Asia monkeys swing through town

By Victoria Gail-White
Special to The Advertiser

"Monkeys: Myth, Magic, and Mischief in the Arts of Asia," a playful exhibit of paintings, prints on paper, textiles, carvings and sculpture, puppets and masks, and toys and miniatures, illustrates the storied simian's significance across the cultures of Myanmar, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia and Thailand.

In this lively collection of monkey-themed art from the 19th and 20th centuries (with some pieces based on older prototypes), curator Michael Schuster, who has a doctorate in Asian theater, has drawn from his years of study in India and his many performances as a puppeteer.

"I am fascinated by the pan-Asian theme of the monkey hero in all its various versions," he says, "and how this theme traveled across continents. He is always mischievous, whether he is god-like or involved with human foibles and desires."

This delightful creature permeates and resonates throughout literature: in the Hindu epic poem The Ramayana, written in Sanskrit in the 2nd century B.C. and rewritten and changed in many Asian cultures through the 19th century; the jataka tales from 300 B.C.E., a collection of 547 stories about the past incarnations of the Buddha as either human or animal; in "Journey to the West: The Monkey King," written by the Chinese scholar-official Wu Ch'eng-en (1500?-1582); and in the Asian astrological calendar (this year celebrates the year of the green wood monkey).

According to Chinese astrology, this is a year of movement, discussion and exchange of ideas highlighting politicians, diplomats, ambassadors, writers, spokesmen, storytellers, orators, salesmen and confidence games.

This beautifully installed exhibit is outfitted with informative plaques and condensed versions of the legends. However, a bit more awareness of these tales is highly recommended for the full appreciation of the show.

I recommend Schuster's personal tour and commentary (see box) to instill a sense of the profound and humorous aspect inherent in these myths and their cross-cultural connections. It will give the exhibit an entertaining punch. He has gathered monkey-themed art works from about 30 sources, including his own private collection.

The Ramayana introduces the Monkey god/hero Hanuman. Fathered by the god of the wind and a beautiful woman transformed into the monkey princess, Hanuman is born with supernatural strength and powers. He meets Prince Rama, the reincarnation of Vishnu, and his brother Laksmana in the forest and is enlisted to find Sita, Rama's beautiful wife, who has been abducted by the demon Ravana and taken to Lanka. Then ... well, you'll just have to read that for yourself.

The exhibit includes a wide range of Hanuman images — a white marble sculpture from India's Rajasthan state, on loan from the Doris Duke Foundation for Islamic Art; an intricate Balinese wood carving of Hanuman in the Asoka garden waiting in a tree to give the signet ring to Sita; an elaborately carved mango-root sculpture of Hanuman laughing; Thai, Cambodian and Balinese masks and puppets used to perform the poem.

There are also paintings on canvas and glass, as well as an image made with crushed gemstone, of Hanuman bringing the Himalayas to Rama. Textile wall-hangings from Myanmar and a comic-book-style painting on fabric from India's Bengal region, tell aspects of the tale which continue to influence politics, religion and the art of modern India.

The jataka tales teach values of self-sacrifice, honesty and morality. The theatrical puppet set tells one story of a Monkey King who lives in a mango tree with 40,000 monkeys, and what happened when the King of Benares discovers sweet mango.

The Chinese folk novel "Journey to the West: The Monkey King" is based on the famous Chinese monk, Xuan Zang (602-664), who made his way on foot to the birthplace of Buddhism, India, to seek and bring the Sutras (Buddhist scriptures) back to China. The novel is a medley of fable, fairy tale, legend, superstition and monster stories from Taoist, Buddhist and Chinese popular religion that borrows elements from the jataka tales and the character of Hanuman from the Ramayana.

The luminous "White Monkey" painting by Wang Wu and the fascinating "Chinese Monkeys" painting by child prodigy artist Wan Yani (painted when she was 14) exemplify the powerful and light-hearted aspects of the monkey character.

Toys, miniatures, a kite, an opium pipe, weights and metal, bone and holographic glass sculptures demonstrate the extent to which the agile monkey image is interpreted.

A 30-minute video includes clips from Balinese performances of the Ramayana by the UH Gamelan Club, The Cambodian Monkey Dance by Thavro Phim, Chinese animation of "Journey to the West," the Indian Kathakali Ramayana, "Nang Yai" Thai shadow-puppet theater and the Beijing Theater's "Journey to the West." Well worth watching.

"These stories speak to us all, young and old, continuously," Schuster says. "How do we deal with that part of ourselves that is so full of mischief and delight?"