Transcending Function, Becoming Art

An exhibition of 14 Japanese folding screens at the Asia Society proves that screens, a form of art which began as functional, became resoundingly decorative by the 16th Century. Screens, or byobu in Japanese, traditionally divided domestic spaces and protected homes from the wind ("byo" translates as "against", "bu" translates as "the wind"). During the Muromachi, Momoyama, and Edo periods in Japan--roughly from 1400 to 1850--they were also prized as a symbol of power, wealth, and the owner's understanding of highly formalized Japanese aesthetics.

The folding screens are composed of panels constructed of an intricate wooden frame supporting layers of fine, handmade paper lavished with elaborate decorations in ink or gold. The paintings on the byobu range greatly in subject matter: some narrate scenes from ancient Japanese texts; others represent hosts entertaining or peasants working. Landscapes and natural elements are common features.

Many screens from the Momoyama period were covered in gold leaf, creating a magnificent effect often considered the epitome of Momoyama opulence. One Momoyama byobu in this exhibit depicts a scene known as the "bridge from heaven," which like a number of other sites in Japanese mythology, takes its pictorial form from an actual Japanese costal region. The omnipresent gold in clouds, sky, and ground does indeed transform the coastline into a fantasy land, floating as if in heaven.

A second pair of screens was equally lavished in gold. On the left screen, three men sit writing poetry under a red maple tree with meticulously delineated leaves. On the right screen, groups of women view cherry blossoms, their long black hair streaming down the folds of their languidly-draped dresses.

Much of the fun of the exhibition is picking out the minute details of the paintings. The battle scenes are laid out across the panels as if on a storyboard. Each soldier is drawn with painstaking care, often literally painful as one picks out miniscule heads being cut in half, and thin spurts of blood gushing out where pin-sized arrows pierce bodies. Other great details to watch out for are the spaghetti-like patterns created by golden waves before they collide and produce foam crests shaped like dragon claws.

Equally magnificent are the ink-painted screens of the Muromachi period, which depict landscapes through different seasons. Ink painting in Japan has typically been associated with the introduction of Zen Buddhism; it also became popular among Japanese literati. Standing in front of ink-painted screens is like looking out a window to a sea from which mountains rise and crystal-cut cliffs shoot out in sharp, deliberate strokes. Grey clouds seep through the landscape, merging with the water and sky.

One of the most beautiful pieces in the exhibition is a gold--leaf representation of a huge red sun setting behind a patch of grass. The lush green grass suggests the humidity of the evening air, the melancholic mood pervades each brushstroke. Standing among such masterpieces is akin to a glimpse through the eyes of a Japanese prince several hundred years ago.