Documentary Reveals Innovative Art of Japan’s Edo Period
LOS ANGELES – August 29, 2023 – JAPAN HOUSE Los Angeles proudly presents the Los Angeles premiere of the documentary “Edo Avant Garde” on Wednesday, September 20 at 6:00 p.m. at the TCL Chinese 6 Theatres. During the Edo period (1603-1868), Japan was mostly closed to the world, but its artists were forging radically new creative visions that would transform global art. Directed by acclaimed filmmaker Linda Hoaglund, the film features the groundbreaking artists of the Edo period and their influence on Western Modernism and aesthetics.
The complimentary screening will be followed by an in-depth conversation between Hoaglund; LACMA (Los Angeles County Museum of Art) curator of Japanese art Hollis Goodall; and futurist, journalist, and Japanophile Mark Frauenfelder. They will discuss how Edo-era art continues to impact creative culture today. The evening concludes with a networking reception.
“I am thrilled and honored to have the Los Angeles premiere of my new film “Edo Avant Garde” hosted by JAPAN HOUSE Los Angeles,” said Hoaglund. “While making the film, I discovered how Japanese respect for the beauty and power of nature inspired artists to innovate so many approaches that we consider ‘modern’ today. I look forward to hearing the L.A. audience’s response.”
The film traces Edo art’s bold originality through masterpieces filmed in museums and private collections around the world, as well as in-depth interviews with scholars, priests, collectors, dealers, and artists. Hoaglund captures the immersive experience of the byobu (folding screen) as an art form through stunning cinematography by Japanese Academy Award winner Norimichi Kasamatsu, paired with an exquisite original soundtrack by Satoshi Takeishi and Shoko Nagai. Simultaneously dynamic and mesmerizing, at its heart “Edo Avant Garde” offers a unique opportunity to look closely and see differently.
Event Schedule
- Location: TCL Chinese 6 Theatres (Level 3, Ovation Hollywood)
- 5:30 p.m. - Doors open
- 6:00 p.m. - Complimentary “Edo Avant-Garde” screening
- 7:30 p.m. - Panel discussion
- Location: JAPAN HOUSE Salon (Level 5, Ovation Hollywood)
- 8:15 – 9:30 p.m. - Complimentary networking reception
- 8:15 – 9:30 p.m. - Complimentary networking reception
For more information, visit the JAPAN HOUSE Los Angeles website and social channels: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube and LinkedIn.
ABOUT LINDA HOAGLUND
Linda Hoaglund is a bilingual filmmaker born and raised in Japan. The daughter of American missionary parents, she attended Japanese public schools and graduated from Yale University. She has directed and produced five feature-length films about art and the relationship between Japan and the U.S.: “Wings of Defeat” (2007), “ANPO: Art X War” (2010), “Things Left Behind” (2012), “The Wound and The Gift” (2014), and “Edo Avant Garde” (2019).
Hoaglund has also subtitled 250 Japanese films, including “Seven Samurai” by Kurosawa, “Spirited Away” by Miyazaki and “Battle Royale” by Fukasaku. She has translated Kabuki performed at Lincoln Center and essays by Issey Miyake, Ishiuchi Miyako, Tomatsu Shomei, Yokoo Tadanori, Kirino Natsuo, Moriyama Daido, Takashi Murakami, Ando Tadao, Satoh Taku and other renowned artists and writers.
ABOUT JAPAN HOUSE
JAPAN HOUSE is an innovative, worldwide project with three hubs – London, Los Angeles and Sao Paulo – conceived by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan. It seeks to nurture a deeper understanding and appreciation of Japan in the international community. Occupying two floors at Ovation Hollywood (formerly Hollywood & Highland), JAPAN HOUSE Los Angeles offers a place of new discovery that transcends physical and conceptual boundaries creating experiences that reflect the best of Japan through its spaces and diverse programs.
Location: 6801 Hollywood Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90028
Website: www.japanhousela.com