Talks + Lectures

Fri, May 17, 2024 | 1–2:15 pm 
Reynolds Lecture Hall
Free, no tickets required

Join members of Ikebana of Richmond (IOR) for a demonstration and a brief talk on Ikebana, the Japanese art of flower arrangement. Watch as presenters create a basic Ikebana arrangement, view designs from a variety of Ikebana schools, and learn about the history of Ikebana.

This program is inspired by VMFA’s special exhibition Samurai Armor from the Collection of Ann and Gabriel Barbier-Mueller. Samurai regarded Ikebana as the blending of strength and delicacy. Before going to battle, samurai often practiced Ikebana to connect with nature, improve concentration, and purify the heart and mind.

IOR is a nonprofit cultural organization whose purpose is to cultivate the study of Ikebana, related art, and Japanese culture. Organized in 1968, IOR has more than 140 members representing various schools of Ikebana across the Commonwealth.

With Dr. Andreas Marks, Mary Griggs Burke Curator of Japanese and Korean Art and Director of the Clark Center at the Minneapolis Institute of Art

Thu, Jun 13, 2024 I 6:30–7:30 pm
Reynolds Lecture Hall
$8 (VMFA members, $5)

The samurai were renowned warriors with a long and fascinating history. Their armor and weaponry, masterfully created with artistic beauty, were integral expressions of samurai culture. Japanese armor stands out among the armor of other world cultures because of its flashy, colorful appearance and exquisite design.

Presented in conjunction with the exhibition Samurai Armor from the Collection of Ann and Gabriel Barbier-Mueller, Dr. Andreas Marks, Mary Griggs Burke Curator of Japanese and Korean Art and Director of the Clark Center at the Minneapolis Institute of Art, takes a closer look at the design of suits of armor and helmet forms from the 16th to 19th centuries, when a large industry of samurai-oriented crafts were made for Japanese society.

To view from home, visit our livestream page.

With Dr. Constantine Vaporis, Professor of History and Founding Director, Asian Studies Program University of Maryland, Baltimore County

Thu, Jul 11, 2024 | 6:30–7:30 pm
Reynolds Lecture Hall
$8 (VMFA members $5)

Presented in conjunction with the exhibition Samurai Armor from the Collection of Ann and Gabriel Barbier-Mueller, this talk will explore the transformation of Japan from its era of warring states to its era of peace. Constantine Vaporis, PhD, will explore three historical samurai figures from different regions of Japan: Yamauchi Kazutoyo (1545–1605), an obscure samurai who rose from the violence of civil war to become a daimyo (lord); Kumazawa Banzan (1619–1691), a zealous warrior who came to understand that his future lay in becoming a scholar-official; and Mori Masana (1803–1873), the non-inheriting fourth son of a samurai who became a scholar, an ardent collector of art, and the lord’s bodyguard. Dr. Vaporis will connect the national transformation to these samurai and their armor, helmets, weapons, clothing, and martial practices.

To view from home, visit our livestream page.

Constantine Vaporis teaches Japanese and East Asian history at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC) and is its Founding Director of the Asian Studies Program. His numerous fellowships for research in Japanese history include a Fulbright Scholar’s Award and an NEH Fellowship for College Teachers. He is the author of many books, including Samurai: An Encyclopedia of Japan’s Cultured Warriors (2022).