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sechan19Funny #1: I went to the Suntory Museum of Art on Sunday to view a collection of pieces from the Seattle Asian Art Museum.
What's funny about this is the fact that I've been to the Seattle Asian Art Museum twice and yet have never seen any Japanese art there. It's reputed to have one of the best collections of Asian (particularly Japanese) art in the United States. Of course, you'd never know that from visiting. As I said, I've been there twice, and the sum total of my Japanese art viewing during those two visits was a single Amida raigo (Descent of the Amida Buddha) painting. The SAAM space is appalling, and as a result most of the collection is never on view.
So, naturally, when 100 specially selected pieces from the collection (including a special exhibition of the "Deer Scroll" by Hon'ami Koetsu and Tawaraya Sotatsu) were put on display in Japan I had to go. But I found it funny.
Funny #2: Orientation has held today at IUC.
What's funny about this is the fact that the Japanese generally have really fantastic (albeit ofttimes dry) senses of humor. During the explanation of emergency procedures, we were all treated to a dilly of a statement. Matsumoto-sensei, who had just explained what would happen in the event of an outbreak of flu at the Center (or an impending typhoon), noted: "In the event of a massive earthquake... say, if there suddenly was no Center anymore... well... we'd like you to survive, please."
Understandably, the entire room (students, faculty, staff and all) burst into a resounding round of hysterical laughter. Way too funny for day one.
It's going to be a good year.
What's funny about this is the fact that I've been to the Seattle Asian Art Museum twice and yet have never seen any Japanese art there. It's reputed to have one of the best collections of Asian (particularly Japanese) art in the United States. Of course, you'd never know that from visiting. As I said, I've been there twice, and the sum total of my Japanese art viewing during those two visits was a single Amida raigo (Descent of the Amida Buddha) painting. The SAAM space is appalling, and as a result most of the collection is never on view.
So, naturally, when 100 specially selected pieces from the collection (including a special exhibition of the "Deer Scroll" by Hon'ami Koetsu and Tawaraya Sotatsu) were put on display in Japan I had to go. But I found it funny.
Funny #2: Orientation has held today at IUC.
What's funny about this is the fact that the Japanese generally have really fantastic (albeit ofttimes dry) senses of humor. During the explanation of emergency procedures, we were all treated to a dilly of a statement. Matsumoto-sensei, who had just explained what would happen in the event of an outbreak of flu at the Center (or an impending typhoon), noted: "In the event of a massive earthquake... say, if there suddenly was no Center anymore... well... we'd like you to survive, please."
Understandably, the entire room (students, faculty, staff and all) burst into a resounding round of hysterical laughter. Way too funny for day one.
It's going to be a good year.
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Date: 2009-09-08 09:47 pm (UTC)