Old Plum Garden c. early 20th century

Editor: So, this is “Old Plum Garden,” a bamboo basket by Rōgetsu, made in the early 20th century. It feels very formal, almost architectural, despite being a natural material. How do you interpret its meaning and its place in Japanese art history? Curator: It's important to understand this basket not just as decorative art, but as a cultural artifact deeply intertwined with social hierarchies and aesthetic philosophies. Bamboo baskets like this one were integral to the tea ceremony, a ritual itself steeped in performance. They reflected a specific cultural value. Editor: In what sense? Curator: Think about it: bamboo is humble, ubiquitous, yet it's transformed here into something of refined elegance, speaking volumes about the wabi-sabi aesthetic – the acceptance of imperfection and transience. But also, consider who would have commissioned or used such an object? Who *wasn’t* able to access this level of artistry, even in Japan? Editor: So, the basket speaks not just of nature and beauty, but of social distinctions as well? It reflects status? Curator: Precisely. Even within the seemingly simple act of flower arrangement, ikebana, performed in conjunction with the tea ceremony, strict rules and hierarchies governed the choice of materials, the arrangements themselves. It was a way of enacting societal roles and expectations. The basket becomes a stage, in that regard. Editor: That shifts my perception entirely. I thought it was simply beautiful craftsmanship, but it's so much more loaded than that. Curator: It invites us to question what beauty signifies and whose stories get told – or woven – into the very fabric of our cultural objects. Art can also promote certain social norms while quietly omitting others. Editor: I'll definitely be thinking about those omissions from now on. Curator: Wonderful. Let's continue.