Red Sun

Mayan relics, a painting from the Chinese Cultural Revolution, even a work that raises intriguing questions about American imperialism, are all part of a recent acquisitions exhibit at Princeton University Art Museum.

By: Susan Van Dongen
   In the spectral photograph by Japanese post-war artist Shomei Tomatsu, a huge, probably American military plane with long, tapered wings ascends over a desolate beach, pockmarked by World War II-era bunkers. Titled "Chewing Gum and Chocolate, Kadina, Okinawa, 1969" the image evokes the American occupation of Japan, when GI’s would give the treasured treats to the children. But in 1969, the occupation was long over and the United States was enmeshed in the Vietnam conflict.
   The blurred quality contributes to the ambiguity of the black-and-white photograph, allowing the viewer to ponder a number of possibilities. It could be a shot of a troop plane, carrying another generation of young soldiers into a Pacific war in Asia. Perhaps it’s a B-52 bomber, on its way to an air strike. Or it could be a little of both, an overall statement about America’s seemingly unending involvement in foreign wars in the late 20th century.
   A tribute to Tomatsu’s complex narratives on postwar Japanese society, "Chewing Gum and Chocolate" is just one of 30 provocative new acquisitions at the Princeton University Art Museum, on view through Sept. 16.
   "It represents quite a broad range of time, from the pre-Columbian era right up to the present," says Laura Giles, associate curator of prints and drawings, who organized the exhibition. "We wanted to show the breadth and depth of the museum’s teaching collection, as well as highlight acquisitions we made in the year 2000."
   The works on view range from ancient Chinese sculpture to contemporary photography and lithographs.
   Another engaging piece of camera work is a subtle color photograph by John Divola of an abandoned home outside Los Angeles. The title simply describes the longitude and latitude of its desert location. The bland exterior colors are brightened only by blue boards that cover up a set of broken windows. Wispy clouds hang in the robin’s egg-blue sky.
   One might remember the government-constructed buildings, which were placed in the Western deserts during early tests of hydrogen and nuclear bombs. School children were once subjected to watching horrific documentary films of the detonations, the atomic winds and the decimation of the mannequins and objects within the households. Yet one of the houses remained standing. Perhaps Mr. Divola’s subject is one of them.
   On the other end of the time scale are two recent additions to the Museum’s large pre-Columbian collection (anything before Columbus came to America), including a selection of ceramic figurines from the burial island of Jaina, Mexico. Ms. Giles says the sculptures represent the highest level of ceramic figural sculpture achieved by the ancient Maya and are larger than most Jaina pieces.
   One sculpture, titled "Ballplayer with Tripartite Yolk and Bird Headdress," has survived in exquisite condition. The haughty head of an eagle juts out of the man’s head. His ceremonial attire includes feathers or seashells, intricate ankle and wrist bracelets.
   "The Ballplayer" shares a space with another burial sculpture, "Figure of a Mayan Dignitary." Depicted wearing a cloak and elaborate loincloth, the figure has an expressive face and commanding presence, characteristic of a tribal shaman. Both figures are dated from 640-850 A.D. Their size and intricacy indicates they were interred with an important tribal member.
   These works were donated in honor of Gillett G. Griffin, faculty curator of pre-Columbian and Native American art, in honor of his 70th birthday.
   One of the most striking new additions to the Museum’s Asian collection is the gouache "In Revolution There is Justice," painted by the Old Labor Revolutionary Section of the Vehicle Section, Chang Xing Store. Created in 1968 during the Cultural Revolution, this large work exemplifies a deliberate reaction against the elite painting and calligraphy traditions in imperial China. In contrast, the newer paintings were often anonymous, or, as in this case, signed by a factory division or collective group.
   The use of bright colors is another way to disassociate from China’s past traditions. Chairman Mao’s head is cast in the center of a brilliant red sun, "lighting" the nation much like a celestial object. A muscular worker holds Mao’s Little Red Book aloft. Over his head are four large, red characters, which spell out the message and the title. Below the main figure, the artist has employed industrial calligraphy, arranged horizontally to read from left to right — also a reaction against the traditional vertical or right-to-left characters.
   Other new additions include a contemporary lithograph by William Kent, titled "Guts" (1965). Exhibition notes state that Mr. Kent’s works were his attempt to make a personal statement against American Imperialism. His use of psychedelic oranges, reds and blues and semi-surreal depiction of an actual human intestinal tract is a stark contrast to Mr. Tomatsu’s monochrome photography, yet both were crafted during the Vietnam conflict and both refer to the American military-industrial complex.
   Maybe with all the excitement about Apocalypse Now Redux, Vietnam is in our collective thoughts again. Even the Mayan ballplayer looks a little like Marlon Brando’s Colonel Kurtz.
Recent Acquisitions is on view at the Princeton University Art Museum, Princeton University, through Sept. 16. Gallery hours: Tues.-Sat. 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Sun. 1-5 p.m. Free admission. Free tours of the collection every Sat. 2 p.m. For information, call (609) 258-3788.