A Taste for China
A stunning exhibition drawing on private and public collections throughout the country to show examples of early Chinese imports.
A Taste for China
Photocall: A Chinese student wearing traditional costume will be examining some of the exhibits in the ‘Taste for China’ exhibition on Monday 23 June at 10.30am.
To mark the Bejing Olympics this summer, Fairfax House opens its ‘Taste for China’ exhibition (Monday 23 June to Wednesday 31 December).
The exhibition draws on private and public collections throughout the country to show examples of early Chinese imports and explains how they influenced the European craftsmen and designers.
On display will be superb Chinese silk robes loaned from York Minster, exquisite lacquer work from The Bowes Museum in County Durham, fantastic ivories from the Grice Collection, Graves Art Gallery, Sheffield, plus Chinese and English ceramics from private collections.
The early York connection with China will be seen in the use of oriental motifs as decoration for domestic and utilitarian objects. Visitors will also be able to admire some pieces of 17th century York silver. A fine two-handled cup with gilt interior in the Noel Terry collection at Fairfax House dates c.1685 and was made by Marmaduke Best, one of the finest York silversmiths of that era.
The typically-English drinking vessel is decorated with an exotic bird resembling a phoenix, or ho-ho bird, as this is known in the East, placed amongst leafy branches and crude forms resembling Chinese clouds.
Visitors will also be able to view a selection of rare travel journals from the Captain Cook Memorial Museum in Whitby, which delight in explaining the early contacts between East and West. Likewise, tea drinking features largely in the display and the exhibition highlights the equipage used for this very British tradition.
Peter Brown, Director of Fairfax House and curator of this exhibition said: It will be a visual feast which will appeal to a wide range of interests.
“Whilst some objects vividly evoke the fantastic legends and events of China, which are so beautifully recounted and illustrated in the books on display, others simply show how our ancestors were hooked on fashion and design as we all are now!”
As well as the ‘Taste for China’ exhibition, Fairfax House has programmed
a series of events throughout the year relating to China. These include specialised Chinoiserie Decoration tours (4 July, 5 September, 14 November) giving visitors the opportunity to find out more about how Chinese Art inspired Georgian decorations and the Time for Tea (26 September, 7.00pm) lecture, tracing the history of tea and relationships with China and concluding with a tea tasting session courtesy of Taylor’s of Harrogate.
In the autumn Fairfax House will be hosting a contemporary art installation by a British artist of Chinese descendant, who will draw her inspiration from the House and its collections. The work will be on in the later the year, adding a new dimension to our traditional display of food and table settings at Christmas (more details to follow shortly).
The Fairfax House 2008 season runs from Saturday 9 February through to 31 December 2008 (closed 24, 25, 26 December for Christmas). The new season’s brochure is now available from Fairfax House, Castlegate, York. Alternatively go to www.fairfaxhouse.co.uk for more information.
Ends
Press Contacts: Peter Brown
Tel: 01904 654443
Email: peterbrown@fairfaxhouse.co.uk
or
Melanie Paris
Tel: 01904 647408
E mail: hello@melanieparis.com
To mark the Bejing Olympics this summer, Fairfax House opens its ‘Taste for China’ exhibition (Monday 23 June to Wednesday 31 December).
The exhibition draws on private and public collections throughout the country to show examples of early Chinese imports and explains how they influenced the European craftsmen and designers.
On display will be superb Chinese silk robes loaned from York Minster, exquisite lacquer work from The Bowes Museum in County Durham, fantastic ivories from the Grice Collection, Graves Art Gallery, Sheffield, plus Chinese and English ceramics from private collections.
The early York connection with China will be seen in the use of oriental motifs as decoration for domestic and utilitarian objects. Visitors will also be able to admire some pieces of 17th century York silver. A fine two-handled cup with gilt interior in the Noel Terry collection at Fairfax House dates c.1685 and was made by Marmaduke Best, one of the finest York silversmiths of that era.
The typically-English drinking vessel is decorated with an exotic bird resembling a phoenix, or ho-ho bird, as this is known in the East, placed amongst leafy branches and crude forms resembling Chinese clouds.
Visitors will also be able to view a selection of rare travel journals from the Captain Cook Memorial Museum in Whitby, which delight in explaining the early contacts between East and West. Likewise, tea drinking features largely in the display and the exhibition highlights the equipage used for this very British tradition.
Peter Brown, Director of Fairfax House and curator of this exhibition said: It will be a visual feast which will appeal to a wide range of interests.
“Whilst some objects vividly evoke the fantastic legends and events of China, which are so beautifully recounted and illustrated in the books on display, others simply show how our ancestors were hooked on fashion and design as we all are now!”
As well as the ‘Taste for China’ exhibition, Fairfax House has programmed
a series of events throughout the year relating to China. These include specialised Chinoiserie Decoration tours (4 July, 5 September, 14 November) giving visitors the opportunity to find out more about how Chinese Art inspired Georgian decorations and the Time for Tea (26 September, 7.00pm) lecture, tracing the history of tea and relationships with China and concluding with a tea tasting session courtesy of Taylor’s of Harrogate.
In the autumn Fairfax House will be hosting a contemporary art installation by a British artist of Chinese descendant, who will draw her inspiration from the House and its collections. The work will be on in the later the year, adding a new dimension to our traditional display of food and table settings at Christmas (more details to follow shortly).
The Fairfax House 2008 season runs from Saturday 9 February through to 31 December 2008 (closed 24, 25, 26 December for Christmas). The new season’s brochure is now available from Fairfax House, Castlegate, York. Alternatively go to www.fairfaxhouse.co.uk for more information.
Ends
Press Contacts: Peter Brown
Tel: 01904 654443
Email: peterbrown@fairfaxhouse.co.uk
or
Melanie Paris
Tel: 01904 647408
E mail: hello@melanieparis.com