ART-TRIBUTE:Ghosts and Hells-The underworld in Asian Art,Part I

The exhibition “Ghosts and Hells-The underworld in Asian art” at the Musée du Quai Branly-Jacques Chirac in Paris focuses its attention on Asian ghost stories, delving into the world of spirits, terror and fantastic creatures as it takes visitors on a journey to the edges of reality, through religious art, theatre, cinema, contemporary design and manga. It isn’t an easy exhibition, at some points is very impressive and at another is truly frightening so as and the instructions warn, some of the works or images presented in the exhibition may be shocking to some visitors, so you must pay attention. The visitor can see and admire the detail in Japanese Painting and Comics. “Ghosts and Hells-The underworld in Asian art” makes a historical retrospection from Buddhist to J-Horror, from Hokusai prints to Pac-Man, from the Thai spirit culture to horror manga, the figure of the ghost has haunted the Asian imagination for centuries. In China, Thailand and Japan (the lands that the exhibition focuses on) the popular infatuation with terror is very real, and one that permeates a wide variety of cultural productions. From spirits that wander the forest, vengeful cat-women and hungry spirits that return from the dead (“the walking dead”) to jumping vampires and supernatural creatures in Japanese folklore (yokaïs), these can appear in multiple guises and play on artistic periods and media. The specialness of this exhibition is that isn’t the same if you start backwards like some other exhibition, because you suddenly discovers that it is another show. On our first visit we track it from the beginning to the end, but on the second visit, because it is big enough and someone can visit it 2-3 times, we started from the end to the start, except that it looks like another exhibition, the feeling of fear and panic is increasing, making us asphyxiating, so you must pay attention. The final conclusion is that is a very special exhibition with an excellent set up and with a lot of surprises on its course that’s worth to discover! (Part II)-Efi Michalarou

Info: Curator: Julien Rousseau, Musée du Quai Branly-Jacques Chirac, 37 Quai Branly, Paris, Duration 10/4-15/7/18, Days & Hours: Tue-Wed & Sun 11:00-19:00, Thu-Sat 11:00-21:00, www.quaibranly.fr