China: Through the Looking Glass at The Met, Part 6 -- Moon In the Water

"The exhibition's subtitle, Through the Looking Glass, translates into Chinese as Moon in the Water, a phrase that alludes to Buddhism. Like Flower in the Mirror, it suggests something that cannot be grasped, and has both positive and negative connotations. When used to describe a beautiful object, "moon in the water" can refer to a quality of perfection that is either so elusive and mysterious that the item becomes transcendent or so illusory and deceptive that it becomes untrustworthy." -- from The Met's website

Calligraphy and China's export silk were featured in Galleries 215, 216, and 214.

Christian Dior, Quiproquo, 1951, Printed silk shantung

Sketches:

Alexander McQueen, fall/winter 2006, Silk jacquard

Christian Dior, Quiproquo, 1951, Printed silk shantung

Alexander McQueen, fall/winter 2006, Silk jacquard

Christobal Balenciaga, 1955-56, Hand-painted silk taffeta

Sketches:

John Galliano for Dior, spring/summer 2003 [not in catalogue]

Christobal Balenciaga, 1955-56, Hand-painted silk taffeta

Almost overwhelming was the moonlit garden staging of a lavish display of Galliano gowns.

Left to Right:

John Galliano for Dior, spring/summer 2003 [not in catalogue]

John Galliano for Dior, spring/summer 2003, Printed silk/synthetic jacquard

John Galliano for Dior, spring/summer 2003, Silk jacquard embroidered with silk flowers coat, Silk ciré ruff and dress

John Galliano for Dior, spring/summer 2003, Silk brocade dress, Gold lamé and synthetic crinoline

John Galliano for Dior, spring/summer 2003, Embroidered silk jacquard coat, Silk organza dress

Tomorrow I'll conclude my survey with some photos from the Wuxia section of the exhibition.

Note: I relied on the exhibition catalogue China: Through the Looking Glass and The Met's website for information, especially the details about the garments. Selected images from the catalogue can be viewed on The Met's Pinterest board.

52 Pick-me-up: Salmon / Self-Worth / Faith

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This is Salmon week on 52 Pick-me-up. Yeah!
I don't wear much in the salmon range.
Instead, I'll share photos of the "Salmon" book, that I have displayed in our kitchen.

Ewww. Looks like our kitchen needs a patch and paint job. Nice earthquake crack, right?
I also discovered that moths were nesting in the book.
Damn those moths. I have to keep all my grains and flours in the freezer because of them. They are The Enemy!

Here are some close-ups of the book, which I haven't looked at since I hung it in the plexi frame 15 years ago.
It's pretty cool!

The book was decommissioned from the Santa Barbara Public Library, so I imagine that I bought it in a thrift store there. I've had it for a long time -- since the 80s, I think. I totally forgot that it was a WPA publication from 1940. I also forgot about the blue marker embellishments created by "Lisa".
For my background, I chose my orange-faded-to-salmon Art Shorts, which are now on Poshmark. Yes, I'm selling all my paint-stained studio garments that no longer fit. SOMEBODY might want them!

Salmon / Self-Worth / Faith -- link and tell!

China: Through the Looking Glass at The Met, Part 5 -- Porcelain

Gallery 213 paired blue-and-white porcelain with blue and white haute couture.

Guo Pei, spring/summer 2010, [not in catalogue] 

Sketches: 

Guo Pei, spring/summer 2010, [not in catalogue] 

John Galliano for Dior, spring/summer 2005, Embroidered silk jacquard coat, embroidered silk organza dress 

John Galliano for Dior, spring/summer 2005, Embroidered silk jacquard coat, embroidered silk organza dress

Left to Right:

John Galliano for Dior, spring/summer 2005, Embroidered silk jacquard coat, embroidered silk organza dress

John Galliano for Dior, spring/summer 2009, Silk satin and lace, skirt lined with embroidered silk satin [front detail view]

Valentino, fall/winter 1968, Printed silk satin

House of Valentino, fall/winter 2013, Printed silk organza

Left photo, left to right:

Roberto Cavalli, fall/winter 2005, Silk satin

Rodarte, spring/summer 2011, Printed hammered silk crepe and silk tulle embroidered with silk ribbon

Rodarte, spring/summer 2011, Printed silk ottoman, printed silk crepe

Left to right:

Jar, Porcelain [No info, not in catalogue]

Li Xiaofeng, Beijing Memory No. 5, Qing period porcelain shards, 43 x 35.5 x 25.5", 2009

More tomorrow!

Note: I relied on the exhibition catalogue China: Through the Looking Glass and The Met's website for information, especially the details about the garments. Selected images from the catalogue can be viewed on The Met's Pinterest board.