Workshops
Edo Avant Garde
Join us in a cross-curricular exploration of the fascinating visual stories created by the artists of Edo Japan (1603 – 1868). Through an investigation of the natural environments depicted in their folding screens and hanging scrolls, journey back in time to see how these audacious artists used both the materials of the day and their close observation skills to innovate through abstraction, minimalism, surrealism and the creation of illusions of 3-D. Using Linda Hoaglund’s film documentary, Edo Avant Garde, this workshop will explore how the artists' visions were shaped by their reverence for nature and inspired by Buddhism and Shinto animism. In addition to a Q&A with the film director, workshop facilitators will share relevant teaching tools and discuss ways to incorporate these topics in a variety of K-12 content areas.