On the first floor of the Egyptian Art galleries, there is a small exhibition featuring 60 musical objects and illustrations. I feel, as I enter “Silk and Bamboo”, that I am walking through an ancient tomb where all the artifacts of the past have been perfectly preserved for thousands of years and stacked neatly against the walls, untouched and unguarded. In my third visit to the Met in less than a month, I sought to find sanctuary from the crowds and fast-paced tour guides. I wanted desperately to discover one pocket of the museum that was quiet, where if I stood still long enough and closed my eyes, I would feel as if I were no longer just a student in New York City but a bystander living in the Han Dynasty.  

Standing in front of a beautiful pipa, a four-stringed instrument, I could almost hear the soft chords drifting down the bustling streets of Luoyang. The details on the piece are nothing short of stunning. Each hexagonal tile on the pipa contains a different floral pattern and Chinese character, carved from creamy ivory and bone. It is hard to imagine an object as wonderfully crafted and delicate as this pipa surviving the wear and tear of centuries of time, until at the bequest of some generous and wealthy patron, it finally finds a permanent home at the Met.  

My favorite piece in the exhibit is “Seated Musician”, a relic from the Tang Dynasty. Kneeling within an immaculately polished glass case, the marble figure holds a flute in his hands. He raises the instrument only slightly in the air, as he patiently waits for the gathering crowds to settle down and bestow upon him their undivided attention. In his serene expression, I can tell he is contemplating that first note, the one that will cast all his listeners into a world of imagination and bliss. I cannot help but smile, as I look down at this figurine, so simple yet just as stunning and evocative as any painting by Monet or Renoir.  

It is strange for me to explain how different this exhibition feels compared to others I have visited in the past. I am more curious to know the stories behind these instruments, perhaps because they have been passed down by so many generations of musicians and artists. It is, in a way, saddening to see these otherwise lively artifacts locked up behind panes of glass, but I am at the same time grateful that these instruments have not been destroyed or preserved merely as collector’s items in some private gallery where no one can enjoy them. At least here, in the Met, there will always be viewers who will contemplate, like me, the untold stories behind a rusting bell or a wooden ocarina.  

For more information, please visit the exhibition’s website. Other notable works include a lacquered qin from the Ming Dynasty and pottery figures from the Han and Tang Dynasty. “Silk and Bamboo: Music and Art of China” will be on display until this Sunday, Feb. 7, 2010.  

Katherine J. Chen is an English major at Princeton University with a certificate in Creative Writing. Even though she is still trying to figure out how some of the instruments from “Silk and Bamboo” work, she is glad she took the opportunity to visit the exhibition.  
 
 

• Filed Under:  
• Arts, Inspiration

• Tags:
• Be Inspired

View Original Post at chickspeak.com