China: Through the Looking Glass
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | 4.77 (605 Votes) |
| Asin | : | 0300211120 |
| Format Type | : | paperback |
| Number of Pages | : | 256 Pages |
| Publish Date | : | 2016-09-10 |
| Language | : | English |
DESCRIPTION:
China through the Looking Glass, stunningly beautiful and eye-opening catalogue Merrily Baird With nearly every major exhibition that opens at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York these days, we are being blessed with the simultaneous publication of impressive catalogues. And such is the case with the Costume Institute show titled "China Through the Looking Glass: Fashion, Film, Art" that debuted in early May. The show examines the influence of . Next Best Thing to Being There I was fortunate enough to have seen this exhibit; however, I did not have ample time to really savor the experience. I am thrilled I can relive my visit via this breathtaking book.The few pictures I was able to take pale in comparison to those in this book. The book is thoughtfully organized and I was especially impressed with the coverage of Chinese influenc. "Drool-worthy photos" according to IloveAmazon. Wow! Wish I could have seen the accompanying exhibition --what a treat that would be. This book is the next best thing, however. Gorgeous photos that had me (practically) drooling from page to page. If someone (maybe you, perhaps?) loves costumes and/or all things Chinese, this book makes an amazing gift. Expensive but well worth it!
Andrew Bolton is curator in the Costume Institute, The Metropolitan Museum of Art.
As in the game of “telephone,” the process of cultural translation transforms the source material into ingeniously original fashions that are products solely of the designers’ imaginations. In a similar way, contemporary Chinese film directors render fanciful, highly stylized evocations of various epochs in China’s history—demonstrating that China’s imagery is equally seductive to artists in the East and further inspiring today’s designers. Drawing upon Chinese decorative arts, cinema, and costume—notably imperial court robes, the close-fitting cheongsam, and the unisex Mao suit—their designs are fantastical pastiches of anachronistic motifs. This stunning publication, which accompanied one of the most successful exhibitions in The Metropolitan Museum of Art's history, explores the influence of Chinese aesthetics on designers, including Giorgio Armani, Christian Dior, Jean Paul Gaultier, Karl Lagerfeld, Ralph Lauren, Alexander McQueen, and Yves Saint Laurent. A lavish exploration of the evocative and complex fashions inspired by Chinese culture For centuries, China’s export arts—jade, silks, porcelains, and, more recently, cinema—have fueled Western fantasies of an exotic East and served as endu
"In the sensual Costume Institute catalogueBolton's depoliticized take on the exchange between East and West in his introduction sets the tone for a volume that is an exuberant triumph of style over substance, complete with a red, silklike cloth cover stamped with gold foil. Inside, elaborate Western couture, art, and films spanning several centuries conjure a fantastic vision of China."--Christopher Lyon, BOOKFORUM --Christopher Lyon"Bookforum" (09/01/2015)