DALLAS — In the heart of downtown Dallas sits the only cultural institution solely dedicated to Asian arts and culture in the southern region of the United States.
It’s the University of Texas at Dallas' Crow Museum of Asian Art.
This spring, the museum closed for a few weeks for a major transformation -- and for good reason, said Crow Museum Director of Development Caroline Kim.
"This is the first time we have turned over our entire museum dedicated to just one exhibition," she said.
As a result, the installation and design for "Japan, Form and Function: The Montgomery Collection" took weeks, Kim said.
But now the fruits of that labor can finally be enjoyed. The exhibit is officially open to the public, and it will remain open for the year.
In total, the exhibition boasts 250 objects, including ceramics, lacquer, wares, textiles, furnishings and more. They're items that collector Jeffrey Montgomery gathered over decades.
"It shows not only the large Japanese history, but how we are all interconnected," said Kim.
Throughout the museum, the broad influence from other cultures is highlighted. For example, a sake bottle on display made by a Japanese artist has obvious influence from Chinese potters. Furthermore, while looking at the colors, styles, treatment and design, Kim can point out additional Korean influence in a bottle.
The pieces represent different regions from the southernmost top of Japan to its northernmost points.
Kim's proud to showcase such an impressive collection at the Crow Museum. More than that, though, she's proud to be able to show it off for free; while the museum accepts online donations, it never charges an entry fee for its showings.
And this showing? There's a chance it could stay in Dallas for more than the yearlong commitment of its current display. Kim said her museum is in talks to possibly purchase this collection from its owner.
"He has offered it to the Crow at a very, very under-market price for acquisition," Kim said. "So we are in our early stages of hoping that we can raise the funds to acquire the collection so that it stays in Dallas."
If that happens, it would make Dallas the city with the largest and arguably most valuable collection of Japanese objects outside of Japan itself.
Kim just hopes people will come see the artwork and appreciate the story the pieces tell while celebrating Japanese heritage in Dallas.
"Our mission is to love and celebrate the cultures and arts in Asia all year round," she said.