Preview Highlights:
The Arts of Pacific Asia Show in New York

Editorial Staff

Mask Kayan Dayak, eastern Borneo Wood with polychrome pigments Height 40.6 cm Thomas Murray at the Arts of Pacific Asia Show, New York

Having just completed a successful fair in San Francisco (2-5 February) Caskey-Lees/Shar-dor are celebrating their tenth Arts of Pacific Asia Show in New York from 22 to 25 March at the 69th Regiment Armory. Among those dealers taking part in both shows are Tsajon von Lixfeld of Jewel of the Lotus from Honolulu, L'Asie Exotique from La Jolla and Suzy Lebasi of Soo Tze Oriental Antiques from Melbourne.

Von Lixfeld anticipates that the perceived downturn in the economy will not deter New York collectors or others with a serious interest in Asian art who converge on the city at this time of year. In his view, the demand for important and expensive South Asian and Himalayan objects continues, but there will be some correction in the overheated Tibetan art market, except for the best-documented pieces and those of pre-17th century date. With the current paucity of genuine Indian antique gold jewellery, he has expanded his inventory to include Indian bronze and stone sculptures. Highlights among these are a sandstone figure of Neminatha Jina and a bronze Padmapani, both dated to the 10th century .

Tim Mertel and Alan Pate of L'Asie Exotique continue to focus on developing collections of Japanese ningyo, and Pate will give a lecture entitled `Japanese Ningyo: Festival Dolls of the Edo Period - An Introduction to Two Major Doll Festivals of Japan, the Hina-matsuri and Tengu-no-sekku'. It will take place on 4 March at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, in conjunction with an exhibition of Edo period art that will include a number of ningyo. Other recent acquisitions to be shown at L'Asie Exotique's stand are Chinese scholar's objects and Southeast Asian religious icons. Suzy Lebasi believes that the international mix of dealers and the high quality of exhibits will ensure the continued success of the New York show. She is exhibiting a selection of repouss bronze sculptures from Densatil monastery as well as a 15th century gem-encrusted bronze of Samvara from the same monastery. Also on view are several Tibetan illustrated medical texts and diagrams.

Equally energetic and enthusiastic is Thomas Murray, who believes that the activities at the museums, galleries, auctions and fairs bring the most sophisticated and discriminating buyers to New York in March. Murray attempts to distinguish himself from other dealers by presenting a highly selective group of objects that reflect his own eclectic taste. These range from Neolithic and Bronze Age stone carvings from Timor, West Sumba, Bactria and Afghanistan to Southeast Asian masks and sculpture, and textiles from India and Indonesia. Of particular note are a wool cloth with a tie-dyed pattern made in Mongolia or Chinese Turkestan for the Japanese market, where it was used as a tea ceremony carpet, and an early wood mask used in headhunting and agricultural rites by the Kayan Dayak tribe of eastern Borneo, priced at US$12,000. The mask, which retains its pigments and has strong sculptural lines, was originally in a Dutch collection and has twice been published and exhibited.

Among the recent acquisitions on Eleanor Abraham's stand are a 10th century pink sandstone head of a Jina from the Madhya Pradesh region. Despite its monumental size (68.6 cm), the delicately carved sculpture reflects a quiet dignity. A life-size 15th or 16th century head of Vishnu from Rajasthan, with refined features and smooth flesh carved from glistening black chlorite, will have a commanding presence on her stand. More recent acquisitions will be shown by Marc Richards, a specialist in early Chinese pottery sculpture. The emphasis is on the early Tang period, including an impressive pair of earth spirits. Among the Han period wares is a lively depiction of a mythical animal. Leslie Kehoe from Melbourne is also attending both shows with her collection of netsuke, screens, lacquer, ceramics, bronzes, okimono and sword accoutrements. A highlight is a Kano School six-panel screen depicting the Battle of Uji Bridge, which is priced at US$48,000. Among the netsuke are some contemporary works by Japanese lacquer artist Unryuan Kitamura Tatsuo, which can be seen on Kehoe's website at www.kehoe.com.au

The fair presents Renata Horstmann de Pepe of Asian Collectibles with an opportunity to introduce herself to collectors in New York. She recently moved from Germany to set up a gallery in Connecticut offering affordable and decorative Asian works of art. A Yuan period wood image of Guanyin is representative of the high quality of her inventory. She will also show a selection of 19th century Chinese vernacular furniture which, in her view, is as finely constructed in attractive softwoods as the earlier hardwood examples, but is more affordable and easier to source. Also from Connecticut, Peter Rosenberg of Vallin Galleries is mounting a special exhibition of Chinese transitional porcelain, including a wucai group made for the Japanese market. Art & Antiques Bachmann Eckstein from Basel are participating for the first time; an interesting piece in their collection is a late Ming period gilded and lacquered wood Guanyin originally in the collection of Gertrude and Leo Stein. Inspired by collector and art historian Bernard Berenson, the Steins added some Chinese objects to their collection of Impressionist paintings. A number of published photographs of their painting collection show the Guanyin.

Carlo Cristi of Milan returns to the fair confident that the show will once again draw many enthusiastic collectors. In addition to his selection of Himalayan and Indian bronzes, he is showing some early textiles, such as a 14th/15th century silk panel embroidered with the eight Buddhist auspicious symbols. In excellent condition, the piece was found in Tibet but is probably of Chinese origin.

Amsterdam dealer Sjoerd de Vries of Astamangala will display an 11th/12th century stone sculpture of Shiva Nataraja, which is in a style that can be compared to works from Khajuraho, and a late 17th century thangka depicting a Sakya lama in the 15th century Kyenri style.

Textile dealer Jocelyn Chatterton returns to the fair, after a very successful debut last year, with a collection of 17th/18th century Chinese brocades and embroideries, and she will also introduce some 19th century Japanese textiles. Chatterton has found that collectors are becoming more interested in the technical and historical aspects of the textiles, rather than regarding them as decoration only. Her own personal interest in sewing tools is also reflected in the show.

After dealing privately and primarily with museums for fourteen years, Cynthia Shaver joined the fair for the first time in September last year in order to expand her contacts among collectors of textiles. Included in her visually appealing textiles this year are an early 19th century hemp kimono for a wealthy merchant's wife. It bears the theme of a blooming cherry tree against a pale yellow background. Particularly unusual is a monk's kesi crepe robe dated 1713 with 25 vertical divisions indicating that it was used by a high ranking monk.

No Asian art fair is complete without an immediate source of Asian art books. Paragon Books from Chicago has a wide selection of recently published titles, many of which are from China and are being offered at heavily discounted prices. For example, the lavishly produced four-volume set of Journey into China's Antiquity is available at the fair for US$99, compared to a retail price of US$320.