Nature of the Beast: Animals in Japanese Paintings & Prints
Julian Bermudez, Fairbanks Center for Motion Picture Study, USA
Kathy Talley-Jones, USA
http://www.pacificasiamuseum.org
Nature of the Beast: Animals in Japanese Paintings and Prints is an educational and interactive exploration of the way artists of Edo-period Japan depicted animals and the natural world. It draws on the extensive collections of the Pacific Asia Museum. This demonstration will explore the interaction between Flash and HTML components of the site as well as teaching ideas and resources for educators.
The Flash component consists of interactive narratives about strategies that Japanese artists used during the Floating World period and resonance that these approaches have in Japanese popular culture today. These are linked to games and modules that invite community and viewer interaction. Included are questions that prompt viewers to think about their own responses to the artwork.
Another game, inspired by monsters in Japanese mythology and the oriental zodiac, allows users to randomly generate their own cryptozoological animal.
Demonstration: Demonstrations [Close-Up]
Keywords: art, K-12, education, Japan, ukiyo-e
