A Day at the Museum....

Because I had such a wonderful day at the Tokyo zoo, I thought I’d go back and explore the many art museums at Ueno Park. I saw several banners advertising a DaVinci exhibit at the Tokyo National Museum of art. I was so excited to see this famous painter/inventor/scientist’s works. Never having visited Europe, I’ve only ever seen his paintings in posters and in the occasional historical fiction film like, “Ever After.” Haha. It’s a great way to experience art. So, I found my way to a ticket booth and bought a 1200 yen ticket to see the “DaVinci: The Universal Genius” exhibit (which was really quite expensive considering it was a student rate and considering the usual museum rate is only 400 yen). Because of the price and because of the line that snaked out of the museum doors and down around the museum grounds, I had the highest of expectations for this art show.

I waited in line for a good hour before I set foot in the museum. Sometimes I forget that I go the whole day without mouthing a single word to any single person. I take off in the morning to visit whatever wonderful sight, and it is entirely possible and most likely that I will go the whole day without saying anything to anyone at all (that is until Jonathan comes home from work). It’s very liberating to look back and realize that I was completely self-sufficient that day, but it can also be very, very lonely when the moment strikes that I have something to say, and no one to say it too. (I’m starting to become motivated to learn Japanese.) While I was standing in line, hearing the many gibberish conversations around me, interjected by the occasional muted Japanese woman giggle, I felt very isolated and awkward. I spent the hour replaying various events of freshman year of college in my mind, and resisting the relentless pursuit of an old Japanese man who was trying to pass me in line. It was so funny. He would inch up until he was next to me and then casually insert his foot between me and tiny Japanese girl in front of me. I would side step away from him, replace my self firmly in front of him, and then wait for him to try his trick again. It was a fun game. I didn’t really care if he passed me, but the game of thwarting his plot to get ahead helped keep me entertained during the wait.

Inside the museum, I followed the line into a large dark room. On the farthest wall from me was a single painting behind a glass box with secret service museum guards on either side, and about 300 people waiting in line for a chance to see the paining. I told myself to just get through this room and the exhibit is sure to open up so people can walk around to view his works more freely. As I approached the painting, I realized that I would hardly have a chance to see it. The guards were directing people by in such a quickly moving stream that you could only glance at the painting as you walked by. I was irritated, but because it wasn’t one of DaVinci’s best known paintings, I figured I wouldn’t be too heart broken. I told myself there was more to come. I did drag my feet a bit as I passed the painting to get a better look. It was beautiful and in really great shape. The colors were so bright. This created a large gap between me and the girl in front of me, throwing the guards into a tizzy. They politely, but with much agitation asked me to push on (I guess they were polite. I don’t really know what they were saying).

The Annunciation by Leonardo DaVinci.

After glancing at the “Annunciation,” I continued following the line until we came to a door. I eagerly anticipated the rest of the exhibit that surely waited in the next room. I passed through the doors into the… main lobby of the museum! What!?! Why was I in the main lobby and why was everyone exiting the museum? The reality of the situation started to fill me with an intense and heated anger. That was it! That was the exhibit that I spent $12 to see? I looked from left to right for something more. My heart raced as nothing, no answers, materialized. I was furious.

At a map of the museum grounds, I saw a tall white man (about my age) looking into a tour book. I approached him needing confirmation and a chance to vent my frustration.

Me: “Do you speak English”

Him: “Yes, I do” (sexy Scottish accent)

Me: “Did you go into that room over there?” (I pointed to the room where the lone DaVinci painting hanged.)

Him: “No, there are way too many people.”

Me: “Yes, there are. And there was only one painting. I had to stand in line for an hour just to get in to the museum to see it, and then when I finally saw it, I could only glance at it as I walked by.”

Him: “Uhm. Yea…too bad.”

Me: “Is that all of the exhibit? Is there more to this museum?”

Another American approached. He was chubby with long hair, an artsy type. Evidently he had over-heard my question.

American: “Yes, up stairs you can go through Japan’s entire artistic history. I’ve come to see the block paintings. They’re fascinating. There is a second part of the DaVinci exhibit in that building over there, but I don’t think there are paintings, it’s more about his inventions. Block paintings are famous for….etc, etc.”

He began in on a lecture of Japanese art history. When he finally took a breath, I interrupted with a, “I can’t wait to see it for myself!” I thanked him for his help and went on my way.

Somewhat relieved by the fact that there was more DaVinci exhibit to see, I decided to view some of the Japanese art before making my way to the adjacent building. The Scottish man followed me. He struck up a slight conversation as we walked up the stairs, and I quickly jumped on the chance to make a museum friend. Becoming aware of his awkwardness, I just continued the conversation where we left off downstairs.

Him: "I guess we’re heading in the right direction."

Me: "I hope so. I’m excited to see all of Japan’s art history."

Him: "………" (He awkwardly searched for something to say.)

Me: " I’m so frustrated by my experience downstairs. And the painting was behind glass! I could hardly see it. Can you believe that?"

Him: "I guess you can never be too careful."

Me: "(grumble)"

Receiving no validation from my new Scottish friend, the frustration was cemented. As soon as we reached the second floor, I grabbed an English guide pamphlet and took off on my own for some self-healing through Japanese art. No matter how lonely I may have been, spending the next couple of hours trying to make awkward conversation with a man I didn’t know was not going to help.

Exploring the Japanese art was definitely a lesson, more than an exploration of beauty for me. I was fascinated by how strange it all seemed. Many of the ceramics and pottery pieces were, in my paradigm of aesthetics, beyond beautiful. But overall, I learned that there is definitely something very different about a Westerner’s idea of beauty, and an Easterner’s. Simplicity and loneliness seems to be the center of the Japanese art, while color and drama reigns supreme in much of the western art I love. I really don’t know how to talk about art, but walking though the Japanese museum felt very different from any museum I have ever visited in America.

After spending a couple of hours in the Japanese section of the museum, I was mostly calmed down from my cattle herding, art glancing experience earlier in the day. I was ready to see the second part of the DaVinci exhibit.

With lower expectations this time, I walked into the second part of the DaVinci exhibit in the adjacent building. This time I laughed has people crowded around jumbo-sized posters of DaVinci’s other paintings. The rest of the exhibit consisted of LCD screens that explained in Japanese different periods of DaVinci’s life. There was also a small model built using DaVinci’s plans for a flying machine. That’s all.

So Japan is different. Just when you think it’s the same…it spins you around and you find yourself pointing south as everyone else is moving north. It’s fun, because it’s memorable. I’m debating about going to see the Munch exhibit at the Tokyo Metropolitan Museum of art. I don’t know…. Should I chance it?

I guess you can never be too careful.