Los Angeles Debut Screening and Expert Discussion of Edo Avant Garde

Los Angeles Debut Screening and Expert Discussion of Edo Avant Garde

Artistically Reanimating Edo-era Masterpieces

Delve into the imaginative world of Japanese art during the Edo era (1603-1868) as Linda Hoaglund's film, Edo Avant Garde, breathes life into the natural world through the innovative techniques of asymmetry, abstraction, and stylization. These strategies, once only seen in the Modern Art of the West, were pioneered by Edo-era artists to animate flora, fauna, waves, and clouds, creating a striking portrayal of nature.

The origins of Japanese artists' originality are examined in this captivating documentary, which showcases Edo-era masterpieces from museum and private collections across the U.S. and Japan, such as the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. Insights from scholars, priests, collectors, dealers, and artists are woven throughout the film, tracing the source of the artists' ingenuity to their belief in the spirits they thought inhabited the natural world, an idea inspired by Buddhism and Shinto animism.

Featured interviews include Los Angeles-based artist Joe Goode and LACMA Japanese Art curator Hollis Goodall, offering a unique exploration of the Edo era's artistry. The film's breathtaking cinematography, expertly captured by Japanese Academy Award-winning Kasamatsu Norimichi, and its enchanting original soundtrack by Satoshi Takeishi and Shoko Nagai, foster an extraordinary, immersive experience of the Edo era's byobu, folding screens, beyond traditional museum and gallery settings.

Dynamic and mesmerizing, Edo Avant Garde offers a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to look closer and see differently, providing a fresh perspective on the Edo era's art. Post-screening, there will be a thought-provoking conversation between the filmmaker Linda Hoaglund, LACMA Curator of Japanese Art Hollis Goodall, and futurist, journalist, and Japanophile Mark Frauenfelder, discussing the importance of the film's artworks and their enduring relevance.

With a runtime of 83 minutes, this film is a must-see for art enthusiasts and anyone seeking a deeper understanding of the Edo era's avant-garde art.

A Glimpse Behind the Scenes

Edo Avant Garde | Behind the Scenes

Program Schedule

• 5:30 PM | Doors Open
• 6:00 PM | Edo Avant Garde Screening
• 7:30 PM | Panel Discussion
• 8:15 PM | Networking Reception (until 9:30 PM)

Note: The screening, panel discussion (at TCL Chinese 6 Theatres), and networking reception (at our website Los Angeles Salon) will all be within Ovation Hollywood, a short walk from each other. Parking is available at Ovation Hollywood (enter from N. Highland Ave.). More details here.

Speaker Profiles

Linda Hoaglund - A bilingual filmmaker born and raised in Japan, Linda Hoaglund studied at Japanese public schools and graduated from Yale University. Her directorial and producing credits include five feature-length films exploring the relationship between Japan and the U.S., such as Edo Avant Garde (2019).

Hollis Goodall - As Curator of Japanese Art at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art since 1981, Hollis Goodall oversees installations, exhibition planning, educational programs, web programming, collection management, growth, and research.

Mark Frauenfelder - A research director at the Silicon Valley think tank, Institute for the Future (IFTF), and the founder of the technology and culture website, Boing Boing, Mark Frauenfelder has a diverse background in design, writing, and multimedia production, with credits spanning from designing Billy Idol's CD covers to writing for national publications such as The New York Times Magazine and Wired.

1. Artistically reanimating Edo-era masterpieces, Linda Hoaglund's film, Edo Avant Garde, showcases the innovative techniques of stylization, abstraction, and asymmetry pioneered by Edo-era artists.
2. The origins of these creative strategies are explored in the documentary, with interviews from scholars, priests, collectors, dealers, and artists, tracing their ingenuity to their belief in the spirits inhabiting the natural world.
3. Featured interviews include Los Angeles-based artist Joe Goode and LACMA Japanese Art curator, Hollis Goodall, providing a unique exploration of the Edo era's artistry.
4. The film's cinematography, captured by Japanese Academy Award-winning Kasamatsu Norimichi, and its enchanting soundtrack by Satoshi Takeishi and Shoko Nagai, offer an extraordinary, immersive experience beyond traditional museum and gallery settings.
5. Dynamic and mesmerizing, Edo Avant Garde offers a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to look closer and see differently, providing a fresh perspective on the Edo era's art.
6. Following the screening, there will be a panel discussion between the filmmaker, Linda Hoaglund, LACMA Curator of Japanese Art, Hollis Goodall, and futurist, journalist, and Japanophile, Mark Frauenfelder.
7. For art enthusiasts and those seeking a deeper understanding of the Edo era's avant-garde art, this film is a must-see, with a runtime of 83 minutes.
8. The screening, panel discussion, and networking reception are all within Ovation Hollywood, with more details available on the IMDb website.

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