23 JAPANESE LACQUER IN THE COLLECTION OF DR. ELIZABETH E. FORCE August 11–December 10, 2017 This exhibition presented a selection of Japanese lac- querware ranging from literary boxes to incense uten- sils, from inro ¯ (carrying cases with small compartments) to household items. Made in the 18th and 19th centu- ries, these exquisitely crafted utilitarian objects attest to the refined lacquer artistry in Japan’s late Edo and early Meiji periods. The lacquer pieces were loaned to the exhibition by Dr. Elizabeth E. Force, a retired medical researcher who has formed a collection of Japanese and Chinese art that has been promised to SCMA. The programs that accompanied the exhibi- tion invited SCMA audiences to delve more deeply into the history and materiality of this traditional Japanese art form. Monika Bincsik, Diane and Arthur Abbey Assistant Curator for Japanese Decorative Arts at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, served as the featured scholar for this project and authored the 96-page exhi- bition catalog, which includes illuminating essays and a glossary of lacquer techniques. She visited campus to share a lecture about the ways celebrated lacquer collections were formed in the United States. Lacquer conservator and artist Gen Saratani also joined us to provide an overview of the complex lacquer process. He offered a drop-in demonstration, attended by col- lege and Smith College Campus School classes, as well as individuals from our broader community. Following this engaging opportunity, he presented a lunchtime slide talk that provided a more detailed understanding of the traditional technique. At our September Second Friday, members of our community were also invited to create their own miniature containers inspired by the exhibition. With its focus on materials and craftsmanship, this exhibition introduced many of the complex lacquer techniques and encouraged close looking. Framed around the objects’ utility and circulation, the project also struck a balance between promoting an apprecia- tion for Japanese aesthetics and an understanding of the taste and market for Japanese lacquer overseas. 体 MODERN IMAGES OF THE BODY FROM EAST ASIA February 2–August 26, 2018 体 is a character and concept commonly used in Chinese, Japanese and Korean languages. It refers to the material existence of a person, and can also connote substance, form and organizing principles on a figurative level. Using this character as a point of departure, this exhibition looked at the multifaceted representations of the body in East Asia from the 19th century to the present. The exhibition was organized both chronologically and thematically into sections in- cluding “Bodies of the Other,” “Bodies at War,” “Bod- ies in the Plural” and “Bodies in Transformation.” It not only examined artists’ personal expressions, but also ABOVE: Lacquer conservator and artist Gen Saratani demonstrating lacquer work as part of the programming related to Japanese Lacquer in the Collection of Dr. Elizabeth E. Force ABOVE: Yao Wu giving a gallery talk on 体 Modern Images of the Body from East Asia