Background Information
Activity
Flying Carp Kite
In this activity, children will make a paper carp which may be flown at their own homes on May 5th. Skills reinforced through this activity include: greater understanding of traditions, aesthetic awareness, symbolism, fine motor skills, visual discrimination and awareness, measurement and following directions.
Activity
Diwali Festival and Threshold Art
Students will: 1.) examine the Hindu tradition of threshold art; 2.) research how Diwali (Festival of Lights) is commemorated in India; 3. draw traditional labyrinth threshold patterns; 4.) work in teams to create a large labyrinth floor painting in celebration of Diwali
Activity
Create a Thai Style Shadow Puppet
Shadow puppet performances were popular forms of entertainment in Thailand. Create your own shadow puppet and perform a scene from the the Ramayana.
Background Information
Storytelling in Ritual and Performance in Bali
Balinese stories are continually told and retold. Tales such as the Ramayana are mainly spread through storytelling, shadow plays, masked dance, chants, and other theatrical genres. Learn more.
Lesson
Samurai as Cultivators of the Arts: Poetry, Theater, and Tea
Students will learn the significance of balancing the military and cultural arts and write their own waka poem.
Artwork
Cup with high handle, approx. 2500–1900 BCE
Cup with high handle, approx. 2500–1900 BCE. China; Shandong province. Neolithic period, Longshan culture (approx. 2500-1900 BCE). Gift of Bruce and Terese Bartholomew, 1998.30.
Background Information
Utensils for a Japanese Tea Ceremony
A host may spend weeks planning for a tea gathering, including making decisions about which group of utensils to use. The assemblage of objects will reflect the season, complement and contrast with each other, and, ideally, create a theme or context that the host and guest will explore together during the course of the tea gathering. Learn more.
Artwork
Bhima (Bima), second of the Pandava (Pandawa) brothers, approx. 1960
Bhima (Bima), second of the Pandava (Pandawa) brothers, approx. 1960. Indonesia; West Java. Wood, cloth, and mixed media. From the Mimi and John Herbert Collection, F2000.86.157.
Video
Baat Cheet with Artist Chiraag Bhakta
Utilizing the special exhibition “Yoga: The Art of Transformation” as a point of departure, this short, dynamic talk, or Baat Cheet, focuses on California’s unique role in the adoption, evolution, and popularization of yoga today.