When I first ducked into the UMMA, thankful to leave the cold gusting wind outside, I had to search around the lobby to find my tour group for the exhibit, Japanese Prints from Kabuki Theater. Tucked behind a corner, the tour group only consisted of a handful of mature patrons. As the only one there under the age of 50, I was immediately singled out by the tour guide, “You do know this is the tour group, right?” and then a few moments later, “Is this your first time here?” After laughing and responding that yes, I was here for the tour and have spent ample time exploring the museum’s many nooks and crannies we started on our tour. The group was small enough to take the service elevator up to the second floor, where the elevator deposited us right in front of exhibit entrance.
The exhibition is laid out beautifully and clearly, with extensive descriptions beside most pieces. Even without the extra information provided by the tour guide, the descriptions alone greatly enriched the exhibit. That being said, the tour guide was wonderful. She took us through the exhibit in a logical fashion, keeping the pace moving at a manageable clip. She pointed out individual pieces and provided anecdotes about those pieces to further elevate the experience.
For those as in the dark as I was, Kabuki theater is traditional Japanese theater style that reached massive popularity during the Edo period in the 18th and 19th centuries. Usually found in the pleasure district, Kabuki is a spectacle in every sense combining elaborate costumes, intense makeup, advanced stage effects and exciting action. Even today Kabuki has maintained some of its popularity, and visitors to Japan can go and experience it for themselves. What I found most fascinating about Kabuki is that certain actors would develop fan bases and avid supporters would bring them gifts and swoon at the chance to meet them. Seeing this popularity, artists decided to capitalize on the craze and create prints of Kabuki theater that fans would then collect, and soon there was a massive demand. Some artists were so prolific that they would be making a handful of prints in a single day. Most of the art in the exhibit were these such prints. The subject matters varied from specific scenes from popular plays, the interworking’s of the dressing room for fans’ voyeuristic pleasure, a combination of popular actors at the time, or specific characters.
At the very first wall of prints we reached, the tour guide also reminded us of another interesting detail, that all Kabuki actors were adult males. Therefore, even the prints of female characters we would be seeing would be, in fact, played by men. A
t this point she pulled out a binder that showed step by step how a print was made. It was truly fascinating to watch the piece build up layer by layer, color by color, and get a glimpse into the production process. I was in awe of the intricate details they included in the finished piece. This gave me a greater appreciation of the prints that were to come.
As we slowly moved along the far wall of the exhibition space 
a few pieces stood out to me. There was one piece featuring a character wearing a gorgeously detailed robe, and in the design of the robe itself another story was taking place. The tour guide pointed out a print of an actor who had committed suicide, and after his death prints of him had become wildly popular because of the tragic nature of his passing. There was another print of an actor who was so popular that he continued to act even though his legs had been cut off, because of the intense fan demand, but he had to be carried onto stage by a group of men. Thus all prints of him would only be from the waist up.
We eventually came to a beautiful robe embroidered with a detailed phoenix motif hanging in a glass case. This was an example of the intricate costumes that could often be seen on the Kabuki stage. On the opposite wall was a TV playing video recordings of Kabuki theater, allowing visitors who had never experienced Kabuki for themselves to get a glimpse at the spectacle.
By the time the tour had ended, I truly felt like I had gained a deeper appreciation and understanding of Japanese prints, and K
abuki theater in general. The tour guide had clearly been knowledgeable on the subject, and my fellow tour-goers had been delightful company. I hope to attend more gallery talks in the future, and plan on revisiting this particular exhibit at least once before it closes on January 29th. There is an additional gallery talk coming up on January 8th from 2-3 PM. Admission to the museum is free, and its doors are open until 5 pm on most weekdays, so there is no reason to not stop by!
You can check out more about the exhibition here: http://umma.umich.edu/archive/view/exhibitions/2016-kabuki.php
And can learn more about the UMMA’s various gallery tours here: http://umma.umich.edu/events/tours
If you are interested in learning more about Kabuki theater and watching some clips of the spectacle itself, the brief video below is a great place to start. According to my tour guide, the effects they managed to create even so long ago are “able to put Hollywood to shame.”
