Felicia Katz-Harris | Museum of International Folk Art (original) (raw)
Uploads
Papers by Felicia Katz-Harris
Material Religion, 2017
This article is a reflection on a museum exhibition of material religion.
Books by Felicia Katz-Harris
Vivid in Japanese art and imagination are creatures that are at once ghastly and humorous. The Ja... more Vivid in Japanese art and imagination are creatures that are at once ghastly and humorous. The Japanese word yokai generally refers to a range of supernatural beings such as ghosts, demons, monsters, shapeshifters, tricksters, and other strange kinds of creatures. While their status is commonly described as supernatural, they exist or appear in the natural, human world. Today, yokai are wildly popular in Japan. They are prevalent across contemporary entertainment genres such as manga (“comics”) and anime (“animation”) series, horror movies, and video games, and they also manifest as the subject of related material culture objects like game cards, character t-shirts, cuddly plushies, and collectable gashapon capsule toys. This diverse array of yokai imagery and materiality is deeply rooted in the past. Yokai images and their stories are enduring, and there is no question that what we see in hot commodities today is closely aligned with traditional Japanese folklore. Yokai: Ghosts & Demons of Japan explores yokai and their popularity in Japan through multiple perspectives of yokai: what they are, their associated tales, how people engaged with or interpreted yokai in different contexts, and why they remain so popular in Japan. The contributors to this book are among eminent scholars, creators, and promoters of various aspects of yokai culture. The interdisciplinary nature of this book’s presentation vibrantly illustrates yokai from different angles, allowing for a broad view of their cultural scope in Japan. In addition, the contributors delve into popular culture themes, connecting traditional folklore, folk art, and imagery to trends in Japan as well as in the United States.
Contributors: Felicia Katz-Harris, Komatsu Kazuhiko, Noriko Tsunoda Reider, Satoko Shimazaki, Michael Dylan Foster, Adam Kabat, Kagawa Masanobu, Zack Davisson, Yumoto Koichi, & Kono Junya.
Book Reviews by Felicia Katz-Harris
Museum Anthropology, 2020
Reviews of Exhibitions Curated by Felicia Katz-Harris
Online Exhibitions by Felicia Katz-Harris
Yokai is a catchall Japanese word for ghosts, demons, monsters, shape-shifters, tricksters, and o... more Yokai is a catchall Japanese word for ghosts, demons, monsters, shape-shifters, tricksters, and other kinds of supernatural beings and mysterious phenomena. Although sometimes scary, these frightening beings are often portrayed as playful, relatable, and even cute; the experience of fear can also be amusing and fun. Explore all kinds of yokai and the ways that they became pop-culture sensations in Japan in this online exhibition.
http://online.internationalfolkart.org/dancingshadows/exhibition.html
This online exhibition presents an introduction to the performance, stories, and characters of wa... more This online exhibition presents an introduction to the performance, stories, and characters of wayang kulit (Indonesian shadow puppets):
http://online.internationalfolkart.org/dancingshadows/exhibition.html
The physical exhibition (2009-2010, Museum of International Folk Art. Santa Fe, NM, US) won an award from the American Alliance of Museums for Overall Excellence in Museum Exhibitions, 2010.
Book Chapters by Felicia Katz-Harris
The Handbook on Religion and Communication, edited by Yoel Cohen and Paul S Soukup. John Wiley & Sons, Ltd : Chichester, UK., 2023
South-East Asia: Studies in Art, Cultural Heritage and Artistic Relations with Europe by Izabela Kopania and Polski Instytut Studiów nad Sztuką Świat (editors), 2012
Material Religion, 2017
This article is a reflection on a museum exhibition of material religion.
Vivid in Japanese art and imagination are creatures that are at once ghastly and humorous. The Ja... more Vivid in Japanese art and imagination are creatures that are at once ghastly and humorous. The Japanese word yokai generally refers to a range of supernatural beings such as ghosts, demons, monsters, shapeshifters, tricksters, and other strange kinds of creatures. While their status is commonly described as supernatural, they exist or appear in the natural, human world. Today, yokai are wildly popular in Japan. They are prevalent across contemporary entertainment genres such as manga (“comics”) and anime (“animation”) series, horror movies, and video games, and they also manifest as the subject of related material culture objects like game cards, character t-shirts, cuddly plushies, and collectable gashapon capsule toys. This diverse array of yokai imagery and materiality is deeply rooted in the past. Yokai images and their stories are enduring, and there is no question that what we see in hot commodities today is closely aligned with traditional Japanese folklore. Yokai: Ghosts & Demons of Japan explores yokai and their popularity in Japan through multiple perspectives of yokai: what they are, their associated tales, how people engaged with or interpreted yokai in different contexts, and why they remain so popular in Japan. The contributors to this book are among eminent scholars, creators, and promoters of various aspects of yokai culture. The interdisciplinary nature of this book’s presentation vibrantly illustrates yokai from different angles, allowing for a broad view of their cultural scope in Japan. In addition, the contributors delve into popular culture themes, connecting traditional folklore, folk art, and imagery to trends in Japan as well as in the United States.
Contributors: Felicia Katz-Harris, Komatsu Kazuhiko, Noriko Tsunoda Reider, Satoko Shimazaki, Michael Dylan Foster, Adam Kabat, Kagawa Masanobu, Zack Davisson, Yumoto Koichi, & Kono Junya.
Museum Anthropology, 2020
Yokai is a catchall Japanese word for ghosts, demons, monsters, shape-shifters, tricksters, and o... more Yokai is a catchall Japanese word for ghosts, demons, monsters, shape-shifters, tricksters, and other kinds of supernatural beings and mysterious phenomena. Although sometimes scary, these frightening beings are often portrayed as playful, relatable, and even cute; the experience of fear can also be amusing and fun. Explore all kinds of yokai and the ways that they became pop-culture sensations in Japan in this online exhibition.
http://online.internationalfolkart.org/dancingshadows/exhibition.html
This online exhibition presents an introduction to the performance, stories, and characters of wa... more This online exhibition presents an introduction to the performance, stories, and characters of wayang kulit (Indonesian shadow puppets):
http://online.internationalfolkart.org/dancingshadows/exhibition.html
The physical exhibition (2009-2010, Museum of International Folk Art. Santa Fe, NM, US) won an award from the American Alliance of Museums for Overall Excellence in Museum Exhibitions, 2010.
The Handbook on Religion and Communication, edited by Yoel Cohen and Paul S Soukup. John Wiley & Sons, Ltd : Chichester, UK., 2023
South-East Asia: Studies in Art, Cultural Heritage and Artistic Relations with Europe by Izabela Kopania and Polski Instytut Studiów nad Sztuką Świat (editors), 2012