May at Morikami - posted by FFAB

May at Morikami Welcomes Back Sushi & Stroll Summer Walks,

Mother’s Day Crafting and More

Delray Beach, Fla. – April 22, 2015 – Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens complements spring weather with a fully blossomed garden and an array of exciting events lined up for  May. Sushi & Stroll summer walks return with delicious food, beautiful sunsets and taiko drumming performances that are sure to be enjoyed by all. Also this month, visitors can add a Japanese flair to their Mother’s Day gift by crafting an origami card. See a full list and description of May events below.

September 30, 2014 – May 24, 2015

Japanese Design for the Senses: Beauty, Form, and Function

Japanese Design for the Senses comprises three distinct exhibitions highlighting the beauty, form, and function that is inherent to Japanese craft and design. Each component features objects designed and crafted to be both beautiful and functional. Examples include an array of exquisite works, from folding screen paintings and lacquer boxes, to handcrafted lamps, benches, and step chests, all of which are as impressive in their design as they are in their craftsmanship and functionality.

Touch of Gold: Lacquerware Boxes and the Paintings of Elaine Ehrenkranz

For over forty years, the abstract expressionist painter Elaine Ehrenkranz formed a comprehensive collection of magnificent Japanese lacquerware boxes ranging in date from the 15th to the mid-19th centuries. A large portion of her collection was donated to the Harvard University Art Museums in 1997, with the remaining masterpieces gifted to the Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens in 2013. Touch of Gold features her remarkable gift to the Morikami.

Ma: Defining Space: Studio Furniture of Yoko Zeltserman-Miyaji

A built-in storage system comprised of staggered shelves, chigai-dana first appeared inside shoin-style homes in the Kamakura era (1192 – 1333), replacing the freestanding, portable bookcases that were used to store and display scrolls, books, tea utensils and other decorative objects. A companion to the tokonoma, an alcove in which hanging scrolls and other objects of art are decoratively displayed, chigai-dana is an integral part of Japanese domestic architecture. Yoko Zeltserman-Miyaji’s timeless, elegant shelving and storage systems accentuate the simple yet refined beauty of form and function that is the essence of Japanese design and furniture aesthetics. This exhibition was organized by Mobilia Gallery in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Katachi: The Essence of Aesthetic Form and Function in Japanese Furniture

Katachi embodies the hallmark of Japanese aesthetics: a harmonious balance of beautiful form, fine workmanship, and practical functionality. This exhibition draws upon the Morikami’s collection of 19th and 20th-century Japanese furnishings, including decorative folding screens, storage chests, lamps, and many other examples of fine Japanese design and craftsmanship. Also on view are several pieces made by renowned furniture maker George Nakashima (1905 – 1990), a leading innovator of 20th-century furniture design and one of the founders of the American Craft Movement. 

Ikebana Flower Arrangement: Sogetsu School

4-week session: Fri., May 1, 8, 15, 22

Time: 1:30pm – 3:30pm

Class fee: $70 (members $60; advance registration required)

Flower fee: $40

Flower arrangement, ikebana, is a traditional Japanese art. Students in this course learn the basic principles and styles of the contemporary Sogetsu School, creating fresh flower arrangements each week to take home and enjoy. 

Ikebana Flower Arrangement: Ikenobo School

4-week session: Tues., May 5, 12, 19, 26

Time: 1pm – 3pm

Class fee: $70 (members $60; advance registration required)

Flower fee: $60 payable to instructor

Flower arrangement, ikebana, is a traditional Japanese art. The Ikenobo School is the oldest and most traditional. Students in this course learn the basic principles and styles of Ikenobo, creating fresh flower arrangements each week to take home and enjoy.

Sumi-e Ink Painting: Floral

4-week session: Thurs. May 7, 14, 21, 28

Time: 10:30am- 12:30pm

Class fee: $60 (members $55; advance registration required)

Sumi-e, literally “charcoal drawing,” is a form of Japanese ink painting brought from China in the 12th century. Students learn to grind their own ink and execute the primary sumi-e brushstrokes to capture the beauty of flowers and bamboo.

Required materials: May be purchased at the Museum Store and are listed on www.morikami.org.

Sumi-e Ink Painting: Landscape

4-week session: Thurs. May 7, 14, 21, 28

Time: 1:30pm-3:30pm                                                           

Class fee: $60 (members $55; advance registration required)

Sumi-e, literally “charcoal drawing,” is a form of Japanese ink painting brought from China in the 12th century. Students learn to grind their own ink and execute the primary sumi-e brushstrokes to mimic sweeping landscapes.

Required materials: May be purchased at the Museum Store and are listed on www.morikami.org.

Sushi & Stroll Summer Walk Series

Day: Friday, May 8

Time: 5:30pm – 8:30pm

Cost: $8 adults, $6 children (4-10) (museum members and children 3 and under FREE); $2 for taiko performance (optional). Reservations are not required.

Summer nights in South Florida are something special, especially when they are augmented with taiko drums and a cultural backdrop that can't be beat! Add a cold drink, a breathtaking sunset and a walking path through a tranquil garden and you've got Sushi & Stroll Summer Walks! Stroll the gardens at your own pace and take advantage of our free tour of the museum and gardens for smart phones. Excite your palate with something delicious from our own Cornell Café, indulge in some shopping at the Museum Store or tantalize your senses with a drumming performance by Fushu Daiko.
Please note that the museum galleries are closed for these special nights. Food and drink are not included with event admission.

Family Fun Holiday Activity: Mother’s Day Craft

Day: Sunday, May 10

Time: 12pm – 3pm

Cost: Free with paid museum admission

Honor your mother by making a special card for her.

Demonstrations of Sado: The Way of Tea

Day: Saturday, May 16

Time: Noon, 1pm, 2pm, 3pm

Cost: $5 with paid museum admission

Observe Japanese sado, “the way of tea,” an ever-changing demonstration rich in seasonal subtleties. The true spirit of sado — harmony (wa), reverence (kei), purity (sei), tranquility (jaku) — along with a sip of green tea and a sweet can bring a calm perspective into a busy life.

Individual reservations are not necessary. Reservations are required for groups of 10 or more. For more information, please call 561-495-0233 x210.

Sado Tea Ceremony Class

2-week session: Sunday, May 17 & 31

Time: Individual appointments begin at 10:15am

Cost: $55 (members $50; advance registration required)

Learn to perform traditional Japanese tea ceremony in the authentic Seishin-an Tea House under the guidance of Master Soei Chieko Mihori. Tea Ceremony Workshop (offered in November, January and March) is a prerequisite for this class.

To register, please call 561-495-0233 x210.

Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens has been a center for Japanese arts and culture in South Florida since its opening in 1977. The Morikami invites guests to discover South Florida’s heritage and its connection with Japan, explore a series of six diverse gardens inspired by a different historical period and style of Japanese gardening. Experience traditional and contemporary Japanese culture through world-class exhibits, varied educational programs and seasonal events, bonsai display, pan-Asian cuisine and a distinctive Museum Store. Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday. 

The Morikami is located at 4000 Morikami Park Road in Delray Beach, Florida. For more information about the Morikami, its exhibitions, programs and events, visit www.morikami.org or call 561-495-0233.