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Desire, Conflict & Exchange: Art of 19th Century East Asia and the West

About the Exhibition

Western powers coerced Japan, China and Korea to open trade relationships within the expanding global economy of the 19th century. The exchange of ideas and artistic styles between Japan, China and Korea had already been in place, as well as trade within each of the East Asian countries. Tensions driven by aesthetic desires and trade advantage fueled conflict and exchange between these nations. Artworks produced during this time both reflected and inspired these dynamics.

East Asian aesthetics found a strong following in European countries such as England and France, and in the United States. On a local level, Cincinnati’s famed Rookwood Pottery employed a Japanese artist as director of painting. Most of the objects featured in this exhibition come from the Miami University Art Museum collection, with additions from Special Collections, King Library, private collections, and a special loan from the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, Bentonville, Arkansas.

Desire, Conflict & Exchange is the culminating work of the 2019 Art & Architecture History Senior Capstone seminar taught by Dr. Michael Hatch.


FREE & OPEN TO ALL
Tuesday-Friday 
10 AM-5 PM | Saturday Noon-5 PM


CLASS (STUDENT CURATORIAL) Participants

Yiwen Bai | Celia Bugno | Astrid Cabello | Mary Connor | Maria Jose De Santiago Galan | Libby Fischer | Lydia Jasper | Diana Kate Karsanow | Adam Kuehnl | Xinyu Liu | Lilia Theobald | Faith Walker | Yichen Wang | Jane Widder
Dr. Michael Hatch, Professor

Related Programming

NOTE: Gallery hours are extended during any program held after 5 PM

East Asian Symposium: Trade, War, Art: East Asian Exchange Past & Present
Mon, Mar 16 | 5–6:30 PM

This symposium examines the current state of economic and cultural exchange with East Asia through the lens of our recent past. Scholars from Miami University and the student-curators of our Spring 2020 exhibition will present short papers on topics from the first foreign residencies at Yokohama, China’s current Belt & Road Initiatives and the Japanese influences on Rookwood. Cosponsored by the East Asian Studies Minor and the Miami University Art Museum.

Gallery Talks & Reception: Desire, Conflict & Exchange
Mon, Mar 16 | 6:30–8 pm

Join the Art & Architecture History Capstone students (ART 498), as they share their curatorial experiences and research related to works on display in the exhibition, Desire, Conflict & Exchange.

All Programs are FREE & OPEN TO ALL and held at the Art Museum (unless noted otherwise).