Japanese Buddhism through the arts topic of Nov. 5-8 conference at UNC

CHAPEL HILL -- Films, calligraphy, poetry readings, panel discussions and more will be part of a conference on Japanese Buddhism Nov. 5-8 at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

"The Aesthetics of Nirvana," at the James M. Johnston Center for Undergraduate Excellence and other campus locations, will explore concepts of truth, beauty and enlightenment in Japanese Buddhism.

"We’re bringing a variety of scholars and artists to UNC from around the Southeast to give students a very vivid introduction to an important Asian faith tradition through the arts," said Dr. Jan Bardsley, UNC associate professor of Asian studies and conference co-coordinator.

UNC’s Asian studies curriculum will present the conference, which coincides with the Ackland Art Museum exhibit "Plum, Pine and Bamboo: Seasonal and Spiritual Paths in Japanese Art," and with "Word Into Art," an exhibit of traditional and contemporary Asian and American calligraphy in Room 039 of the Johnston Center. All events will be free and open to the public except for two workshops on Japanese and Chinese calligraphy, open only to UNC undergraduates.

The conference also will honor the work and contributions of Dr. James H. Sanford, associate professor of religious studies, who is retiring, and Dr. Jerome P. "Sandy" Seaton, professor emeritus of Asian studies.

On Nov. 5, the conference will open at noon with a screening of the 1993 Korean film "The Avatamska Sutra" in Room 039 of the Johnston Center. From 4-5 p.m., John Balaban, an English professor at N.C. State University, will present poetry translations from his new book, "Spring Essence: The Poetry of an 18th Century Vietnamese Concubine," in the Toy Lounge of Dey Hall.

An opening reception for "Word into Art," attended by many of the artists featured, will be from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the Johnston Center, followed by a showing of the 1992 documentary "Between Two Worlds: A Japanese Pilgrimage." The filmmaker, UNC associate professor of communication studies Dr. Joanne Hershfield, will introduce her work.

Additional sessions will include a slide presentation by artists at noon Nov. 7 titled "Word into Art: Two Perspectives on Calligraphy for the Modern Age." From 4-5 p.m. Nov. 7 at the Ackland, University of Chicago art historian Hans Thomsen will lecture on the centerpiece of the art museum’s current exhibit: a six-panel folding screen from about 1500, depicting flowers and birds, one of the few surviving such works attributed to Japanese painter Sesshū Tōyō (1420-1506).

UNC undergraduates must register in advance for the calligraphy workshops on Nov. 7, with Japanese calligraphy offered from 10 a.m. to noon and Chinese calligraphy from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Brushes, ink and paper will be provided. Space is limited; contact Bardsley at bardsley@email.unc.edu to register.

Nov. 8 sessions, all in the Johnston Center, will address topics including "Cross-Cultural Approaches to Buddhist Aesthetics" and "Zen in Traditional and Modern Aesthetic Theory." Jacqueline I. Stone, a professor of religion at Princeton University, will speak about preparing for death in medieval Japan. Undergraduate students will present papers on Kurosawa, a Japanese filmmaker best known for his samurai films.

For more information or a detailed schedule, contact the Curriculum in Asian Studies at (919) 962-4294 or visit http://www.unc.edu/~bardsley/nirvana/schedule.html.

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Contact: Jan Bardsley, (919) 962-1534, bardsley@email.unc.edu
News Services Contact: L.J. Toler, (919) 962-8589, laura_toler@unc.edu