SFR Picks—week of May 31

Face On, Face Off

Oh Noh, Noh, Noh

We—and probably you, too—have a weird subconscious block around any museums that aren’t specifically contemporary which leads us to assume all work inside was made by people who’ve long since passed. So every time we saw that gorgeous Hannya mask that serves as cover image for the Museum of International Folk Art’s Yōkai: Ghosts & Demons of Japan exhibit and accompanying monograph, we assumed it must be old enough that the artist’s name probably wouldn’t even be available. How wrong we were. Ichiyu Terai-san is alive and well, and he’s coming to Santa Fe.

Terai has mastered a complex constellation of Noh masks over the course of more than 45 years of study. Much like those of the Italian Commedia dell’arte style popular at Theater Grottesco, the masks represent emotional archetypes through codified exaggerations of human features. The Hannya, for instance (a particular specialty of Terai’s), personifies jealousy in the form of a horned female demon. The Kyoto-based artist channels each character—and the generations of mask-makers who carved before him—as he pulls features from the wood, likening the process to a form of “time travel.” And the passion behind his creations comes across so clearly that couture giant Valentino even partnered with the artist on the presentation of its Pre-Fall 2019 collection.

Yet the brilliance of Terai’s masks is most stunning in motion, when the tilt of a performer’s head can transform a snarling grimace into a wail of despair. Santa Fe isn’t exactly known as a bastion of Japanese stagecraft, so short of a traveling pro troupe making a miraculous appearance, Terai’s upcoming visit might be our best chance to encounter the unique magic of these masks outside the confines of a glass display case. The artist and his translator are setting up shop in the museum atrium for four days to chat with visitors while he labors on his latest creations. And as you watch the play of light across those carved cheeks, you may just catch a glimpse of their uncanny animation. (Siena Sofia Bergt)

Japanese Mask-Making Demonstration: 1-4 pm Thursday, June 1-Sunday, June 4. Free. Museum of International Folk Art, 706 Camino Lejo, (505) 476-1204

An Eye for the Larger than Life

Tibet has a magical quality. Even among those of us who have never been there, it wins our fancy as soon as we hear word of it. Renowned photographer Irene Kung bears witness to this magic through seven large scale photographs. Kung traveled to Tibet and Yunnan in 2017, immersing herself in the scenic and often isolated landscapes of mountains and monasteries on her quest to document the beauty of the region. “My trip to Yunnan and Tibet left me with such strong impressions that only color could clearly express,” Kung says in an artist’s statement. These photos have to be seen to be believed. (Noah Hale)

Irene Kung: Rough, Tough and Mystic Opening: 5-7 pm Friday, June 2. Free. Chiaroscuro Gallery, 558 Canyon Road, (505) 992-0711

While it’s Still Spring

No, it’s not summer quite yet, so you can still celebrate spring while it lasts at the 18th Annual Spring Festival at El Rancho de las Golondrinas. Featuring almost 100 vendors and combining the living history museum’s long-running fiber and lavender and herb events, this year’s festival promises to make your weekend feel fresh. On the fiber side of things, find art demonstrations and a marketplace; on the lavender and herb side, you can shop for artisanal products you just know smell amazing. You’ll also have the chance to learn about traditional ranch life, including a sheep-shearing demonstration. (NH)

Santa Fe Spring Festival: 10 am - 4 pm Saturday, Jun. 3 and Sunday, Jun. 4. $6-10. El Rancho de las Golondrinas, 334 Los Pinos Road, (505) 471-2261

The Color of Music

Synesthesia describes what happens when one sense is associated with another, such as seeing a color as a result of hearing music. An interactive, musical event will ask attendees to tap into multiple senses as they look and listen. The event features conductor and educator Oliver Prezant, along with violinist Carla Kountoupes, clarinetist Jerry Weimer and cellist Katie Harlow, who will improvise as Prezant leads an improvised musical response to photographer Grant Johnson’s ultra-high resolution images of remote mountains, riverbeds, forests and sand dunes. Johnson—who will attend the event—says his fascination with such images stems from “their abstract beauty” and “resemblance to abstract expressionist painting.” By the performance’s end, Prezant says he’s “able to conduct a piece using the artwork as a musical score.” (Julia Goldberg)

Discovering the Music of Photography: 2-3:30 pm, Saturday, June 3. $25 at Hold My Ticket (holdmyticket.com/event/414641). Strata Gallery, 418 Cerrillos Road (Design Center), stratagallerysantafe.com