The Japan Society is holding a talk on 17 October which may be of interest to Koreanists:
Creating Impressions of Colonial Korea: The Role Played by the Japan Society and its Membership, 1910-1939
Susan House Wade, Independent Author and Lecturer
Monday, 17th October 2011 6.45 pm
The Oriental Club
Stratford House
11 Stratford Place
London W1C 1ESFree – booking recommended
A pay bar is available before the lecture
(Please note that Oriental Club rules require gentlemen to wear a jacket and tie)Japanese perspectives were often either directly or indirectly responsible for images of colonial Korea which emerged in England between 1910 and 1939. The role played by English and Japanese enthusiasts, who were frequently members of the Japan Society, will be addressed in this talk. The position occupied by the Society allowed it to make a significant impact on the study and exchange of Japanese arts and culture, and it was to the Transactions and Proceedings that both scholars and other interested parties looked for the informed perspectives of the Society’s high profile membership. Activities of these members, including those who resided overseas, went well beyond the papers they presented, to inform and influence the writings of others.
Dr Susan House Wade is an independent author and lecturer, with an MA in Art and Archaeology from SOAS, University of London, and a PhD in Humanities from the University of Brighton. Alongside writing and lecturing, she is currently engaged in preparatory work for the publication of her PhD thesis entitled Representing Colonial Korea in Print and in Visual Imagery in England, 1910-1939. Before embarking on an academic career, Susan worked in media, including assignments as diverse as bureau chief of a US-based newswire, to the creation of large scale events for Spanish language broadcast. She has also played active roles in Japan 2001, and later as chairman of the Japan Society Art Circle.
Booking Information
Please contact the Japan Society office on tel: 020 7828 6330 or email: [email protected] to book a place for any of our events. When emailing, please include the event title in the subject line.
Learn more about upcoming events at www.japansociety.org.uk.
The talk at the Japan Society was a detailed analysis of the study of Korean art by the Japanese, British and US. I learnt quite a lot about the contribution of Korean art to Japanese culture and design (for example in ceramics). However I would have liked to know a little more about the political backdrop to the Japan Society in London (eg the relationships between the British and Japanese governments at the time).
Also interesting, was the role of libraries, and in particular public libraries, in creating a body of knowledge in the West about Korea.