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::WORKS:: The Kingdom of Siam and Meiji Japan at the Fair "The whole world is interested and all the Nations of the earth will participate with the grandest and most creditable characteristic exhibits of their arts, sciences, natural resources, customs, conditions and progress of their people…from far-away Siam…Japan…will come attractions of magnificent and interesting character…Millions of money will be expended by these foreign countries, and the beauty of the Exposition will be enhanced thereby to a greater degree." (World's Fairs 3) "Education is the chief safeguard for the future, not education through books alone, but through the commingling of our people from East, West, North and South from farm and factory…If we are to remain a free people, if we are to take a common pride in the name of America, if we are to avoid the catastrophe of former years, Americans must commingle…" (President Palmer at the banquet given to the Columbian Commission on June 26, 1890 World's Fairs 25) Many scholars have examined the parallel and at times cooperative technological and social changes which occurred in both Siam and Japan during the last half of the nineteenth century. How did these two lone countries, never officially colonized by the western powers, present themselves on the international stage? They bought tickets, shipped merchandise, sent representatives, and built breathtaking exhibits… The Sun, Whose Rays Are All Ablaze 1…. The world's fair was not the first attempt by the shogunate to interact
with the west. In 1860 a legation was sent to the United States. Journalist Edward H. House encountered this unique culture at this time and later moved to Japan and edited the influential Tokio Times. The Paris Fair of 1867 in which the Shogunate, Satsuma and Hizen domain represented themselves, marks Japan's first involvement in this type of venue. After the Boshin War of 1868, the new government gave itself only one year to prepare for the Vienna Fair of 1873. An evaluation of the New Orleans Fair 1885 was made by the journalist Lafcadio Hearn who will be later known as the most famous interpreter of Japanese culture to the western world. Hearn noted that the "Japanese showed great ingenuity in the design of scientific instruments for teaching particularly when they were unable to purchase their own." (Harris 40). As soon as I read this I immediately reflected on the episode of the Tokyo Normal School students constructing their own scientific instruments in 1882 as described by Morse in connection to Takamine Hideo. Thus, Japan's participation in these exhibits can be seen as part of a series of encounters between East and West outside of the island nation. The White Elephant Flag…. Simply put, both countries made political, economic stability a priority. There was no greater opportunity for these two countries to strive for these goals than to represent themselves well in the world's fairs. In 1851 the Crystal Palace Exhibition started a parade of expositions around the world. Some fairs were simple showcases for western imperialism mixed with science, culture and international trade. The only symbol of the past pageantry which remains today is the Eiffel Tower built for the Exposition Universelle in 1889 (Paris World's Fair). Each event was a record of a country's rank or how it would like to be perceived. Even host countries competed with one another. France held events which attempted to define high culture while the United States sponsored events which reflected popular culture. The shift from agricultural to factory work, rural to urban migration, the new roles for woman and the status of races are all revealed through the study of these displays. The two fairs which will be discussed are the Philadelphia Centennial of 1876 and the Columbian Exhibition at Midway in 1893, both pivotal in the chronology of major world exhibits. Patriotic imagery such as "George Washington, the Liberty Bell, 'Old Glory', Uncle Sam, the American Bald Eagle, and Independence Hall, " (Zachman Fair Representations 211) were ofcourse dominant themes at the celebration of American independence at Philadelphia. Chicago's event set out to prove that the Mid-west was also an economic and cultural center as well. The unparalleled grandeur of the Columbian Exhibit was part of an agenda to overtake the European events and present the United States as the new technological and political world leader. Asian concessions appeared at almost all fairs and the lure of the exotic and mysterious orient was exploited by entrepreneurs of any racial background. Mass produced Japonerie, a term to denote anything from teacups to vases or anything remotely Asian looking, had become so popular that few upper-class American homes were free from atleast one item from Nippon. A Brief Discussion of Race and Gender Africans Americans "Department M. Ethnology, Archaeology, Progress of Labor and Invention "The Midway was also the location of the fair's ethnological exhibitions-including
an 'Esquimaux Village' and a 'Native American Show.' Controversy erupted
when Innuits complained of gross mistreatment and exploitation. If the
inclusion of such exhibits seems disturbing today, equally troubling
is the exclusion of African-Americans from participation in the fair.
This prompted the publication of the treatise The Reason Why. The Colored
American is not in the Columbian Exposition, coauthored by Frederick
Douglass." People on Display Posters from the fair of 1876 also deserve mention. Frank Leslie's Illustrated Historical Register of the Centennial Exposition (1876) depict two pale women standing, one Native American on his knees and a bare breasted African on her knees overlooking the fair grounds from a cliff. The symbolism of the poster need no further explanation. European colonial powers and the United States were not the only countries
which made people the main attraction: The Philadelphia Centennial of 1876 Hermann Krusi from New York remarked "...this was the year of the great World's Fair at Philadelphia. In spite of the great heat prevailing in July, all of the members of our family (with exception of Gertie) were determined to devote a week to the contemplation of this unique exhibition, whose attractions were such as to bring thither more six millions of visitors from all parts of this country." (Krusi 245-246) "Crowds had collected around the Chinese and Japanese workmen while they were working on their buildings and had commented loudly on everything from their clothing to the way they used a plane or a saw." (Hilton 40) Japan A future commentator on Japanese culture, art and Buddhism, Dr. William Sturgis Bigelow (later a friend of Takamine) also attended this fair. "The Japanese commissioner to the Centennial City wrote this report
about fair visitors: The Centennial Exhibit has the most fascinating connection to the Boshin War. After seeing that the Japanese were not half-civilized, as they once believed, but normal people, some Americans urged the government to return the $750,000 Japan paid for the Shimonoseki Incident 1863 during which Choshu warriors attacked foreign ships. "Spectators compared the rising buildings to corncribs because the framework rested on posts rather than on masonry foundations. The posts were drivien into the earth by means of a 300-pound hammer mounted on a tripod...A guide book pronounced one of the two, the Japanese Dwelling, the 'the best-built structure on the Centennial grounds." (Lancaster 48)
Bazaar and Teahouse Besides the teahouse/bazaar, and dwelling Japan had displays in the Main Exhibition Building and Agricultural Hall. Japan made the buildings a permanent gift to the city however it is not clear which ones remained standing into the 20th Century if any.
The World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago 1893 Foreign Exhibit Regulations "Oriental designs fitted for lighting and the most unique figures will be sent for…Chinese dragons, winged horses, serpents… and marine monsters of all kinds will be placed…lighting, the circuits to be under control from some distant point." (Chicago Declaration 1892 13)
Japan
The location of the Hooden "Phoenix Pavilion" (40,000 square feet) on Wooded Island was secured after the Japanese convinced officials who wanted the island to remain untouched that the structure would be presented as a gift to the city. The structure was modelled after the Hooden in Uji built in Kyoto during the 12th century. It was designed by Masamichi Kuru who, prior to this project was known for his work in building schools. Hooden truly came to symbolize Japan in everyway as it stood grandly on an island separated from the other structures. The final cost was $100,000 but the returns in the form of praise, awe and the continued influence of Japanese architecture in America made the investment worthwhile. The Pavilion stood until the 20th century and was later replaced by a teahouse built by the Japan Society built on the same location. "...the Phoenix Hall was called the Hoo-den, or Phoenix Villa, signifying that it was modified from a building for sacred use to one of secular or domestic purposes...the main hall was divided into rooms, and terminal pavilions were enclosed. The three units had elevated floors with encompassing platforms sheltered on the outside by the deep eaves of irimoya roofs. Railings protected the platforms and stairways centered on each principal side. timber framework and wall areas filled in with plaster were left unpainted, and the roofs were covered with sheet copper...Each of the pavilions was treated in the style of a different period of Japanese history." (Lancaster 78) The north wing was in the manner of the Fujiwara Era (980-1185), the south was in the style of the Ashikaga Period (1333-1568), the central hall reflected the Tokugawa Period (1615-1867) and included a room which replicated one from Nijo Castle. The top students of the Tokyo Fine Arts School painted floating fans which symbolized a stream on the walls and fusama. "The Hoo-den remained standing after the fair for half a century, and during this interim exerted an influence upon several generations of American architects and designers." (Lancaster 83) "Their catalogue was the first presented to the catalogue compilers.
It was mechanically faultless and written in good English. The installation
of their exhibits has proceeded with smooth and judicious direction,
so that is lacks nothing in completeness. Their officials are suave
patient and efficient." (World's Columbian Exposition 133) Unfortunately,
we don't have information on the Japanese staff who supervised the exhibits
on site and frequently had to live several months in Chicago. All I
know is that Mr. S. Tejima (his name is spelled differently almost every
time I see it), the commissioner attended the closing ceremony. Takamine Hideo was one of only a handful of Japanese (the others would be Isawa Shuji [1] [2] who travelled with Takamine and the Krusi family, Yamakawa Sutematsu, later known as Oyama Sutematsu and Tsuda Ume) who attended the Philadelphia Centennial of 1876. Takamine's art background was from his extensive and well respected status as a collector and appraiser of paintings. "He endeavored to collect various kinds of wood-block and other prints. He collected more than three thousand prints and more than one hundred twenty scrolls. Furthermore, he tried to classify Japanese traditional artists of Ukiyo-e by a form of a family tree." (Ahagon 334) "Mr. Hideo Takamine were among the first to compile collections of valuable prints in this country." (Mihara 258). This project for Takamine would be a fulfillment of his deep desire to "make Japan favorably known to the world" (Takamine's letter to Edward Sylvester Morse 1882). Takamine's friend and co-worker on this endeavour was a very well known figure of the Meiji Era, Okakura Kakuzo [highly recommended link]. The success of major financial investment, THE PHOENIX was due to these two strong motivators with art backgrounds. THE PHOENIX was not a simple stationary exhibit, it was designed to be interactive. Unlike the teahouse, the staff of the pavilion were selected for their ability to patiently communicate with visitors while dressed in elaborate costumes. I interpret the educational aspect of the pavilion to be related to Takamine's interpretation of object teaching. The Hooden may have also influenced the theme of Tadao Ando's much praised Japanese Pavilion which was built for the Seville Expo of 1992. Japan's interactive display was also one of the most photographed exhibits. Interestingly, the elegant Pavilion must have stood out like a sore thumb against "a strict architectural plan based on classical Greek and Roman forms" (Findling Fair Representations 183). "Wooded Island was created in one lagoo to become a garden of roses and rhododendrons for a Japanese housed called 'The Phoenix.' A picturesque flock of ducks was invited to live among the flowers, but later during the fair there were many complaints that the ducks did not seem to know their place." (Hilton 59) Books which discuss the Hooden which I have not read are:
George S Cooley; Arthur P Traczyk. Ho-o Den [Chicago] : City of Chicago, Dept. of Planning, City and Community Development, 1978.
Siam [missing info] Conclusion Japan in earlier years wished to be acknowledged equally as other western powers. After the Russo-Japanese War 1905 she sought to be taken seriously as a colonising power. At the Japan-British Exhibition of 1910 at the White City "a sizable display in the Japanese Colonial Palace was eloquently described: the Japanese government to show what they have accomplished in their colonies and in Formosa, Korea and Manchuria...Korea, of course is not, strictly speaking, a Japanese possession, but there is a such a strong affinity of interests." (Greenhalgh 74) At the New York World's Fair of 1964-1965 Thai Buddhist temples were erected amongst the Space Age Buildings. It is my opinion that whoever designed these structures was ignorant of Thai architecture. Today, Thai Airways invests in a float which would be shown on televised commercials for a few seconds at Pasadena California's Rose Parade. Like past exhibits in the World's Fair of the nineteenth century, where the commissioner was an appointed foreigner, for a few years a controversy emerged regarding Thailand's consistent appointment of a westerner to design the country's float. Thus, these international events are opportunities to promote a country's economy and culture on one hand yet often they betray a lack of confidence in native skill. In our times, the Olympics, Disneyland and the Epcot Center have inherited the legacy of the fair. "In the World Showcase…national exhibits reappear in a much altered format. Tamed and transformed, the German, Japanese, French and British concessions no longer promote industrial products or cultural supremacy; they now only compete for tourist dollars…" (Gilbert Fair Representations 25) Bibliography Ahagon, Chokusei. "The influence of the Oswego Movement upon Japanese education, through Hideo Takamine in Early Meiji Japan 1860s-1880s" Phd Diss. State University of New York, Buffalo 1995 Edited by Rydell, Robert W, Nancy Gwinn. Fair Representations: World's
Fairs and the Modern World Amsterdam: VU University Press, 1994. Greenhalgh, Paul. Ephemeral Vistas The Expositions Universelles, Great Exhibitions and World's Fairs, 1851-1939. New York: Manchester University Press, 1988. Harris, Neil. "All the World a Melting Pot? Japan at American Fairs, 1876-1904." In Cultural Excursions: Marketing Appetites and Tastes in Modern America. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1990. ISBN: 0226317587 Hilton, Suzanne. Here today and gone tomorrow : the story of world’s fairs and expositions. Philadelphia : Westminster Press, c1978. ISBN: 0664326331 James, Portia P. The Real McCoy: African American Invention and Innovation, 1619-1930. Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institution Press, 1989. ISBN: 0874745578 Kru¨si, Hermann. Recollections of my life, by Hermann Kru¨si. An autobiographical sketch supplemented by extracts from his personal records and a review of his literary productions together with selected essays, arranged and ed. by Elizabeth Sheldon Alling. New York, The Grafton press [c1907] Lancaster, Clay. The Japanese influence in America. New York, W. H. Rawls; distributed by Twayne Publishers, 1963 Mattie, Erik. World's Fairs. New York : Princeton Architectural Press, c1998. ISBN: 1568981325 Mihara, Shigeyoshi. "Ukiyoe. Some Aspects of Japanese Classical Picture Prints" Monumenta Nipponica. Vol. 6, No. 1/2 (1943), pp. 245-261 Official Guide Japan-British Exhibition 1910. London 1910, Published by Bembrose and Son. World's Fairs From London 1851 to Chicago 1893: Illustrated with Views and Portraits. Chicago: Midway Publishing company, 1892 World’s Columbian Exposition (1893 : Chicago, Ill.) The official directory of the World’s Columbian exposition, May 1st to October 30th, 1893. A reference book of exhibitors and exhibits; of the officers and members of the World’s Columbian commission. Moses P. Handy, editor. Chicago, W.B. Conkey company, 1893. Unpublished Letters Footnote Interesting Footnote
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