Japanese Contemporary Art

Image via Japan Society.

My husband and I traveled to Japan (our first big trip together before we were married!) a few years ago. It was a truly immersive experience and I adored everything about the food, art, and culture so I will most definitely check out Bye Bye Kitty: Between Heaven and Hell in Contemporary Art because I'm super excited about the cut-and-mix proclivities of enfant terrible Makoto Aida.

Wasabi on a Hot Dog?!

Image via cinnachick.

As usual, the Japan Society is doing something totally progressive and cool. They're holding a food forum titled, Wasabi on a Hot Dog?! Rethinking Japanese Ingredients. Yuzu, wasabi, miso, nori, and tofu--ingridients usually associated with Japanese cuisine, have crossed physical and culinary boundaries, and can now be found in cuisines throughout the world. How innovative are you when you cook? Do you take chances? How do you utilize unusual ingredients to create new dishes that defy traditional definitions of national cuisines?

Japanese Textile Design

Image via Japan Society.

Ever since observing the textile trade up close during my visit to Dubai this past summer, I've been experiencing a renewed love affair with georgettes, jacquards, chiffons, and velvets. At New York's Japan Society, the work of master textile designer Serizawa Keisuke (1895-1984) is currently on exhibition. Serizawa used stencil-dyeing techniques to create irresistible works of art that range from screens and kimonos to book covers and magazine designs.