Kabuki Theater In Salem Museum's Exhibition

Kabuki is one of Japan’s most important forms of theater. Three Japanese characters compose the word: “ka” meaning songs, “bu” meaning dance and “ki” meaning skill. Initially performed by women, this populist form of drama soon became the sole realm of men when concerns over the performances’ sensual associations led to a governmental ban on female dancers. With its dramatic storylines, lush costumes and celebrity actors, kabuki was the ideal subject for Japanese print artists. Stage Idols, Japanese Kabuki Theater presents a stunning selection of woodblock prints from PEM’s collection, many on view for the first time.

“The exhibition reveals the depths of Japan’s fascination with kabuki in the 18th and 19th centuries,” says Oka. “Printmakers created works that captured the magnetism of the stage, enabling eager fans to take home mementos of their favorite plays and actors.”

Stage Idols is organized into three thematic sections – The Actors, The Plays and The Theater. The Actors explores the status attained by performers not only as actors, but also as celebrity icons and interpreters of theatrical tradition. A portrait by Utagawa Kunisada depicts the actor Ichikawa Danjuro VIII (1823 – 1854) in the title role of Sukeroku from the play of the same name. The actor’s name and role are stated in a large vertical band on the upper left side of his face. Kunisada’s attention to detail can be seen in the exquisite presentation of facial details, hairlines and intricate kimono patterns. Danjuro VIII was a member of the Danjuro lineage of actors, established in the 17th century and continuing to this day.

The Plays presents compelling scenes from kabuki theater, including a film excerpt from a contemporary play. Many of the prints in this section are remarkably preserved in their original album form. A work by Utagawa Kuniyoshi (1797 – 1861) features a dramatic moment from the play Matsutaka Temari Fuijitsuroku. In this print, two ghosts loom eerily above the play’s human protagonists, trembling in fear and defiance. The male ghost’s disheveled hair indicates his engagement in a conflict, causing his topknot to come undone. Skillfully printed in silhouette in the background is the Japanese character kokoro, or “heart”. According to Japanese folklore, crimes of passion or the heart result in an unsatisfactory death, preventing the soul from transitioning into the next world.

In The Theater, period photographs, promotional plaques and sign-boards evoke the ambience of the kabuki environment. Hand-colored glass lantern slides capture the life of the bustling theater districts, providing a glimpse of Japan as it existed over one hundred years ago.

Visitors to Stage Idols, Japanese Kabuki Theater will also be interested in the museum’s Japanese art gallery, featuring objects from ancient Japan to the present. PEM’s Japanese collection, one of the nation’s largest and finest, emphasizes ceramics, lacquer, prints, paintings and other decorative arts. -- www.pem.org