Among the many tales I could end this year sharing, it seems fitting to choose one of the more remarkable finds from our recent visit to the Philadelphia Museum of Art: its Asian Art wing.
As much as I adore the Far East with its deep culture and history, my local museum often settles on displaying a generic collection of pottery, scrolls, and garments. Not so, here in the same locale that brought us Rocky Balboa running up those iconic stairs. In addition to room upon room of unique sculptures and artifacts (par for the course but in much more eclectic quantity), here we had a legit entire Japanese teahouse, brought over piece by piece and the only work of Ogi Rodo outside of Japan; a massive 60+ granite element sixteenth century Krishna temple (also brought over in pieces amongst the rubble in Madurai); and several rooms that rewarded those of us who believe in looking up, with carefully sculpted ceiling art telling the tales of the gods (such as the image above).
It was like walking into time, itself.
And on that note – akemashite omedetou and cheers to you and yours, and all that we will endure and create in this next period of measured time.
Muttering Retreats 