Feature Friday: Chi's LACMA Adventures (Part 2)

Continuing last week's LACMA (LA County Museum of Art) Adventures~ I'd like to share some of the pictures from the Japanese and Latin America section~ :D This is a continuation of the same day as in Part 1... as I didn't manage to drag Bon to going with me again on Martin Luthur King Jr Day... :T

The Japanese art displayed at LACMA is hosted in an architecturally magnificent building- The Pavilion. Thought from the outside I couldn't see much as it was getting dark by the time we got to this building.... but the inside is like a maze which spirals and turns while leading you on a adventure through the exhibit. There were no steps in the main part of the exhibit areas.. and each little alcove is slightly sheltered... so that you can enjoy your art semi-privately... yet the space is open, if you look through the gaps you can see people in the other floors~ X3 It was really fun area to explore! They have so many lovely items, which are of great inspiration (e.g. the pots that were decorated by cloisonné, thanks Chi's friend! X3)

A side exhibit in the Pavilion is the Bushell Netsuke Collection: Carvings of the Nagoya Region. Netsuke's are little wooden counterbalances which Japanese people used as a weight on the cord to which they hang small containers (for carrying small personal items). I was quite shocked by the design of many of these Netsuke, as some were pretty scary looking! (o.O;) many had the look of monsters, but there were also ones of lucky Gods or animals like lions~ In fact many Netsuke had a very modern "Nightmare before Christmas" look to it~ X3

Last but not least, we went to the Latin American section which was above where the Lucknow exhibition was held~ we didn't have much time to go through the works as it was getting late and the museum was nearly closing~ but there were so many items that were so adorable and I would draw inspiration for my own work (like the little figures and pots!)~ X3 I especially liked the way that the Ancient Latin America Arts section, which had this Amazon feel to the layout and decor~ even the lights had leaves as lamp shades... the only bad thing about the feel was the lighting was quite dim and it was difficult to read the words on the tags....

So that was my adventures at LACMA~ :D (Thanks goes to Chi's lovely friend for taking her~ X3) There may be a Part 3 to this if I can ever drag Bon along with me! X3

Feature Friday: Movie Tetsuya Nakashima's "Confession"

Confession (告白, Kokuhaku)

Director: Tetsuya Nakashima

Official website (Japanese): http://kokuhaku-shimasu.jp/index.html

About a month ago hubby Bon found out about a free preview of the Japanese movie "Confession" by Tetsuya Nakashima at a local uni's film department. Not knowing what the story about and since the film starred the famous Takako Matsu (from Japanese series "Love Generation" and "Hero") as the leading actress, I had assumed that the movie would be a romantic drama  where two beautiful people meet and confess their love for each other. 

Takako as the teacher giving the students the lecture of their lives!
(image from http://www.chinapost.com.tw)

How wrong was I !?!! (>.<;) The story was about a junior high school teacher's (played by Takako) revenge against the select students in her class, who she believed, had murdered her daughter (played by the really talented child star Mana Ashida, who also starred in the Japanese drama "Mother"). The film is portrayed through the various characters' viewpoints as they "confess" their thoughts to the audience. I was totally shocked by the movie! It was chilling, psychotic and in many scenes outright disturbing. However, from the cinematography point of view it was shot beautifully and the story presented elegantly. The pace was rapid and engaging keeping the audience on the edge of the seat.  

Takako in front of her students (image from asianmediawiki.com)

Despite the dark backdrop, the films also had it's (relatively) light hearted moments which contrasted dramatically to the rest of the film. For example the scene where the passionate newbie teacher (played by Masaki Okada) that took over Takako's class gets the class dancing (and having fun!?) to "That's the way I like it" (by KC and the Sunshine band). 

Passionate newbie teacher(image from asianmediawiki.com)

The movie is actually based on the 2008 best-selling novel by Kanae Minato and the movie was also selected to represent Japan at the 83rd Academy Awards under the Best Foreign Language Film category. I highly recommend "Confessions" (if you're not too put off by scary movies)!! X3


Here's a trailer with English sub-titles