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About Just out. (Portland, OR) 1983-2013 | View Entire Issue (Aug. 2, 1996)
ju s t o u t ▼ a u g u s t 2 , 1 9 9 0 ▼ 21 r " celebration of cultural diversity has dominated the local art scene all spring and summer, and as the Port land Art Museum’s stunning “Impe rial Tombs O f China” moves into its last six weeks, box office attendance is expected to explode, with procrastinators and return visi tors turning out in record numbers. The exhibit continues through Sept. 15. Museum officials expect more than a quarter A ¡sud l of a million visitors by the time the show shut ters. Portland is the only West Coast city hosting the exhibit. Visitors from the Pacific Northwest and California are making strong attendance impact at the museum’s box office. The landmark exhibition of Chinese tomb treasures and royal artifacts spans 25 centuries. It is the largest exhibition of China’s ancient underground tombs to visit the United States,most of the objects having been unearthed only in the last 25 years. For Portland art lovers interested in a world- Phoenix/Dragon Crown, Ming dynasty W CORINTHIAN RUG COMPANY BB S EH jS S Corinthian Rug Company I M l will work with you to design an Exquisite Handcrafted Rug. Our skilled artisans will make your ideas come alive! Please call for more information on pricing, products and possibilities. F inale for I mperial T ombs Time is running out for extraordinary exhibit at Portland Art Museum by Christopher Kamera class exhibition, “Imperial Tombs of China” is certainly a “must see.” The exhibit is truly a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. As fascinating as they are in themselves, the impressive bronzes, the incredible jade works, the impos ing terra cotta warriors reflect a culture all but unknown and little understood in the Western world. The Portland Art Museum has transformed its multiple galleries into mini-tombs. Stylized doorways unify the exhibition and guide the viewer into a display of incredible treasures. The much-publicized display of terra cotta figures from the Tomb of Qin Shi-huang-di is awash in reflected sunlight, showing the four figures and a life-sized pottery horse as they were placed before burial. Other cities’ exhibits of the pot tery figures have often shown them emerging from darkness after centu ries of burial. In Portland, the five figures stand against a pair of towering stone columns with a photo mural in the background showing part of the 8,000 terra cotta figures u n earthed in this spectacular tomb. The gentle taupe color of the gallery creates a perfect setting for these noble figures, giving them a relaxed, meditative ap pearance. Each mini-tomb is the matically structured, often by the source of the major objects or by the general dynasty or time period. The show tumbles over with highlights: a gilt-bronze pagoda on a stone base from the Ming Dynasty; the 12 animals of the horo scope from the Tang Dy nasty; a gilded silver crown with dragons from the Liao Dynasty; Qing Dynasty banners and parasols with feathers and furs for the palace honor guards; a Han Dynasty pottery tower with 52 figures including a rare Chinese display of nude men and women, clothed figures and mythical beasts; a Ming dragon-and-phoenix crown, silver chargers, painted fig ures, incredible scrolls, a gilt- silver burial mask— the list goes on. While most visitors favor the 2,000-piece jade burial suit sewn with golden threads or the mammoth display of 16 bronze bells or the 1761 Impe rial Throne Room from the Qing Dynasty, this visitor’s favorite is a small gold wine tasting cup from the Tang dy nasty. The miniature marvel, about the size of a coffee cup, is solid gold with a bold de sign of a pair of stylized Chi nese lions and flower blos soms. In a spectacular exhibit of more than 250 objects, this small treasure proves, once again, that good things come in small packages. “Imperial Tombs of China” continues daily through Sept. 15. It opens at 9 a.m. and continues until 10 p.m. with the last entrance at 8:15 p.m. Ticket prices for adults are $ 13, which include a 45-minute au dio tour. Senior and students rates are $ 11 and the youth rate, 16 and under, is just $6. Members’ rate is $7.50, and special group rates are avail able by calling information at 287-4761. Tickets may be pur chased in advance at the Port land Art Museum or at all TicketMaster locations. While entrance seemed easy to this visitor without preplanning, many art fans will want to preorder. Tickets are sold for a specific date with a limited number of entries every 15 minutes. Phone orders are of fered at 790-ARTS Pottery figure, Quin dynasty Let Me Earn Your Business... When buying or selling real estate, I represent your interestsl • Experienced, Innovative, Up-to-Date • Professional, Personal Attention Call me today: 225-1115 cellular: 970-3801 e-mail: Buchert@teleport.com 0 1627 1 2» 1-MW6M9» Portland, OR 97232 287-658? Windermere Cronin A Captan Realty Group, Inc. 503 - 225 - 1115 / 503 - 970-3801
