Japanese art takes centre stage at the Royal Castle in Poznań this weekend as the Museum of Applied Arts hosts the third edition of Japońska Fala, or Japanese Wave, on 5 and 6 September.
This year's programme, titled Images and Sounds of the Flowing World, brings together two very different aspects of Japanese culture: the richly detailed world of ukiyo-e woodblock prints and the sounds of Japanese music, from traditional instruments to contemporary anime soundtracks.
The event is centred on two lectures, but visitors can also see a selection of Japanese prints throughout the week, making it possible to explore the subject even if attending a Polish-language lecture is not practical.
A closer look at the words hidden in ukiyo-e
The first lecture, Words in Images: What the Inscriptions on Japanese Ukiyo-e Prints Tell Us, takes place on Saturday, 5 September at 13:00.
Led by Danuta Rościszewska from the National Museum in Poznań's Prints and Drawings Cabinet, the session will look at the relationship between writing and imagery in Japanese woodblock prints.
Ukiyo-e is often immediately recognisable for its landscapes, actors, courtesans and scenes of everyday life, but the inscriptions within these works can provide another layer of information. The lecture will introduce the different types of text found on prints, while also covering the basics of ukiyo-e and some of the techniques involved in producing them.
The lecture costs 10 zł, or 1 zł for students.
From shakuhachi to anime
Sunday's programme turns from visual art to sound.
At 13:00 on 6 September, Dr Patryk Frankowski of the Museum of Musical Instruments will present Musical Landscapes of Japan: From Tradition to Anime.
The lecture follows the development of Japanese music from traditional instruments such as the shakuhachi through the theatrical traditions of kabuki and nō, before arriving at contemporary anime soundtracks.
One of the interesting threads running through the talk is the continuing influence of traditional Japanese musical scales and ideas about sound on modern popular and film music. For visitors familiar with anime but less familiar with its musical heritage, it offers a chance to hear some of those connections placed in a wider cultural context.
The cost is again 10 zł, or 1 zł for students.
Both lectures are expected to be held in Polish.
Ukiyo-e on display throughout the week
For visitors who would rather explore at their own pace, the museum is also presenting a dedicated selection of Japanese ukiyo-e prints from the collections of the National Museum in Poznań.
The display runs from 1 to 6 September, giving visitors several days to see it around the Japanese Wave weekend.
The selection includes works representing important artists and recurring themes within ukiyo-e, including Hokusai's famous The Great Wave off Kanagawa.
The display is located in Sala Przemysła at the Museum of Applied Arts in the Royal Castle in Poznań. It is included with the museum's regular admission ticket, so no separate event ticket is required to see the prints.
For international residents and visitors to Poznań, this may be the easiest way to take part in the programme without needing to follow a Polish-language lecture. The prints themselves provide a visual introduction to the subject, while the museum setting offers an opportunity to explore the wider permanent collection at the same time.
See more: Matejko, Malczewski and the Human Face of Polish Art
Source: National Museum in Poznań, press release
