In celebration of the Asian Library’s 50th anniversary and in anticipation of the performance of Kabuki Dance featuring guest artists from Japan at the Frederic Wood Theatre on April 10 & 11, The Canadian Society for Asian Arts presents an exhibition that examines the intimate relationship between the woodblock printing medium and the kabuki theatre. Depicting theatre scenes based on dramatic contemporary current and historical events as well as canonical literary sources, these images document the wide thematic range of Edo-period popular entertainment.

The exhibition draws from private print collections supplemented by art historical publications from the UBC Library collection. Highlights include several original Japanese woodblock prints from the 18th to 20th centuries by actor print specialists Utagawa Toyokuni (1769–1825), Utagawa Kuniyoshi (1797–1861), and Toyohara Kunichika (1835–1900).

“Kabuki in Print” is curated by Maiko Behr and presented by the Canadian Society for Asian Arts in conjunction with UBC Asian Library. Open during Asian Library open hours M-Th 9-8, F 9-5, Sat. 12-5, closed Sun. Free admission.

Colleen Lanki is a professional theatre artist who has studied nihon buyô (Japanese classical dance) for over a dozen years being granted the professional name Fujima Sayû, in 2001 by her first teacher Fujima Yûko.  She is the artistic director of TomoeArts, which is presenting Odori: The World of Kabuki Dance at the Frederic Wood Theatre, UBC April 10 & 11, 2010.  Colleen will give a short talk and demonstration focusing on  kabuki odori, the dance of the kabuki theatre.

March 25 – May 16, 2010
Asian Library upper floor (1871 West Mall, Vancouver)
Curator: Maiko Behr