I visited LACMA to view their exhibits on Chinese, Korean, and Japanese history in order to make up for the class I missed. Following the lecture on Korea, I chose to visit LACMA because it was one of the few museums I found that features Korean artwork and moreover, artwork from all the Asian countries touched upon in the class and more.
The museum houses the Chinese and Korean artwork in the same building (Hammer). The Korean collection is of small size in comparison to what they have from China and Japan. I found it interesting that Korean art shared many similarities to that of Chinese and Japanese artwork—there were many ceramic pieces, some woodblock prints, and Buddhist artwork. The museum has pieces from the Three Kingdoms periods, Joseon dynasty, as well as the Goryeo period. This has been the most Korean art I have seen displayed in a well-known museum, which was a treat to see.
LACMA has dedicated a whole building to that of Japanese art. The building is currently focusing on tea in Japanese culture. As you ascend the building, you are able see a plethora of teacups, along with their given names, which we learned about in class.
The museum provides a brief overview of art that historically represents China, Korea, and Japan. If you are itching to see Asian art from the three major countries we focused on in class, LACMA is worth a visit.
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