茶與對話: Inspired by Hokusai

Recorded on October 7, 2020

What makes Hokusai’s visual storytelling special? Explore this question during a conversation about the exhibition Hokusai: Mad about Painting with curator Frank Feltens and artist Robin Ha. The Japanese artist Katsushika Hokusai (1760–1849) is widely recognized for a single image—Great Wave Off the Coast of Kanagawa, an icon of global art—yet his work consists of much more than that. In this talk, get a fuller picture of the artist by taking a close look at his dramatic paintings and his Hokusai manga, images that poke fun at everyday life in Japan. Then explore images from contemporary comics and graphic novels to see how Hokusai’s work continues to influence art and culture today.

Frank Feltens is the Japan Foundation Assistant Curator of Japanese Art at the Freer and Sackler. He is a specialist in Japanese art with a focus on the late medieval and early modern periods, including Japanese photography and the intersections between painting and ceramics. He is the curator of the exhibition Hokusai: Mad about Painting.

Robin Ha is an illustrator and cartoonist based in the DC area who shares her cultural experiences through graphic novels. She is the author and illustrator of the New York Times Bestseller Cook Korean! A Comic Book with Recipes, and Almost American Girl, a memoir about immigration and belonging.

Generous support for Hokusai: Mad about Painting and the museum’s Japanese art program is provided by
Mitsubishi Corporation
Anne van Biema Endowment Fund

asia.si.edu/hokusai-mad-about-painting