Lecture Series

Presented by the National Endowment for the Humanities

The Morikami proudly presents its 2010-2011 lecture series funded in part by a challenge grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities. Please help us meet the challenge by calling 561-495-0233.

Lecture tickets are $7.00 for members; $10 for non-members.

All lecture tickets will be held at the door. Please register online or mail/fax this registration form.
Advance registration required only for lectures. Additional information on registration can be found in the policy and cancellation form and waiver form.

KAIJŪ: The History and Art of Japanese Vinyl Toys
in collaboration with the Consulate General of Japan in Miami
Wednesday, October 6, 2010 - 7:15pm. Museum doors open at 6pm.
Cost: $10 (Members $7)
Speakers Prof. James B. Levy and Mark Nagata

Journey through an intriguing look into the world of Kaijū as they invade the Morikami! Meet the Kaiju Exhibit's collector Prof. James B. Levy, and Mark Nagata, avid collector, artist, and creator of the kaijū, Eyezone, and let them be your guide through this monster wonderland.

Mark Nagata, owner of the largest collection of Ultraman toys outside of Japan and founder of Max Toy Company, and Professor James B. Levy, a longtime collector of Japanese vinyl toys, will talk about the influence of Japanese movie studio characters like Godzilla and Ultraman on American audiences. They will highlight the myriad of vinyl toys in these shows spawned in the 60's and 70's and their discovery decades later by collectors worldwide who appreciate them for their fantastic designs and artistry. While these toys were originally mass produced as inexpensive children's playthings, years later they are being appreciated in an entirely different context as beautiful objects reflecting the vanishing art of Japanese toy making. Both Mr. Nagata and Professor Levy will share how they first discovered these wonderful toys, their passion for collecting them and explain the influence these toys are having on artists and toymakers around the world.

Museum's Cornell Café will be closed.
Advance registration for lectures is required. Tickets will be held at the door. Please register online or send a registration form available here.

Purchase Tickets here

Poetic Recycling: Traditional Japanese Poetry in Modern Japan
Thursday, January 13 - 7:15pm. Museum doors open at 6pm.
Cost: $10 (Members $7)
Speaker Dr. Amy V. Heinrich

A look at the perseverance of traditional poetic forms- waka and haiku - over centuries into modern Japanese life: How does it look? How does it work? What does it offer? The place of poetry in modern Japanese life is explored, from outer space to personal diaries, with a look backward on the tradition of how poems build on each other to create new forms.

Dr. Amy V. Heinrich holds a Ph.D in Japanese Literature from Columbia University and was the director of C.V. Starr East Asian Library at Columbia University for 18 years, retiring recently.

Museum's Cornell Café will be closed.
Advance registration for lectures is required. Tickets will be held at the door. Please register online or send a registration form available here.

Purchase Tickets here

Mothers' Way, Daughters' Choice
Documentary Film Showing and Discussion
Thursday, February 3 - 6:00pm, Museum doors open at 5:30pm.
Cost: $10 (Members $7)
Speaker: Director Kyoko Gasha & TBA

"I love my mother, but I just don't want to be like her." Why would successful women from the world's second largest economic power choose to start their lives in New York City? This documentary film explores how several Japanese women struggle to reconcile their traditional upbringing and their desire to create unique lives. To understand these struggles, the director, Kyoko Gasha, shows the deep, powerful influences of Japanese culture on her own life. Kyoko has uncovered stories of other Japanese women in New York City, weaving parallel tales of guilt, sacrifice and joy. This is a story of cultures clashing on a personal level.

Director Kyoko Gasha is a TV reporter for Reuters in New York. In her 20 years of experience as a journalist, Kyoko has reported on a broad range of major events in Japan and around the world. Kyoko started her career as a reporter for TV Tokyo, one of the five commerical networks in Japan. For 15 years, she directed numerous documentaries about aging and declining birth rates in Japan. She joined Reuters America in 2001 and began covering the American economy and business.

Museum's Cornell Café will be closed.
Advance registration for lectures is required. Tickets will be held at the door. Please register online or send a registration form available here.

Purchase Tickets here

From Okuni & Danjuro: A Kabuki Retrospective
Thursday, April 7 - 7:15pm, Museum doors open at 6pm.
Cost: $10 (Members $7)
Speaker: Prof. David Furumoto

Kabuki is one of Japan's classic theatre traditions. It has become known around the world for its vibrant and colorful theatricicality. In this presentation, David Furumoto will provide a brief historical background, a demonstration of various acting styles and techniques, and a performance of some highlights from famous plays in English. In addition, he will talk about the influences Kabuki theatre has had on his life.

David Furumoto is the head of University of Wisconsin-Madison's University Theatre, and an associate professor of acting in the Department of Theatre and Drama. Furumoto holds a BA and a MFA in theatre from the University of Hawaii with a specialization in Asian theatre, as well as a professional certificate in Japanese classical dance from the Onoe Dance School in Japan.

Museum's Cornell Café will be closed.
Advance registration for lectures is required. Tickets will be held at the door. Please register online or send a registration form available here.

Purchase Tickets here

Any views, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this program do not necessarily represent those of the National Endowment for Humanities.*If you would like to register, please note that our registration office is open Monday through Friday, 9:00am to 5:00pm