AlterNativeArt

A Contemporary Japanese Cinema and Art Festival - 15-17 April 2009 The National Gallery is pleased to be hosting this celebration of contemporary Japanese cinema. The festival has been organised by Japan Care for the Elderly. April 15 Wednesday, 3-3.45pm Talk The Influence of Japanese Art on Western Artists Free Sainsbury Wing Theatre 15 Wednesday, 4-4.50pm Documentary Portrait of Artistic Genius: Katsushika Hokusai Free Sainsbury Wing Theatre 16 Thursday, 12.30pm Film Hadashi no Gen (Barefoot Gen) Keiji Nakazawa, 1983 16 Thursday, 3pm Film Fudeko: Sono Ai - Tenshi no Piano (Fudeko and the Angel’s Piano) Hisako Yamada, 2006 Followed by discussion with the director 17 Friday, 1.30pm Film Kikujiro no natsu Takeshi Kitano, 1999 17 Friday, 5.30pm Film Okuribito (Departures) Yojiro Takita, 2008 Fully booked http://www.nationalgallery.org.uk/what/film/japanesefilmfestival/default.htm

Yesterday I went to see the Vanity Fair exhibition currently at the National Portrait Gallery. I must say this is definitely worth a visit. The exhibition marks decades of photographic work form the likes of Cecil Beaton, Man Ray, Mario Testino and Annie Leiborvitz to name but a few. Vanity Fair was first published from 1913-1936 coinciding with the Jazz era, silent films and experimental photography. By 1983 photographs were no longer black and white and much had changed in the decades that had past. But to their credit the images do not reflect any discomfort in returning to the scene. Many of the newer images are easily recollected, especially the Hollywood issue covers and the iconic pictures of Diana Princess of Wales, but it is the more obscure black and white photography and early colour images that really draw attention. I found the image of Josephine Baker on stage so dazzling it could give the present day beauties a run for their money. Vanity Fair captured the movers and sha...