Asia week had New York City awash with auctions, gallery openings and lectures. Two major auction houses had Japanese art on the block, and five Kyoto potters were exhibiting at the Barry Friedman Gallery in an exhibition organized by Joan Mirviss.
I was in the Big Apple to speak at a New York University lecture series titled "The Arts of China, Japan and Korea: Influence, Confluence and Divergence," which covered three days and featured speakers from around the world.
Most spoke on topics dealing with antiquities. University of California, Berkeley, professor James Cahill spoke on China's relations with Japan and Korea; Dr. Kurt Gitter on Zen paintings of the Edo Period; and International Christian University professor Richard Wilson about his archaeological finds in Edo Period samurai homes. My talk, "Present Ceramic Voices Echoing the Past," was the only presentation dealing with a contemporary theme. It was well received and I was honored to be among such an illustrious group.