November Friends Lecture Features East Asian Art Expert

On Thursday, November 9, Aaron Rio will speak at Mia as part of the Friends Lecture Series
A Sacred Conversation: Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva and the Poets in Medieval Japan
The transmission from China of Zen Buddhism introduced to early medieval Japanese painters an array of new figural subjects, some religious in nature and others ostensibly less so. Alongside sinicized devotional imagery came pictures of a host of figures from Chinese antiquity—praiseworthy monks, notable eccentrics, and celebrated literary heroes. This talk will examine the concurrent reception of these images in medieval Japan through an exploration of the dynamic interaction between pictures of Avalokiteshvara, the bodhisattva of compassion, and ancient Chinese poets.
 
With an MA, MPhil, and a PhD in art history and archaeology from Columbia University, and numerous publications and awards, Rio is fulfilling his passion for research and scholarly pursuits as Mia’s Andrew W. Mellon Assistant Curator of Japanese and Korean art.
After completing his undergraduate degree in English/East Asian languages and culture, Rio spent three years in the mountains of Nara, Japan, teaching English. Luckily, picking up Japanese was rather easy for Rio as no one in the small village spoke English. He spent his spare time hiking over the nearby mountains, exploring the magical landscape so often depicted in Japanese art. Having a deep appreciation for Chinese art, he found the art of Japan spoke to him in a different way.
Rio possesses an intense appreciation and knowledge of both Chinese and Japanese art; he thinks of himself as an East Asianist. To him, Chinese ink paintings suggest a greater depth and emotion, often depicting stories about people; yet Japanese art is more focused on details with accurate and heavenly brushstrokes.
Rio believes gallery visitors hold many misconceptions about Japanese art, in particular preconceived ideas of samurai, prostitutes, or the art of imperfection (wabi-sabi). Rio would like visitors to go beyond those superficial imaginings and try to see the people behind these works of art—the human part of the art—and the stories they depict.
Free tickets available October 15 for Friends members, October 17 for the general public: 612.870.6323. Overflow seating in the Wells Fargo Community Room.