Two exhibitions will be leaving the Milwaukee area this September: The Milwaukee Art Museum's (MWA) “Summer of China” and the Museum of Wisconsin Art's (MWA) “Paul Baker Prindle: Mementi Mori.” This distinctive duo reflects the expansive scope in subjects that art encompasses, although each exhibit recalls the past and asks the viewer to honor memory.
The Summer of China's “Treasures form the Forbidden City” presents a vision from the Emperor Qianlong's Palace Garden, a historical perspective seen through objects from an ancient, royal retreat. Ninety precious treasures from this “forbidden city” have been restored with painstaking precision and skill to provide insight into the Emperor's mindset and Chinese culture. A culture that communes with and reveres nature in deep respect for sacred places on a daily basis. These could be the mountains or water streams, even an ordinary rock garden that recalls abstract shapes to symbolize scholarly and spiritual pursuits.
In the 18th century when the garden was designed, the Chinese Emperor ruled over the largest geographical domain and one of the wealthiest countries in the world. The West often focused on the European legacy, ignoring these longstanding traditions. A tradition that believes inner tranquility overcomes outside beauty. Illustrated by a precious lacquer carved screen featuring 16 Buddhist Luohans (disciples or advisors) with poems written by the Emperor inscribed into every image.
Each side of the screen was ornately decorated in semi-precious materials with floral motifs on the supposed backside hidden in one of the over 20 separate gardens, or buildings, for over a century and never before seen. This specific garden was dedicated to personal cultivation because the Emperor rejoiced in beauty, goodness, spiritual harmony and character, among other virtues, to embody what he felt he needed to be: a guide, mentor and teacher to an entire nation.
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This may be the last time these 90 treasures will ever be on exhibit, especially outside of China, returning to the Forbidden City of Beijing forever. Wander through the previously lost 3000 years of Far Eastern history, which has now been restored through the efforts of the World Monument Fund to uncover the past and discover insight into the future.
The MWA's “Mementi Mori” diverges completely from the monumental MAM exhibition. Housed in the cozy Focus Gallery on the museum's lower level, photographer Paul Prindle Baker features his nine large-scale polychrome archival prints depicting common, often lowly physical places. Isolated and sometimes dilapidated, a forest bridge, wild field, front porch or steep wooden steps pinpoint a particular location where a gay or transgender male was murdered.
Remember the name of the prints, they are the names of the men who died: Alexio Bell, Kevin Cleiver, Aaron Hall, Durval Martins, Henry Northington, Guinn Richie Phillips, Clinton Risetter, Michael Shepherd and Danisha Williams. The locations and the individuals who died there represent the dichotomy in the two exhibitions. One enlightens the spirit through graciousness and respect in adornment; the other unveils hate and violence through stark clarity. Equal beauty may be found in contemplating either concept.
The pair of exhibitions expresses art's ability to remember and validate the past, either distant history or contemporary culture so the viewer gains uncommon and vital understanding of the human condition. Perspectives gleaned from two viewpoints; the prestigious and the disadvantaged so the observer might confront their own personal humanity. View these two exclusive exhibitions before they close this September while these opportunities linger in the Milwaukee area. (Summer of China continues through September 11, and Mementi Mori through September 25.)
