Art in the Garden 2024
In 2024, Portland Japanese Garden's exhibitions illuminate Japanese culture collected by our local community, as well as Portland's sister-city relationship with Sapporo, Japan
Boy Playing a Drum (Late 19th century) by Photographer Credit: Jonathan LeyPortland Japanese Garden
Masterpieces in Miniature: The Art of Netsuke Sculptures
From December 2023—March 2024, Portland Japanese Garden presented a selection from our collection of netsuke in our winter exhibition.
Once immensely popular across Japan, netsuke (pronounced nets-keh) were miniature sculptures that also served a purpose as personal fashion accessories, helping overcome the lack of pockets in traditional men’s clothing by helping hang small items from a kimono sash.
What started as simple accessories evolved into beautiful and complicated sculptures created in a variety of exquisite materials over a span of more than two hundred years during Japan’s Edo period (1603-1868).
Shishi with Jewels (Late 19th century) by Photographer Credit: Portland Japanese GardenPortland Japanese Garden
Guest curated by Dr. Peter Doebler, the Kettering Curator of Asian Art at Dayton Art Institute, Masterpieces in Miniature featured a selection of never-before-seen netsuke, as well as works not seen since 2010.
Four Gods of Good Luck in a Treasure Ship (Early 20th century) by Photographer Credit: Jonathan LeyPortland Japanese Garden
The exhibition, taking place in the Pavilion Gallery, explored diverse stories that inspired netsuke forms, ranging from gods, heroes, and fantastical creatures to symbolic animals from the natural world.
To learn more about Masterpieces in Miniature, please visit our website.
Cherry Blossoms at Goryokaku Castle Ruins (2022) by Hisao AsanoPortland Japanese Garden
Vision of Place
Celebrating 65 years of the Portland and Sapporo Sister City relationship, Vision of Place welcomes the work of Hokkaido-based photographers and a local Portland photographer to showcase the beauty of Japan’s northernmost prefecture, Hokkaido, on display March—June 2024.
Shashin: Photographic Frontiers of Hokkaido - Pavilion Gallery, close-up (2024-03-15) by Photographer Credit: Jonathan LeyPortland Japanese Garden
Shashin: Photographic Frontiers of Hokkaido
In the Pavilion Gallery, we’ve invited The North Finder, a Hokkaido-based group of photographers.
The Mystery of Winter: Drift Ice (2023) by Takayuki UemuraPortland Japanese Garden
Their mission is to “raise the image of Hokkaido through photography and help people to know Hokkaido more deeply” to share their perspective of Sapporo (capital of Hokkaido).
Shashin: Photographic Frontiers of Hokkaido - Pavilion Gallery (2024-03-15) by Photographer Credit: Jonathan LeyPortland Japanese Garden
The show exhibits the work of 23 photographers that capture the diversity of natural environments, distinctive seasons, and notable sites of Portland’s sister city from the perspective of the people who live there.
Jewelry Ice (2022) by Takahiro NishiokaPortland Japanese Garden
Featuring a range of subjects, this exhibition shares poetic perspectives of the iconic region.
Quiet Reflections of Hokkaido Winter: Photography by Sandra Chandler, scrolls (2024-03-15) by Sandra ChandlerPortland Japanese Garden
Quiet Reflections of Hokkaido Winter:
Photography by Sandra Chandler
Connecting the perspective of Hokkaido with Portland is an exhibition of local artist Sandra Chandler, which is exhibited in the Jordan Schnitzer Japanese Arts Learning Center’s Calvin and Mayho Tanabe Gallery.
Quiet Reflections of Hokkaido Winter: Photography by Sandra Chandler, metallic prints (2024-03-15) by Sandra Chandler and Photographer Credit: Jonathan LeyPortland Japanese Garden
Chandler is a passionate photographer, who has been a longtime supporter and Portland Japanese Garden’s Foundation Board Chairperson.
Traveling the world using her designer’s eye, Chandler’s photography explores minimalist compositions artfully captured from nature.
Quiet Reflections of Hokkaido Winter: Photography by Sandra Chandler, scrolls (2024-03-15) by Sandra Chandler and Photographer Credit: Jonathan LeyPortland Japanese Garden
The artwork in Quiet Reflections evokes minimalism and reflection through artfully composed scenes from Hokkaido’s winter season.
Quiet Reflections of Hokkaido Winter: Photography by Sandra Chandler, metallic prints (2024-03-15) by Sandra ChandlerPortland Japanese Garden
To learn more about Vision of Place and stay updated on Portland Japanese Garden's upcoming exhibitions, please visit our website.
