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Twin Town High (vol. 8) |
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TAKO: Japanese Kites @ Weisman Art Museum
Thursday 01 July @ 12:17:05 |
 by Tom Schimmel
Driving across the river, the sun breaks through the clouds and turns the Weisman into a giant ball of reflected light. Frank Ghery designed a really cool museum. I’ve admired the weird exterior quirks for a long time, but I’ve never seen the quasar effect before today. I’ve also never seen so many kites. It’s all because of the latest exhibit at the Weisman, TAKO: Japanese Kites Inspire Western Kitemakers.
 Most of the kites are being made inside by kids and their parents, and then being flown poorly from the bridge and sidewalks. Eventually the rookies get a feel for the wind, but it’s still not exactly pretty.
I spy some kids on the bridge petting a large dog kite. It’s a very basic dog, but it has a lot of strings attached. The dog lies down and the kids giggle. As they reach down to give it a tummy scratch, the dog springs to life and shoots 50 feet into the air before I can blink. The dog dives, climbs, somersaults, and lands gently on all four paws in front of the kids. It feels like we’re on the streets of old Edo. Thank you unknown kite master.
For many centuries, zen-seeking craftsmen have taken the Japanese penchant for simple, precise beauty and thrown it up with grace to the wind. As unknown kite master has shown me, kites are meant to fly. The TAKO exhibit is not exactly an art history trip. More like evolution in motion. Ancient techniques applied to modern ambitions. When was the last time you flew a kite? It’s like, fun. Really fun. According to one display, kites are magic wishes that fly up to the sky. I can see no reason to disagree. For some of the kite makers, the joy is in the engineering of three-dimensional tension structures. For others, it’s the aesthetic spectacle. Either way, TAKO is a refreshing departure from normal art. Normal art can’t fly.
 Montreal artist Robert Trepanier’s kites might encourage you to forget that, but the Weisman’s high ceilings provides perspective. These giant characters are powerful wind catchers that would be happy to pull you into the stratosphere if you chose to go to the park and try one out. Luckily, there are lots of kites for sale that can easily be flown by hand. The designs vary from traditional Asian to fantasy anime. Anyone who wants to build their own kite will find everything they need in terms of materials and instructions. You can even take a class with Stuart Allen in September, or have Arte del Cielo craft you a custom kite. Everyone here is tako kichi, meaning that they’re having a blast doing what they love. Life getting you down? Go fly a kite.
TAKO: Japanese Kites Inspire Western Kitemakers runs through September 12. Weisman Art Museum, 333 E. River Rd., Mpls. 612-625-9494.
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