries Dee Court  02 9969 2031  02 9969 2031 or Gill Green  02 9331 1810  02 9331 1810 . March, April and May focus group topics to be advised.

TAASA one-day India Symposium, July Saturday 2 July 10.00am-5.00pm. Art Gallery of New South Wales.

A full-day symposium in conjunction with the exhibition Rajput: Sons of Kings, Rajasthan Paintings from the National Gallery of Victoria features exhibition curator Carol Cains and Richard Runnels, author, Indian painters - British masters: Company paintings from the WR Johnston collection. Cost (includes exhibition viewing): TAASA and Art Gallery Society members $75.00, non-members $85.00. Details to be advised. Further inquiries and early bookings, Judith Rutherford  02 9417 2585  02 9417 2585 .

TAASA Victoria Events

Wed 30 March 6.30pm: ‘Show and Tell’.
Bring any Asian items, old or new, to display and discuss. Venue: Victorian Writers’ Centre, 1st Floor, Nicholas Building, 37 Swanston Street. Members $5.00, non-members $10.00.

Wed 27 April 6.30pm: Annie Abay on ‘Ottoman Ceramics’.
Venue: Victorian Writers’ Centre, 1st Floor, Nicholas Building, 37 Swanston Street. Members $5.00, non-members $10.00.

Wed 25 May 6.30pm: Speaker and topic to be finalised. Venue: Victorian Writers’ Centre, Nicholas Building, 37 Swanston Street. Members $5.00, non-members $10.00.

DECEMBER 2004 – FEBRUARY 2005

TAASA VICTORIA EVENTS

Mon 13 December 7.00pm: End-of-Year Party and Christmas gifts sale. Refreshments, a garden setting, music provided by a wandering minstrel and many interesting items for sale. Venue: 193 Coppin Street, Richmond. All welcome. RSVP Ruth Clemens  03 9428 0282  03 9428 0282 . Members $15.00, non-members $20.00.

Tues 25 January 6.30pm: ‘Show and Tell’ and ‘Travellers’ Tales’. Speakers include Russell Howard on his recent trip to Vietnam and Debra Parry, who lived in the area for many years, on Malaysia. Venue: Victorian Writers’ Centre, 1st Floor, Nicholas Building, 37 Swanston Street. Members $5.00, non-members $10.00.

Wed 23 February 6.30pm: Our Chinese New Year Celebration. Dr Tanya MacIntyre on ‘Chinese Woodblock Prints’, Terry Smyth on ‘The Symbolism and Importance of Chinese New Year plants’ and Sally Rubenstein on ‘Further Adventures of Yang Guifei’. Chinese refreshments provided. Venue: Victorian Writers’ Centre, 1st Floor, Nicholas Building, 37 Swanston Street. Members $5.00, non-members $10.00.

TAASA NSW EVENTS

Thurs 9 December 6.00pm: End of Year Party – our famous Bazaar, plus drinks, nibbles and the company of good friends. Venue: Parkham Place Gallery, 635 South Dowling Street (enter via Parkham St, off Bourke St), Surry Hills. Members free, non-members $10.00. Please contact Judith Rutherford (  02 9417 2585  02 9417 2585 ) or Susan Miller (  02 9555 1971  02 9555 1971 ) re books or any other donations you can make for sale at the Bazaar.

TAASA NSW Textile Focus Group

Wed 8 December 6.00pm. Textile group end-of year party. Dress: to party!

Feb 2005: The first NSW Textile Group meeting for 2005 will be held in February (i.e., no meeting in January). Date, venue and subject to be confirmed.

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T A A S A Member’s Diary
September – November 2004

The Art Of India Symposium Sunday 28 November2004

 The NGV and The Asian Arts Society of Australia present The Art of India Symposium, in conjunction with the NGV’s two important Indian Exhibitions: Rajput: Sons of Kings. Rajasthan Court Paintings from the National Gallery of Victoria and Crown and Camera: Photographs of Colonial India.

This is a wonderful opportunity for those with an interest in Indian art and culture and to extend their knowledge and deepen their appreciation of the current Indian exhibitions.

 Topics Include:

Special Subject: India through Empire's Eyes -  Kate Rhodes, Assistant Curator Photography, NGV

 Every painting tells a story: Rajasthan court paintings and related writings –

Carol Cains, Curator South Asian Art, NGV

Textiles of the Mughal and Rajput Courts –

Susan Scollay, Indian Textile Scholar

  From Fort to Palace: Royal Rajput Residences

Richard Runnels, Writer and Collector

The Conservation of Indian Miniatures and Photographs for Exhibition -

Ruth Shervington, Paper Conservator and Angeletta Leggio, Photograph Conservator, NGV

DATE: Sunday 28 November, 10am–4pm (Registration 10.00am – 10.15am)

VENUE: Clemenger BBDO Auditorium, NGV International, 180 St Kilda Road, Melbourne

COST: $45 non-Members, $35 Members/TAASA Members, $25 Students

(Event code: P04132)

Full details on pdf: Symposium INDIA.pdf (101.51 Kb)

Bookings are essential.

Please call the NGV Bookings office: 10am – 5pm on  03 8662 1555  03 8662 1555 .

For further details on the range of programs offered in conjunction with these exhibitions please visit www.ngv.vic.gov.au.

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Other TAASA Victoria Events

Monday 27 September 6.00pm: Exclusive viewing of Linda Wrigglesworth’s Melbourne exhibition of antique Chinese costumes and textiles, early 15th to late 19th century, and contemporary paintings by Gary Dickinson. Linda and Gary will talk about the works on display. Venue: Private Gallery, Melbourne. Attendance strictly limited. Bookings and payment in advance and further information: Ruth Clemens  03 9428 0282  03 9428 0282 . Members $10.00. non-members $15.00.

Wed 29 September 6.30pm (note earlier meeting time): Sally Rubinstein on Painting the Precious Consort, Yang Guifei (Tang Dynasty), one of the ‘Four Great Beauties’ of Chinese history. Venue: Victorian Writers’ Centre, 1st Floor, Nicholas Building, 37 Swanston Street. Members $5.00, non-members $10.00.

Wed 27 October 6.30pm: Speaker to be advised. Further information: Ruth Clemens  03 9428 0282  03 9428 0282 or www.taasa.org.au. Venue: Victorian Writers’ Centre, 1st Floor, Nicholas Building, 37 Swanston Street. Members $5.00, non-members $10.00.

Wed 24 November 6.30pm: Howard Nathan on the ‘Nascence of Islam and Islamic Art’ followed by an Islamic ‘Show and Tell’. Bring items of Islamic origin or influence. Venue: Victorian Writers’ Centre, 1st Floor, Nicholas Building, 37 Swanston Street. Members $5.00, non-members $10.00.

Mon 13 December 7.00pm: End of Year Party and Christmas gifts sale. Venue details and RSVP: Ruth Clemens  03 9428 0282  03 9428 0282 . Members $15.00, non-members $20.00.

TAASA NSW EVENTS

Textile Focus Group

All meetings on the second Wednesday of the month at the Powerhouse Museum (Briefing Room). Refreshments provided. Admission TAASA members $3.00, nonmembers $5.00. Inquiries to Dee Court  02 9969 2031  02 9969 2031 or Gill Green  02 9331 1810  02 9331 1810 .

8 September, 6.00 pm: ‘A Weaving Project in India’ - Mira Sagar.

13 October, 6.00 pm: ‘Indian Coming of Age’ - Soraya Devi Raju.

17 November, 6.00 pm: ‘Death in Asia - The Final Rite of Passage?’ - Helen Perry and Sally Powell.

8 December, 6.00 pm: End of Year Party.

TAASA VICTORIA EVENT

 6pm Monday 27th September

TAASA will be holding an exclusive viewing of Linda Wrigglesworth’s Melbourne exhibition of antique Chinese costumes and textiles. Based in London, Linda has run her business for over 25 years and has built up an international reputation. She will be accompanied by Gary Dickinson, her colleague who has co-authored many catalogues and their book Imperial Wardrobe.

The exhibition will also include contemporary paintings by Gary Dickinson. Linda and Gary will talk about the works on display.

Venue: Lesley Kehoe Galleries, Flinders Lane.

Attendance to this viewing is strictly limited. Bookings and payment must be made in advance: contact Ruth Clemens on  (03) 9428-0282  (03) 9428-0282 . Members $10.00 non-members $15.00

Saturday 21st August 3 - 5pm: David Thompson on Chinese and Indian Teas. Venue to be finalised. Contact Ruth Clemens  03 9428 0282  03 9428 0282 . Members $5.00, non-members $10.00

A TAASA Symposium

Celestial Silks

Saturday 31^st July 2004
Domain Theatre
Art Gallery of New South Wales

In conjunction with the exhibition Celestial Silks: Chinese Religious and Court Textiles 31 July to 10 October

FULL DAY SEMINAR PROGRAMME

10.00 a.m. Registration

10.15 a.m. Welcome - Judith Rutherford, President TAASA

10.30 a.m. – 11.15 a.m. Beyond the Embroiderer’s Hands: An Intimate View of Chinese embroidery – Diana Collins

11.15 a.m. – 12.15 noon. Textile Excavations in China
Keynote Speaker: Professor Zhao Feng

12.15 p.m. – 2.00 p.m. Lunch
Free entry to the Opening Day of the Exhibition Celestial Silks: Chinese Religious and Court Textiles. The exhibition features more than 70 textiles including religious textiles from China and Tibet and court textiles from the Ming and Qing Dynasties.

2.00 p.m. – 2.30 p.m. The Currency of the Afterlife: Religious Aspects of Silk in China – Susan Scollay

2.30 p.m. – 3.15 p.m. Evolution in the Development of Insignia Badges – Chris Hall

3.15 p.m. – 4.00 p.m. Life of a 1^st rank Official in Imperial China – Humphrey K. F. Hui.

 SPEAKERS:

Diana Collins is an independent researcher and textile conservator who has preserved Chinese and Southeast Asian textiles in her textile conservation practice in Hong Kong since 1986. Founder of the Textile Society of Hong Kong, she conceived and organized the Conference Chinese Textiles: Technique Design and Patterns of Use, held in Hong Kong in 1995

Chris Hall is an international tax consultant who has lived and worked in Hong Kong for 25 years. He is an Executive Member of the Oriental Ceramics Society and the Textile Society of Hong Kong. He has collected textiles for several decades and lectured and written on Chinese Textiles. He is recognised internationally as having the largest collection of Chinese textiles in private ownership.

Humphrey K. F. Hui is an internationally known collector of Chinese arts specializing in snuff bottles. He played a major role in producing and writing the catalogue on the exhibition "Elegant and Radiance. Grandeur in Qing Glass" The Andrew K. F. Lee Collection at the Art Museum, Chinese University of Hong Kong in 2002. Mr. Hui is a direct descendent of Xu Yingkui (1832-1903) a first rank official in Imperial China.

Susan Scollay BA (ANU), MA (Dominican University of California) is a specialist in the field of eastern and historic textiles with extensive international experience, having lived and worked in the Middle East, Europe, the USA and Australia. A regular lecturer to a variety of special interest groups and institutions, she is also a contributing editor to HALI, the prestigious, London based journal of carpet, textile and Islamic art.

Zhao Feng. Deputy Director of the National Silk Museum in Hangzhou. He holds a Degree in Engineering from the Zhejiang Silk Textile Institute, Hangzhou, 1982; Masters degree in the History of Textiles, 1984; Professorship, 1996; Doctorate in the History of Textile Technology, China Textile University, Shanghai, 1997. He has published over 100 research articles; was awarded the Sylvan & Pamela Coleman Fellowship by the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York in 1997-8, and the Veronika Gervers Memorial Fellowship by the Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto in 1999-2000

Registration: $75 for TAASA Members and Art Gallery of NSW Members. Non members $85.

Enquiries to admin@taasa.org.au. Registration with cheques made out to TAASA and sent to Suan Miller, 321 Annandale Street, Annandale, NSW. Australia.

Download full programme details: CelestialSilks_Symposium.pdf (73.28 Kb) 

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TAASA Lecture - Victoria

The role of pidan – pictorial silk hangings – in Cambodian Buddhist practice - presented by Gill Green

Date: Wednesday June 2

Time: 7.30 pm

Venue: East and West Art, 665 High St, East Kew

Cost: Members - $5 Non members - $10

For more information contact 9859 6277.

Pidan are Cambodian silk textiles patterned with figurative, narrative images, using the ikat technique. In her lecture Gill will discuss the role of these silk textiles in Cambodian Buddhist society. The narratives they portray relate to a number of themes inherent in Theravada Buddhist belief - The ‘Three Worlds’ cosmology, the Jataka stories, and the life of Prince Siddharta - and these textiles were an essential adjunct to Buddhist worship. In contemporary Cambodia, pidan still play a role though their context is now largely ceremonial and secular.

Gill’s presentation will be based on her book Traditional Textiles of Cambodia. Cultural Threads and Material Heritage published this year by  River Books, Bangkok. This publication will be available for sale at the lecture at the reduced price of $90.00.

Gill’s book is the first to document and explain this rich textile and costume tradition. Written for collectors, curators, travellers, textile artists and aficionados, it identifies and explains the essential role textiles play in traditional Cambodian society and religious practice. It is lavishly illustrated in full colour with splendid examples held in international public and private collections. The emphasis throughout is to firmly associate the textiles with their weavers and wearers.

Gill completed her MA (Art History) at the Australian National University with a thesis on the Cambodian textile and costume tradition. She has published and lectured on the topic and curated the exhibition Sampot and Padaan. Cambodian Costumes and Religious Hangings at the Liverpool Regional Museum Sydney

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TAASA Member's Diary
June – August 2004

TAASA VICTORIA EVENTS

Thurs 13 May 6.00 - 8.00pm: private viewing for TAASA members of Chinese ceramics and works of art from the estate of the late John Kenny at Sotheby’s, 926 High Street, Armadale. RSVP by Friday 7 May to Eunice Collier  03 9509 2900  03 9509 2900 .

Wed 26 May 7.30pm: ‘Show and Tell’ – any Asian item. Behruz Studio, 471 High Street, Prahran. Admission gold coin.

Wed 2 June 7.30pm: Gill Green on ‘The role of pidan (pictorial textile hangings) in Cambodian Buddhist practice’. East & West Art, 665 High Street, East Kew. Members $5.00, non-members $10.00, light refreshments provided.

Wed 30 June 7.30pm: Jean Nicholls on Asian beads. Venue to be finalised. Further information contact Ruth Clemens  03 9428 0282  03 9428 0282 or ref. May newsletter. Members $5.00, non-members $10.00.

Wed 28 July 7.30pm: Tanya McIntyre on ‘New Year Pictures: the development of popular prints in traditional China’. Chinese Museum, Cohen Place, off Little Bourke St between Exhibition and Russell Sts. Members $5.00, non-members $10.00.

Sat 21 August 3 - 5pm: David Thompson on Chinese and Indian Teas. Venue to be finalised. Contact Ruth Clemens  03 9428 0282  03 9428 0282 . Members $5.00, non-members $10.00.

The Victorian Ceramics Focus Group will meet as a Study Group during 2004. The study topic is ‘Oriental Whitewares of the 18th Century’. Enquiries to Brenda Purtell  03 9857 4406  03 9857 4406 or Marjorie Ho  03 9859 6277  03 9859 6277 .

TAASA NSW EVENTS

Celestial Silks: Chinese Religious & Court Costume:
TAASA symposium

CelestialSilks.pdf (71.54 Kb)
Saturday 31 July, 10.00am-4.30pm Domain Theatre, Art Gallery of New South Wales. Keynote speaker at this symposium, to be held in conjunction with the exhibition of the same name, will be Zhao Feng, Deputy Director of the National Silk Museum, Hangzhou; one of China’s leading textile scholars, he will discuss archaeological discoveries relating to three sixth century robes on exhibition. Other speakers and their proposed topics are:

Diana Collins (Hong Kong) on Chinese Embroidery: A Needle’s Worth; Susan Scollay on The Currency of the Afterlife: Religious Aspects of Silk in China; Chris Hall (Hong Kong) on Chinese Rank Insignia; Humphrey Hui (Hong Kong) on Life of a First Rank Official in Imperial China, focussing on the life of his great grandfather Xu Yinggui the co-signatory of the Treaty of Peking. Attendees at the Symposium will have free entry to the exhibition. TAASA and AGS members $75.00. non-members $85.00. For more information and bookings contact Judith Rutherford,  02 9417 2585  02 9417 2585 or judithrutherford@bigpond.com.

NSW TEXTILE FOCUS GROUP

All meetings on the second Wednesday of the month at the Powerhouse Museum (Briefing Room). Refreshments provided. Admission TAASA members $3.00, non-members $5.00. Inquiries to Dee Court  02 9969 2031  02 9969 2031 or Gill Green  02 9331 1810  02 9331 1810 . This year’s ‘Rites of Passage Textiles’ theme continues as follows: 9 June, 6.00 pm: ‘Birth Textiles’ - Mary Maher and Jill Sutanto 12 July, 6.00 pm: Tenth Anniversary Party 11 August, 6.00 pm: ‘Marriage Ties: A Turkish Bridal Custom’ - Mayo Harriss

TAASA Activities in Sydney and Melbourne

TAASA's Annual General Meeting

The Association’s AGM for 2004 was held on 3 April at the Powerhouse Museum, prior to the commencement of the seminar on Contemporary Cambodian Culture (see report below). The accounts for the financial year ending 31 December 2003 were received and approved, and a number of changes to TAASA’s Rules of Association, including the reduction of the quorum required for an AGM from 20 to 15, were also approved. One new Management Committee member was unanimously elected for three years, Anne Roberts from Melbourne.

At the meeting of the Committee of Management held the following week, the following TAASA office-bearers were confirmed for 12 months until the 2005 AGM: President, Judith Rutherford; Vice-President, Ann MacArthur; Treasurer, Gill Green; Secretary, Susan Miller. All current members of the TAASA Committee of Management are listed on the Editorial page of the June issue of the TAASA Review

SHIPWRECKED CERAMICS IN MELBOURNE
On 21 February, TAASA and the National Gallery of Victoria co-hosted a seminar at the recently refurbished NGV International on St Kilda Road. The topic was shipwreck ceramics, specifically those found in Southeast Asian waters. The speakers, Dr Roxanna Brown and Dr Michael Flecker, provided the 85 attendees with an informed look into the world of Southeast Asian ceramic history and archaeology. Dr Brown, Chief Curator at the Southeast Asian Ceramics Museum, Bangkok, discussed the phenomenon of the ‘Ming Gap’. In the first half of the Ming dynasty there is an absence of Chinese blue and white ceramics from the cargoes of shipwrecks found in Southeast Asian waters. Instead, from 1352-1487, the ceramics excavated from these wrecks are predominantly Southeast Asian.

 Dr Brown described the different styles of these ceramics and the means of identifying the kiln sites in which they were made, in the context of numerous wreck sites she has excavated. For example, Thai underglaze black ceramics, produced in both Sukothai and Sawankhalok kilns, can be differentiated by the way the fish’s tail is drawn: Sukothai artists depicted fish with tails flipped up, whereas Sawankhalok artists drew fish with straight tails. By examining wreck-derived ceramics in detail, and dating the wrecks by using information provided by other objects in the same cargos, including coins, Dr Brown was able to chart developments in Thai and Vietnamese ceramics in the first half of the Ming dynasty.

The practical experience of underwater archaeology was the theme of the second paper, in which Dr Flecker focussed on the procedure of responsibly raising an underwater cargo, the attendant ethical issues and the reality of the contemporary political and economic environment which affects these wreck sites. Underwater archaeology, as described by Dr Flecker, appears to be a combination of the thorough and systematic methodology of the archaeologist and conservator, diplomatic negotiations with local governments, and a range of skills including deep sea diving and meteorology. Periods of intense excitement (will the bump on the ocean floor that snagged a fisherman’s trawl net turn out to be a valuable archaeological site? Will the hoard be recovered before the monsoon hits?) appear to alternate with long hours of painstaking gridding of the site, cleaning ceramics and diver decompression.

CAMBODIA AT THE POWERHOUSE
It was all glitter and glamour during the lunch break at TAASA’s seminar on ‘Contemporary Cambodian Culture’ at the Powerhouse Museum in Sydney on 3 April, as dancers from Australian Cambodian Community Inc. entertained participants with a traditional ‘Wishing Dance’. During the talk sessions, attendees (about 80 people attended) were differently entertained by presentations from leading scholars on matters Cambodian.

Dr Milton Osborne revealed the quite contrasting opinions of a number of visitors over the centuries at their first sight of Angkor’s temples. Perhaps a Eurocentric point of view evoked some of these responses, informed as they may have been by an instinctive connection of religious iconography with power. For others their apprehension, indeed revulsion, was engendered by the fear of the unknown, both of the natural surroundings and of the religion that inspired the architecture.

Professor Roland Fletcher presented up-to-date objective archaeological research results compiled from the latest aerial surveys of Angkor, showing us fascinating new computercreated ‘virtual’ images of the ancient city (complete with heat haze), prepared from the surveys. These surveys also demonstrated just how extensive the population must have been to support this giant pre-industrial city. Comparative maps made it clear that Angkor was larger in area than, for example, ancient Rome or Athens: and that just a single component of this complex, the temple of Angkor Wat itself, covers an area equal in size to the main campus of the University of Sydney.

After the lunchtime dance performance, Souvannairand Kay, President of the Australian Cambodian Community Inc, discussed the contribution of dance and music to the life of the Khmer both past and present. She described traditional instruments and dances and elucidated hand gestures used to indicate dancers’ moods and actions.

One group of famed Cambodian textiles – pidan - was the subject of Gill Green’s presentation. These antique handwoven silk hangings are in effect woven depictions of narrative and pictorial images. Together with their counterparts - painted panels and murals or, in contemporary mode, posters or prints – these images play a role in Theravada Buddhist practice, providing a visual mnemonic, a reminder of the subject of the monk’s sermon.

The last speaker, Rachel Hughes, spoke on the sensitive subject of memorials recording genocide and the differing perceptions of their place in the life of a nation after the event. The Tuol Sleng Museum of Genocide Crimes in the heart of Phnom Penh was set up in the period following that of the Khmer Rouge. The speaker noted the instinctive memorialising responses of Cambodians visiting the space and compared these with the responses of visitors from abroad

March to May 2004

Enquires: admin@taasa.org.au

TAASA NSW EVENTS

Contemporary Cambodian Culture

One-day TAASA Seminar

Saturday 3 April 2004
Target Theatre, Powerhouse Museum, Sydney

'When the hollow gourd sinks, the clay pot floats.' This Khmer proverb refers to the social upheaval in Cambodia engendered by the Khmer Rouge years. TAASA's one-day seminar will examine those cultural, religious and social practices through which Cambodian identity has been constructed over the generations. It explores the response to expressions of this culture by early visitors to the region as well as the response by Cambodians themselves, whose accepted identity has been challenged by the turmoil of the Khmer Rouge years. Participating speakers are Milton Osborne, Roland Fletcher, Gill Green, Souvannairand Kay and Rachel Hughes. The TAASA AGM is planned to take place prior to the start of the Seminar. In addition, the Sydney launch of a newly-published book, Traditional Textiles of Cambodia: Cultural Threads and Material Heritage by Gill Green, is planned for the day, as is a performance of Khmer dance by dancers from the Cambodian community in western Sydney. Detailed information will be provided separately to members.

Special book signing by Gill Green, author of "Traditional Textiles of Cambodia"  5th June - 10 am to 12 pm and 2pm to 4 pm at Cambodia House, 445 Oxford Street, Paddington (9332 1101)

Chinese Textiles In July 
31st July, at the Art Gallery of NSW, TAASA is organising a seminar in conjunction with the exhibition Celestial Silks: Chinese Religious and Court Textiles. Running 30 July-4 October 2004, this stunning exhibition of over 70 important and beautiful Chinese textiles will include three rare robes dating to the 5thand 6th centuries, on public display for the first time. International and Australian speakers at the seminar will include Zhao Feng, Deputy Director of the National Silk Museum, Hangzhou. Full details of this important event in the June issue of TAASA Review. 

NSW Textile Focus Group
The theme for this year's program is 'Rites of Passage Textiles', with talks presented by members and some guest speakers. This theme celebrates the group's 10th Anniversary, which will occur in July - more details in next issue of the Review. All meetings on the second Wednesday of the month at the Powerhouse Museum (Briefing Room) at 6.00 pm. Refreshments provided, admission TAASA members $3.00, nonmembers $5.00. 

TAASA VICTORIAN EVENTS

Victorian Ceramics Focus Group
The Ceramics Focus Group will meet as a Study Group for the first six months of 2004. The study topic is 'Oriental Whitewares of the 18th Century'.

Victorian General Focus Group  
Wed. 3 March 7.30pm. In conjunction with RMIT, Susan Scollay on 'Kaitag Embroideries from Daghestan'. Level 7, Storey Hall, RMIT, Swanston Street, Melbourne. Admission gold coin.

Wed. 31 March 7.30pm. Gary Hickey on 'Sex in the Floating World: The erotic pictures of Edo period Japan'. Room 148, Fine Arts Building (close to Swanston Street), University of Melbourne. Admission gold coin.

Wed. 28 April 7.30pm. Russell Howard on 'Red Tai Textiles from North-east Laos'. Behruz Studio, 471 High Street, Prahran. Admission gold coin.

Wed. 26 May 7.30pm. 'Show and Tell'. Archaeos, 28-30 Brunswick Street, Fitzroy. Admission gold coin.

TAASA NSW Events – December to March 2004

End of year party  Thursday 4 December 6 p.m.
Parkham Place Gallery. Members are free – guests $10 There will be the usual Bazaar and we will be delighted to receive any items of Asian related Books, Trash or Treasure. For more details contact: Judith Rutherford  02 9417 2585  02 9417 2585

Textile Focus Group - Wednesday 10 December, 6-8 pm.
Group's end-of-year party, Briefing Room, Powerhouse Museum. Refreshment contributions welcomed. Parking available at the Powerhouse, enter via Macarthur Street. Further information, Dee Court  02 9969 2031  02 9969 2031 or Gill Green  02 9331 1810  02 9331 1810

TAASA Victoria Events – December to March 2004

End-of-Year Party and Auction, Wednesday, 10 December 7pm KDG Gallery, Suite 18, 545 St Kilda Road, Melbourne (near Commercial Road). Admission: a gold coin and at least one donated item (preferably with an Asian flavour) for the auction. Light refreshments and drinks will be served.

March: Gary Hickey on ‘Japanese Woodblock Prints’. Date and venue to be finalised. Call Marjorie Ho  03 9859 6277  03 9859 6277 or Brenda Purtell  03 9857 4406  03 9857 4406

Textile Focus Group
Wednesday, 25 February 7.30pm
Susan Scollay on ‘Kaitag Embroideries from Daghestan’. Venue yet to be finalised. For further information in February 2004 newsletter or contact Ruth Clemens  03 9428 0282  03 9428 0282
April: Russell Howard on ‘Red Tai Textiles’ from North-East Laos. Date and venue will be advertised in the February newsletter.

Ceramics Focus Group
Sunday 29 February: visit to Warrandyte Ceramic Expo 2004, on the banks of the River Yarra. About 40 potters from Victoria displaying their work with demonstrations of wheel turning and glazing. Details to come.
March: Show and tell. Details to come. Discussion of the formation of a Study Group for ‘White Wares’ – possibly resulting in an exhibition.

TAASA NSW EVENTS - September – November 2003

The Chinese Moon Festival was celebrated on Friday 12 September TAASA joined with the newly formed Chinese Studies Alumni Association of the University of Sydney to observe the Chinese Moon Festival with an evening of wine, poetry and music. The venue was the Australian Institute of International Affairs at 120 Kent St, Sydney.

China Trade in Canton on Saturday 1 November at the Art Gallery of New South Wales, the Experts Expounded on a Commerce Rich in Goods from the Functional and Lasting to the Whimsical Ephemera. TAASA presented a seminar focusing on the China Trade. Valery Garrett from Hong Kong, author of Heaven is High, the Emperor Far Away: Merchants and Mandarins in Old Canton, Discussed was the role of Western traders and Chinese artisans in Canton during this period. Other speakers included Jackie Menzies, Dr James Hayes, John Cuffe and Martin Terry.

TAASA NSW End-of-Year Party Thursday 4 December at Parkham Place Gallery.

Textile Focus Group All meetings held on the second Wednesday of the month at the Powerhouse Museum (Briefing Room). Refreshments provided. Admission TAASA members $3.00, nonmembers $5.00. Inquiries to Dee Court  02 9969 2031  02 9969 2031 or Gill Green  02 9331 1810  02 9331 1810 .
10 September 6.00 pm: Dana McCownon telia rumals (‘oil kerchiefs’ – specialised regional double ikat squares). Coincided with exhibition Endangered Species at the Hazelhurst Gallery, Gymea, NSW, 30 August-19 October.
8 October, 6.00 pm: Carol McCawley on ‘Origins of the Tree of Life in Textile Design’.
12 November, 6.00 pm: Neville Black on ‘Textiles from the Sindh Desert’.

 TAASA Victoria Events – September to November 2003

Ceramics Focus Group
All meetings are Tuesdays and admission is $3.00. Enquiries to Marjorie Ho  03 98596277  03 98596277 or Brenda Purtell  03 98574406  03 98574406 .
16 September 7.30pm: ‘Show and Tell’. Anglican Church Hall, cnr Denham and Church Streets, Hawthorn.
October Sue McMeekin from NSW on her use of Chinese glazes in her first Victorian exhibition. East & West Art, 665 High Street, Kew.
10 December: End-of-Year Party

Textile Focus Group
Inquiries to Ruth Clemens admin@taasa.org.au.

Wed. 24 September 7.30pm: Alexandra and Leigh Copeland on ‘The Great Divide - Textiles of Sind and Gujarat’. Copeland Gallery, 13 William Street, Richmond.
Sat. 27 September: follow-up walks with Terry Smyth to the Southern Chinese Plant Collection at the Royal Botanic Gardens. Visitors’ Centre, Observatory Cafe, the Royal Botanic Gardens.
Wed. 29 October 7.30pm: Suzi Lebassi on ‘Tibetan Thangka Painting’. Soo Tze Oriental Antiques, 46 Commercial Road, Prahran..
Sat. 8 November 3.00pm:Valery Garrett from Hong Kong on ‘A Willow Pattern Wonderland: China Trade in Canton’. Chinese Museum, 22 Cohen Place (off Little Bourke Street), Melbourne.
Wed. 26 November 7.30pm: an eclectic ‘Show and Tell’. Archaeos, 28-30 Brunswick Street, Fitzroy. As this is the last ‘Show and Tell’ for the year, the items will not be confined to textiles - bring any Oriental treasures.
Wednesday, 10 December: ‘End-of-Year Party and Auction’. KDG Gallery, Suite 18, 545 St Kilda Road, Melbourne.

TAASA Members’ Diary

September to November 2007

TAASA Victoria Events

Tue 28 Aug, 6.15pm: Christina Ritschel, a US-trained textile conservator now working in Melbourne , on 'Textile conservation with emphasis on Asian clothing'. Venue: The Victorian Writers' Centre, 1st Floor, Nicholas Building , 37 Swanston Street (opp. St Paul 's); enter via Cathedral Arcade. Members $5.00, non-members $10.00. Enquiries:  03 9428 0282  03 9428 0282 .

Sat 13 Oct, 1.00am: Carol Cains, curator, gives a floor talk in the Krishna, God of Love exhibition at the National Gallery of Victoria, for TAASA members only. Free entry; meet at the Information desk, NGVI. Enquiries:  03 9428 0282  03 9428 0282 .

End-of-Year event: date, venue and details to be advised.

TAASA NSW Events

Symposium: Cities of Mainland Southeast Asia

Art Gallery of New South Wales Saturday 20 October 2007 This will be the second in the TAASA series on Asian cities (for reports and papers from the Shanghai Old and New seminar, see this issue). Distinguished speakers are Milton Osborne ( Phnom Penh ), Colin Long ( Vientiane ), Phoebe Scott ( Hanoi ) and Bronwyn Campbell (Luang Prabang). Further details in brochure: 'The lands below the winds' and application form.

TAASA NSW End of Year Party

Parkham Place Gallery, Surry Hills Thursday 29 November 2007, 6.00pm Mark the date in your diary now, further details to come. Meanwhile, think about taking this opportunity to offer any no longer- required Asian items - books, crafts, other objects of interest - for sale at the famous TAASA Bazaar, and contact Gill Green  02 9331 1810  02 9331 1810 or Judith Rutherford  02 9417 2585  02 9417 2585 to arrange collection.

TAASA NSW Textile Study Group

All meetings are 6.00-8.00pm in the Briefing Room, Powerhouse Museum .

12 Sept: Dianne Finnegan on Hausa Textiles of North Africa .

17 Oct: Barbara Leigh, topic to be announced.

14 Nov: Emma Lees and Sandy Watson on symbols in Japanese textiles.

Contacts: Dee Court  02 99692031  02 99692031 or Gill Green  02 93311810  02 93311810

Cities of the Silk Road - 5 September,
Powerhouse Museum

This one day event is the next in TAASA’s series “Great Cities of Asia”. Five speakers will present views of Central Asian cities, long celebrated for their role as trading centres along the Silk Road. Cities of the Silk Road brochure PDF click here.