On January 7th I went to the Isla Center for the Arts at the University of Guam to see the exhibition, “The Dolls of Japan, Shapes of Prayers, Embodiments of Love". I have been interested in the Japanese culture for some time now, and I know how seriously they take their art and culture. I wanted to go there when the dolls were first put on display, but you know how it is. What’s the word? Oh yeah, procrastination. I heard the radio plug for the exhibition during its final days and realized I'd better get there because it would end on January 8th. I'm glad I went. I approached the Isla Center for the Arts and I didn't know what to expect as the outside of the building was not inviting. When I walked inside however, my first impression was erased and I was relieved as the display was as good as it gets. The assistant at the art center, G,(as in the letter "G") informed me that the dolls are part of a traveling exhibit which the Japan Foundation organizes. The dolls travel around the world to enhance the understanding of Japanese arts and culture. The dolls, ningyo in Japanese, were carefully displayed so that they were at a level that you could see almost 360 degrees around them. Different ningyo represented various styles and era's of the Japanese culture. Some were made of wood, paper, and silk, others out of ceramic. Regardless of the medium, the details were so intricate it was apparent the artists took pride in their work. It was a wonderful presentation and I hope that many people took the time to see the exhibit. Hopefully they didn't do what I did. Procrastinate.
Here are some photographs just in case. I got your back.......
